Five-star point guard Marcus Johnson, the top prospect in the state of Ohio for the 2026 recruiting class and the cousin of Meechie Johnson, commits to Ohio State.
Johnson chose Ohio State over a list of offers that includes Alabama, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Illinois, LSU, Oklahoma, Villanova and West Virginia, among others.
He becomes the first player to commit to Ohio State in the 2026 recruiting class and the first high school commitment for new head coach Jake Diebler. Johnson pulled the trigger before any 2025 recruits even pledged to the Buckeyes. Johnson earned his offer from the Buckeyes on May 1, 2023 after former head coach Chris Holtmann, Diebler and others were blown away by the then-freshman's performance on Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League circuit. Johnson shot 47% from three.
Still two years out from when he'd arrive in Columbus, Johnson is the first player in either the 247Sports or ESPN rankings for the class of 2026 – rankings that are fairly sparse at this stage – to pledge his services to a school. He attended a few games in Value City Arena after Diebler took over for Holtmann, including his debut upset victory overand the Division I All-Ohio Player of the Year by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association. He averaged 23.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range as he led Garfield Heights to a 25-2 record and the Division I state quarterfinals this season.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
2026 Florida Quarterback Dia Bell Earns Offer from Ohio StateFollowing his visit to Ohio State on Thursday, 2026 Florida quarterback Dia Bell earned an offer from Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Bell has received multiple Division I offers and has visited Ohio State multiple times. He is the son of former NBA player Raja Bell.
Read more »
2026 Quarterback Prospect Dia Bell Receives Offer from Ohio StateDia Bell, a quarterback prospect for the 2026 cycle, received an offer from Ohio State University (OSU). This was Bell's dream school, and he visited Columbus for the third time. The head coach, Ryan Day, watched Bell throw in person before extending the offer. Bell's playing style was compared to that of a point guard in basketball.
Read more »
Ohio State Offers 2026 Cornerback Ksani JilesKsani Jiles, a 2026 cornerback, received an offer from Ohio State during his visit to the campus. Jiles expressed his excitement and admiration for the program's history of producing top defensive backs.
Read more »
The Hurry-Up: Ohio State Offers 2026 QB Dia Bell, Five-Star Offensive Tackle David Sanders Jr. Locks in Official Visit to Ohio State, Four-star RB Tory Blaylock Will Commit on March 29Ohio State offers 2026 QB Dia Bell, five-star OT David Sanders Jr. locks in an official visit to Ohio State and four-star RB Tory Blaylock will commit on March 28.
Read more »
Former state Controller Betty Yee latest to announce 2026 run for California governorCalifornia's former Controller Betty Yee says she will run for governor in 2026.
Read more »
Mercedes A-Class to live on until 2026, may get EV successorWith demand for EVs slowing, Mercedes will keep its gas-powered A-Class on sale longer than originally planned.
Read more »