LSU Lands Top Defensive Lineman Deuce Geralds, Shifting Recruiting Landscape for Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a meaningful recruiting progress, four-star defensive lineman Deuce Geralds has committed to Louisiana state University (LSU), choosing the Tigers over a competitive field including Ohio State, Michigan, Ole Miss, and Oregon. the declaration, made Saturday afternoon, marks a key win for LSU head coach Brian kelly and his staff.
Geralds, a 6-foot-2, 275-pound interior lineman hailing from Suwanee, Georgia (North Gwinnett high School), is ranked as the No. 95 overall prospect and the No. 12 defensive lineman in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He received an official visit to LSU first,on June 14th,before taking a visit to Ohio state on June 20th. Despite the Buckeyes’ efforts, Geralds ultimately opted for the SEC program.This commitment has ripple effects for Ohio State’s defensive line recruiting strategy. The Buckeyes currently have commitments from Jamir Perez (IMG Academy, Bradenton, Florida), Damari Simeon (St. Vincent-St. mary High School,Akron,Ohio),and Cameron Brickle (Bayside High School,Virginia Beach,Virginia) at the defensive tackle position. Khary wilder (Northwestern High School, Rock Hill, South Carolina) is their sole commitment at edge rusher for the 2026 class.
Wiht Geralds off the board, Ohio State’s interior defensive line class is likely complete. This leaves a potential need for an additional edge rusher. currently, the Buckeyes do not have a clear, prioritized target remaining on the defensive line.
To bolster their defensive line class, Ohio State will likely need to pursue one of two strategies: extending a scholarship offer to a new, currently unoffered prospect, or attempting to flip a commitment from another school.the team will be closely monitoring upcoming camps and evaluations to identify potential candidates. The loss of geralds underscores the increasingly competitive nature of college football recruiting, particularly for elite defensive linemen.
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