Sept. 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Glenville linebacker Cincere Johnson watches warm-ups before Ohio State's game against the Marshall University Thundering Herd at Ohio Stadium. Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State Buckeyes 2026 Target Announces Commitment Date

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Dylan Feltovich | Last updated May 27, 2025 7:10 PM ET

After a monstrous recruiting run in the mouth of April for Ohio State Buckeyes' head coach Ryan Day, the program was unable to continue the momentum in May. However, this could quickly change as we head into June, as an in-state prospect recently announced his college decision date.

On3Sports' Hayes Fawcett reported on Tuesday evening that 2026 four-star Cincere Johnson will announce his college decision on Jun 19, according to a post on X.

NEWS: Elite 2026 LB Cincere Johnson will announce his College Decision on June 19th, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’3 225 LB from Cleveland, OH is ranked as the No. 3 LB in the ‘26 Class (per On3)

Where Should He Go? ⬇️https://t.co/bc15wU0MqA pic.twitter.com/iMF6HEWr8w
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 27, 2025

Johnson, an off-ball linebacker that can get after the quarterback in pass rushing situations, is currently the No. 2 prospect in the state of Ohio and the No. 8 EDGE rusher in the country, according to 247Sports' Composite Ratings. Earlier this month, the highly-touted defensive weapon narrowed down his list of schools to three, including Ohio State, Penn State, and Alabama.

Luckily for fans, Buckeyes' insider Bill Kurelic placed a crystal ball prediction for Johnson to land with Ohio State, which would be yet another big-time commitment for Day and the program. The Glenville standout would become the 14th commit for the Buckeyes in the 2026 recruiting cycle, as well as the ninth four-star prospect.

More importantly, Johnson could end the Buckeyes' drought with EDGE rushers out of high school. Day has not landed a commitment from a defensive lineman in the 2026 class, which could be problematic for the future of the program.

Johnson is set to take an official visit to Columbus on Jun 13.

This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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