Sep 18, 2021; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Detailed view of a Florida Gators helmet against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Ohio State Buckeyes Working to Flip Florida Gators Commit

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 12:37 PM ET

The Ohio State Buckeyes have become a thorn in the side of every other big school in the country when it comes to recruiting because, well, they're just so good at it.

It's not just that Ohio State is great at landing commits, either. The Buckeyes have also become very adept at stealing commits from other squads, and that is exactly what they are currently attempting to do to the Florida Gators.

And you know what? They may have a great chance of doing so.

Ohio State is trying to lure three-star defensive lineman Jamir Perez away from Gainesville, and given that he is a high-school teammate of four-star linebacker Cincere Johnson, who is being projected to land with the Buckeyes, Ryan Day and Co. may have a great chance of doing just that.

Perez, a class of 2026 recruit, was seen working out at Ohio State's recruiting camp this past Monday, where Johnson was also present.

Florida D line commit Jamir Perez working out at Ohio State camp pic.twitter.com/zQqtBzaTS3
— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) June 9, 2025

The 6-foot-4, 360-pound behemoth is the 72nd-ranked defensive lineman in the country and the 27th-ranked player in the state of Ohio, via 247Sports' composite rankings.

That's what makes Perez such an intriguing candidate to flip to Ohio State, too: he is a Cleveland native and attends Glenville High School, so he may be tempted to stay close to home.

Meanwhile, Johnson is the eighth-ranked edge in the nation and the No. 2 player in Ohio. The Buckeyes are competing with top schools like Alabama and Penn State for his services, so if Ohio State can land both of these in-state prospects, it would be quite a coup.

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

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