$10 Million USC Recruit Has One-Word Reaction to 4-Star QB’s Commitment to Ohio State

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Orlando Silva | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 5:49 PM ET

Coming off a dream 2024 college football season, which concluded with a national championship, the Ohio State Buckeyes haven't stopped bolstering their ranks to defend their throne in 2025.

The defending national champions received terrific news on Thursday, as a four-star quarterback committed to Ryan Day's program. After Will Howard led them to the national championship in 2024, recording 309 completions on 423 pass attempts, racking up 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.

Howard only spent one season with the Buckeyes, but his impact exceeded expectations.

Although they had to wait longer than desired, the Buckeyes found a new quarterback. Luke Fahey, a quarterback out of Mission Viejo (Calif.), announced his commitment to the defending national champions.

Across the country, the USC Trojans also landed a major win when they recruited five-star tight end Mark Bowman, a five-star recruit considered the No. 1 player in his position in the 2026 class. On3's Scott Schrader reported in June that Bowman could make between $8 million and $10 million in NIL during his time with the Trojans.

Upon learning the news of Lahey joining the Buckeyes, Bowman took to social media to hype up the quarterback. He reshared a post announcing the decision on his Instagram story, adding a one-word message to explain how great Lahey is.

These two are expected to shine on their respective teams. Lahey, as a quarterback, will be given the most attention, while Bowman, who was promised to be a focal point of the Trojans' offense to beat other programs for his signing, is set to make a big impact on his squad.

The Buckeyes and the Trojans aren't scheduled to clash in the 2025 regular season. However, depending on how their respective seasons go, they could clash in the College Football Playoffs.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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