Ohio State Buckeyes lost out on a player to a major SEC program who would have been a smart addition from their own backyard

Ohio State was in the mix, along with Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, and several other programs. The Buckeyes could have used the 6-foot-4, 360-pound defensive tackle as a developmental prospect along their defensive line. He’s exactly the kind of build that defensive line coach Larry Johnson could really develop potentially—but that opportunity won’t come to pass.

Perez visited Florida and fell in love with the campus and the program. That made the difference, and sometimes, that’s just how recruiting goes. He built a strong relationship with the Gators’ staff, and now they’ve secured the big defensive lineman. According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Perez is the No. 1,012 player in the country and the No. 104 defensive lineman overall. The rankings were not there for Perez but he was offered by a ton of programs across the country. 

As of now, Ohio State does not have a single defensive lineman committed in the 2026 class—neither on the edge nor the interior. That’s an area the Buckeyes will need to address and make up ground on in the coming months.