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Ohio State Dealt Blow on Highly Touted $5 Million Star in Recent Days

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Arnab Mondal | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Let’s be honest. Recruiting battles in college football are starting to look like Wall Street trades. And this week, Ohio State took a hit that no one ever thought of.

Texas Tech pulled off one of the biggest recruiting stunners in recent memory. Five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo, a Mansfield (Texas) outcome, turned down both Ohio State and in-state Texas to commit to the Red Raiders. This isn’t your typical recruiting win. Ojo is now the highest-ranked commit in Texas Tech history, according to On3.

The surprises didn’t stop there. Ojo’s agent, Derrick Shelby of Prestige Management, dropped a bombshell by revealing Ojo secured a three-year, fully guaranteed $5.1 million revenue-sharing deal. Texas Tech sources pushed back on that number, telling On3 the agreement actually averages around $775,000 per year. But Shelby stood by his figure, refusing to release the actual contract.

The financial side is only part of the story. Ojo didn’t even include Texas Tech in his top schools list earlier this year. But Tech’s staff kept the door open. They stayed in touch. They sold him on their vision. And ultimately, they closed.

Ojo himself told On3’s Steve Wiltfong back in April, “The OV to Texas Tech was great. The facilities were beautiful. Probably the biggest one in college football.”

Ohio State misses out on its top remaining offensive line target as five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo commits to Texas Tech. https://t.co/oaMWsnQSHO
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) July 4, 2025

There’s also a safety net in play. Sources told On3 that if the college football market shifts back toward heavy NIL deals, Ojo’s contract could be renegotiated to hit that $5 million mark. For context, Miami’s Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 tackle in the nation, reportedly expects around $2.5 million in his first year alone.

For Ohio State, this one stings. Big time.

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

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