The Buckeyes are back on the class of 2023 commitment board. They have landed their second 2023 commitment and they have done it with a big boom as it comes from one of the top prospects in the Buckeye State and one of the country’s top overall class of 2023 interior line prospects.
Offensive lineman Joshua Padilla from Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne has announced he is commitment No. 2 for the Buckeyes’ 2023 recruiting class. He announced his decision on his Twitter account.
Padilla has made several unofficial visits to Ohio State recently. He was at the Buckeyes’ camp working out on June 22. Padilla also returned to Ohio State when the Buckeyes’ hosted Oregon and then again as the Buckeyes played Akron. And now Ohio State coaches Greg Studrawa, Kevin Wilson and head coach Ryan Day have won out.
Padilla has been a varsity starter at right-tackle since his freshman season. However, he will move inside when he gets to Ohio State.
“Ohio State is recruiting me as a center,” Padilla told Bucknuts. “I grew up as a Ohio State fan. (I grew up) watching players from my high school go there.”
Padilla picked the Buckeyes over a number of other schools he also visited including Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan and Indiana.
Padilla has a list of at least 17 scholarship offers that includes Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Indiana, Oregon, Michigan, Miami, Cincinnati, Arizona State, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pitt.
The 6-foot-4 and 265-pound Padilla is a 4-star prospect in the 247Sports rankings. He is the country’s No. 185 overall 2023 prospect, the No. 8 interior lineman and the No. 5 prospect in Ohio.
Padilla is commitment No. 2 in the Buckeyes’ 2023 recruiting class joining tight end Ty Lockwood from Thompson’s Station (Tenn.) Independence who committed to Ohio State during the summer.
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In addition to Padilla and Lockwood, the Buckeyes have 16 class of 2022 commitments. Those are 5-star linebacker C.J. Hicks. Ryan Day and his staff also have commitments from 4-star running back Dallan Hayden, 4-star wide receiver Caleb Burton, 4-star wide receiver Kyion Grayes who is the No. 1 prospect in the state of Arizona, 4-star wide receiver Kaleb Brown from Illinois, 4-star wide receiver Kojo Antwi from Georgia, a talented tight end in Bennett Christian from Georgia, the No. 7 prospect in the Buckeyes State in offensive lineman Tegra Tshabola, and 4-star offensive lineman George Fitzpatrick from Colorado and Avery Henry from Ohio. On the defensive side of the ball the Buckeyes also have commitment from country’s No. 5 linebacker Gabe Powers, top Florida defensive end Kenyatta Jackson, the No. 3 prospect in Ohio in cornerback Jyaire Brown, 4-star cornerback Terrance Brooks from Texas, and cornerback Ryan Turner and safety Kye Stokes from Florida. It is a class of 14 commitments to this point with twelve being 5 or high 4-star prospects. It is a class that is ranked as the country’s No. 3 recruiting class in the 247Sports Composite team recruiting rankings.
