Latest news with #DariusGray
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ohio State Gets Clear Message From Highly Touted Five-Star
Ohio State Gets Clear Message From Highly Touted Five-Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It's safe to say the Ohio State Buckeyes left an impression on one of the top prospects in the 2026 recruiting class. Advertisement Five-star offensive lineman Darius Gray told On3's Steve Wiltfong on Friday that he had a great visit to the Buckeyes this past week. 'The big takeaways was definitely everybody is on the same page when it comes to goals," Gray told Wiltfong on Friday. "That's winning and being the best they can possibly be!' After his first Ohio State visit this spring, the offensive lineman shared what he enjoyed most about Ohio State. 'The environment at practice was live! The chance to be around winners is what excited me most," said Gray this spring. 'Just how the people in the building interact with one another!' Ohio State Buckeyes football head coach Ryan Day© Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Buckeyes are competing with their top rival, the Michigan Wolverines, for Gray's services. Advertisement The LSU Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tennessee Volunteers, Virginia Cavaliers and Virginia Tech Hokies are also pushing to land the five-star lineman. According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Gray is the No. 2 offensive lineman and second-ranked Virginia prospect in the 2026 recruiting class. The lineman is also rated the No. 28 overall player on the same rankings. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds, Gray will play his final high school season at St. Christopher's School in Richmond, Virginia. Based on the 247Sports ratings, the Buckeyes have the No. 2-rated recruiting class for 2026. Ohio State has received 15 verbal commitments, 13 of which are either four or five-star prospects. Advertisement The only program rated ahead of the Buckeyes in 2026 recruiting is the USC Trojans, who have landed 28 verbal commitments. Related: Ohio State Lands Extremely Early Commitment From Playmaker This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Elite 5-Star Recruit Names Top School After Official Visit
Elite 5-Star Recruit Names Top School After Official Visit originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the college football offseason continues to roll on, many of the top players in the 2026 recruiting class are making big decisions, including offensive tackle Darius Gray out of Richmond, Virginia. Advertisement He's one player that many of the top programs are pursuing, and on Saturday, he had an official visit with the Tennessee Volunteers, marking the third time the program hosted him. Now, in an article by On3's Steve Wiltfong, it's clear the Volunteers have made a very strong impression, as Gray revealed where the SEC powerhouse sits in the recruiting process. 'They stand at the top of my board,' Gray said. 'What makes it special is the people in that building!' Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Of course, this is great news for Tennessee and head coach Josh Heupel, as On3 Industry Rankings list Gray as a five-star recruit, the No. 1 interior offensive lineman, the No. 2 player in Virginia and the No. 23 player in the nation. Advertisement However, that was also far from his first official visit, as he's already been hosted by Virginia Tech (April 11), Virginia (April 25), Georgia (May 17) and Clemson (May 30). To make things even more competitive, he also has more visits scheduled with Auburn (June 10), Ohio State (June 11), LSU (June 14), Penn State (June 17) and South Carolina (June 20), so Gray certainly has many options. There's no doubt Tennessee would love to come out on top, though, as Gray could be a huge addition to its 2026 recruiting class, which holds eight commitments, ranking No. 4 in the SEC and No. 11 in the nation, per On3. Related: Nation's No. 1 QB Sends Clear Message After Texas Visit This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UNC named a \
UNC named a "team to watch" for a top class of 2026 football recruit UNC is considered a frontrunner for this highly-touted, Class of 2026 football prospect amongst more established programs. The North Carolina Tar Heels are off to a strong start in their 2026 football recruiting class, already securing 15 commitment. UNC's next class is anchored by 4-star defensive lineman commit Trashawn Ruffin, who plays his high school ball at North Duplin in Mount Olive, NC. North Carolina finally landed its coveted quarterback on Wednesday, May 21, securing a commitment from highly-touted Grayson High School (Loganville, Ga.) prospect Travis Burgess. With Bill Belichick now leading the charge in Chapel Hill, more high-profile recruits are giving the Tar Heels serious consideration. The latest high-profile recruit who could be heading to UNC is interior offensive lineman Darius Gray, with national recruiting analyst Tom Loy naming North Carolina the "Team to Watch." Gray is a 5-star recruit, who plays his high school football at St. Christopher's School, in Richmond, Va. Gray is ranked 28th overall in the 2026 recruiting class, second nationally amongst interior offensive linemen and second in the state of Virginia. "A source reached out to me today (Tuesday, May 20) and said that North Carolina is the team to watch when it comes to Darius Gray," Loy said. "I was leaning towards putting in a prediction for LSU. I've heard a lot of buzz about the Tigers, but keep an eye on North Carolina. Look for him to set an official visit soon. Things are trending in a positive way for Darius Gray and North Carolina." See the list of schools that 247Sports' Grant Hughes mentions in his above tweet? Clemson, Tennessee, Auburn, Ohio State, LSU and Penn State are all past national champions, while South Carolina is amongst the SEC favorites entering 2025. As Hughes also mentions in his tweet, it's amazing how much of an effect Belichick has on recruits. Who wouldn't want to come and play for an 8-time Super Bowl champion? Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
SEC Powerhouse Predicted to Land Elite Five-Star Recruit
There's no doubt that even with the rise of the transfer portal, many programs still look to bring in highly talented high school recruits to ensure future success. Much of the top talent coming through the class of 2026 has already committed to, but one name that programs are still trying to land is interior offensive lineman Darius Gray. Advertisement However, he may be making a decision very soon, as Steve Wiltfong of On3 has logged an expert prediction from Gray to land with the LSU Tigers, whom he has already visited twice, with a third and official one scheduled for June 14. Of course, this would be a major addition for LSU, as Gray is a highly-touted prospect, with On3 Industry Rankings placing him as a five-star recruit, the No. 1 interior offensive lineman and the No. 32 player in the nation. There's no doubt he has a wide range of options too, as he has also received scholarship offers from programs such as Ohio Stae, Tennessee, Penn State, Clemson, North Carolina and Georgia. Advertisement Considering he already stands at 6'3" and 285 pounds, Gray would have the potential to come in and make an immediate impact for whichever team he chooses. LSU Tigers head coach Brian Lew If he does land with LSU, then he would join an already extremely impressive recruiting class, which On3 currently ranks No. 1 in the SEC and No. 2 in the nation with a total of nine commitments. That includes big names such as five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys, five-star defensive lineman Richard Anderson, four-star safety Aiden Hall and four-star cornerback Havon Finney. Related: Texas Predicted To Lose Five-Star Recruit To College Football Powerhouse
