Ohio State to get final visit for No. 2 overall player, but distance might be too much to overcome

David Sanders Jr.

David Sanders is the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2025 recruiting class, the No. 2 overall player, and the top prospect from the state of North Carolina, all according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He was also in Columbus for last month’s Student Appreciation scrimmage and will be back on campus at the end of June to wrap up his official visit schedule.

Getting the last visit can be either a blessing or a curse for college football programs. On the positive side, it means that you have the opportunity to make your case after all of your competition has done so; your pitch will be the most fresh when the player and his family finally make their decision.

However, on the flip side, there’s always the chance that the prospect doesn’t make it to your visit, and decides to commit before he exhausts all of his visits. in the case of Sanders, he will be at South Carolina, Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama before ultimately arriving at Ohio State on June 21.

According to 247Sports’ Anna Adams, Tennessee, Clemson, and UGA are considered the leaders to gain Sanders’ services in no small part because of their proximity to his home in Charlotte. Rocky Top is the furthest from home at roughly 3 hours and 45 minutes away; Columbus is pushing 7 hours. While the distance from his family, including three little sisters, is not impossible to overcome, it does put the Buckeyes at a disadvantage.

“If Columbus was closer to Charlotte, the Buckeyes would be viewed in a different light,” Adams said. “But it’s reasonable to think that’ll affect their standing in the end.”

Nonetheless, Justin Frye and Chip Kelly will presumably have the final opportunity to win over Sanders and convince him that while it is roughly a 6 hour and 51 minute from from Charlotte to Columbus, it is only an hour-and-a-half flight, which I’m sure OSU’s NIL collectives will be more than happy to help out with.

On the flip side of that equation, the Buckeyes will get the official visits rolling for four-star defensive lineman Javeon Campbell. The Frankfort, Kentucky native will be in Columbus on May 31 before heading to Kentucky, Auburn, Alabama, and Georgia over the following three weeks.

Campbell is the No. 257 player in the 2025 class and the No. 30 defensive lineman. An edge rusher, Campbell stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 265 pounds. Despite wrapping up his junior year of high school, the prospect has only played one season of football, so the fact that his 22 scholarship offers include some of the best programs in the country is a testament to his athleticism.

According to 247Sports’ Allen Trieu, there could still be other visits planned, but for now, the Buckeyes will kick things off next month. Campbell was on campus in early March as well when he picked up his official offer from the Buckeyes.

Despite being new to the sport, Campbell is certainly a player to keep an eye on. As he continues to attend camps and showcases this summer, and eventually play his senior season in the fall, he very well might end up jumping up the recruiting rankings, just as he has since making his high school football debut last fall.