Ohio State Receives Praise From Nation's No. 2 DL Recruit Marcus Fakatou
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Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes entered the offseason on a disappointing note. They failed to defend their national championship title, losing to the Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl Classic.
However, it has served as motivation for Day and his staff as they hit the recruiting trail. Ohio State‘s 2027 recruiting class is already impressive, ranking second in the nation with nine commitments. Headlining the group is five-star EDGE David Jacobs, but the Buckeyes aren’t done in the pass rush department.
Ohio State hosted defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou out of Chatsworth, California, for an unofficial visit on Tuesday. He’s a four-star recruit, the No. 2 defensive lineman and the No. 28 player in the nation, per Rivals Industry Rankings. Originally a member of the 2028 recruiting cycle, he reclassified to 2027.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 295 pounds, he was a disruptive force during the 2025-2026 season. In 12 games, Fakatou had 69 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks and two pass deflections.
His production, size and rankings have made him an intriguing target for the Buckeyes. Following his time in Columbus, he praised Ohio State when speaking to Rivals’ Adam Gorney.
“This was my first visit for this whole year in general,” he said. “Me and my parents were just talking and they set the bar so high that we all came to like a circle and said committing (Wednesday) would be something to think about. That’s how high they set the bar and I feel like Ohio State is right there with Notre Dame on my list.”
While Ohio State has certainly entered the mix, it still faces competition. Fakatou also holds offers from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, USC Trojans, Michigan Wolverines, Texas Longhorns and Oregon Ducks.
Related: Mario Cristobal, Miami Predicted to Land Nation’s No. 3 Recruit
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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