Elite 5-star Ohio State Buckeyes recruiting target that’s committed elsewhere leaves the door open for his commitment to flip
2026 five-star edge rusher Zion Elee is one of the most coveted recruits in the nation.
Elee, 6-foot-4/220 lbs, has been committed to Maryland since December. He’s rated by 247Sports as the No. 1 edge rusher in the nation and the No. 2 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class.
The elite edge rusher told On3 this week that his commitment to Maryland is “pretty solid” while also noting that NIL isn’t a huge factor in his recruitment.
“I just leave all that stuff to the side and focus on ball….I’ll get money anywhere I go, so it doesn’t matter,” said Elee to On3.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are one of the programs that’s working to flip Elee from Maryland. And they’ll get their chance to deliver their pitch when the Maryland native takes his official visit to Columbus later this year (Elee is also going to take official visits to Auburn, Maryland, Penn State, Texas A&M, and South Carolina).
While Elee certainly sounds like he’s “locked in” with Maryland, he left the door open for his commitment to flip while discussing his recruitment with On3.
“It all boils down to signing day, but I know for right now I’m committed to Maryland,” said Elee.
That “for right now” has to be a concerning comment for Maryland fans. Conversely, it suggests to Ohio State fans that a potential flip is very much in play.
Ohio State is arguably the hottest college football program in the nation right now. If the Buckeyes put the full-court press on Elee, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him flip his commitment from Maryland to Ohio State late during the recruiting cycle.
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