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Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Staff Writer
ESPN 300 defensive end London Merritt committed to Ohio State on Friday, giving the Buckeyes the No. 4 pass rusher in the class.
Merritt is a 6-foot-3, 245-pound prospect out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and had offers from Alabama, North Carolina, Auburn, Oregon, Texas A&M and USC, among others.
He had been planning to visit the Aggies and the Trojans, but announced his commitment to Ohio State prior to those trips. He is the eighth commitment for Ohio State in the 2025 class and the sixth on the defensive side. The coaching staff has made defense a priority, especially in the secondary.
Ohio State has commitments from three ESPN 300 cornerbacks. Na’eem Offord is a 6-foot-2, 185-pound corner from Birmingham, Alabama, and is ranked No. 6 overall in the class as a five-star. Devin Sanchez, out of Houston, isn’t far behind at No. 11 overall and Blake Woodby from Baltimore is the No. 28 prospect.
An impressive haul, Merritt joins fellow defensive end Zahir Mathis from Philadelphia, who is ranked No. 50 overall.