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Eli Lederman, ESPN
Ohio State‘s top-ranked 2025 recruiting class gained its latest top-50 talent Monday morning with a commitment from four-star defensive end Zion Grady (No. 45 in the ESPN 300).
Grady, a versatile pass-rusher from Enterprise, Alabama, is the No. 7 defensive end in his class and the fifth-ranked prospect in the state of Alabama in 2025. After decommitting from Alabama, Grady gave his pledge to the Buckeyes over finalists Tennessee and Florida State. His commitment comes one day after Grady finished an official visit to Ohio State over the weekend.
“Let’s go Bucks,” Grady wrote in a post on X.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound edge rusher burst onto the national recruiting scene with a pair of standout seasons at Charles Henderson High School in Troy, Alabama, where Grady totaled 82 tackles, 23 hurries and 10 sacks in his junior season.
Grady initially committed to Alabama in November 2023 before pulling his pledge and reopening his recruitment in January following Nick Saban’s departure from the Crimson Tide. Grady also announced his transfer to Enterprise High School in January as well.
With his commitment, Grady is now the 14th ESPN 300 commit and the fourth-highest prospect in the Buckeyes’ upcoming class. Ohio State is now up to five top-50 commits for 2025, more than any other program in this cycle.
Grady also joins a star-studded defensive unit headed to Ohio State in the 2025 cycle, a group headlined by Na’eem Offord (No. 1 cornerback in 2025), Devin Sanchez (No. 2 cornerback) and London Merritt (No. 5 defensive end in 2025). Zahir Mathis (No. 8 defensive end), Faheem Delane (No. 4 safety), Tarvos Alford (No. 6 outside linebacker) and 24th-ranked cornerback DeShawn Stewart fill out the loaded crop of defenders headed for Columbus in the top recruiting class, according to ESPN’s latest team rankings.
