With how fast the college football landscape is moving, thinking a year in advance is a challenge. That is no worry for Carlos Locklyn and the rest of the Ohio State coaching staff. The Buckeyes held camps this week on campus for the future stars of college football and dropped a handful of offers to court those future playmakers. One such running back caught the eye of the Buckeyes’ staff and, as a rising sophomore, Elijah Newman-Hall already pledged his services to Ohio State.
Elijah Newman-Hall Commits To The Ohio State 2028 Class
As a freshman at Blake High School in Tampa, Florida, Newman-Hall made an immediate impact on both sides of the ball. The running back tallied 829 yards and eight touchdowns on just 80 carries in 10 games. As a true freshman, the six-foot, 205-pound back averaged almost 83 yards and a score off eight carries. That’s explosive. As a defensive end, Newman-Hall amassed 28 tackles, eight sacks, seven quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
According to Letterman Row, Newman-Hall was “the most physically imposing running back prospect at camp.”
The Road Ahead
Now, the task for Locklyn and the Buckeyes’ staff will be to make sure that Newman-Hall’s commitment sticks. There are three long years between now and when he signs on the dotted line to play college football. While he does not have any ratings (outside of Rivals‘ five-star rating), he is projected to be one of the top running backs in the class. In addition to Ohio State, Newman-Hall has another 10 offers, including from Miami, Florida State, UCF, USF. and Wake Forest.
Chris Henry Jr. committed to the Buckeyes in July before his sophomore season. While he’s moved around a bit, he has been locked in from day one. He will sign with the Buckeyes this winter and hold true. If Newman-Hall is as good as advertised, Ohio State will have to fend off the entire SEC for the Florida-based product. Considering Locklyn offered him this early, he should be. With Newman-Hall, the Ohio State 2028 recruiting class kicks off.
More: Ohio State Adds Two to its 2026 Recruiting Class
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