If there was one area of concern for the Ohio State football team last year, it was on the offensive line. While the metrics looked good on paper, the eye test wasn’t so forgiving. The Buckeyes lost the battle in the trenches when it mattered most, against Indiana in the Big Ten Championship, as well as when they faced Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal. The defense was historically good. No questions at the skill positions. But when it came to protecting Julian Sayin or consistently opening holes for the running backs, the line left something to be desired.
Tyler Bowen brought in a relatively good class of offensive linemen in the latest recruiting cycle, but more is needed. After a recent visit to Columbus, one of the top interior linemen in the country has put Ohio State in his top four. A native of Coatsville, Pennsylvania, Maxwell Hiller is rated the No. 1 interior lineman and the No. 10 overall prospect in the 2027 class according to 247Sports composite rankings.
Joining the Buckeyes on the short list are three other SEC schools: Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee. Hiller has official visits set with the three southern schools, but has yet to set a date for an official visit to Columbus.
NEWS: Five-Star IOL Maxwell Hiller is down to 4 Schools, he tells me for @Rivals⁰⁰The 6’6 305 IOL from Coatesville, PA is ranked as the No. 1 IOL in the 2027 Class
Where Should He Go?⁰⁰https://t.co/CoftALX7wqpic.twitter.com/tgFOiudzAx
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 7, 2026
While nothing is set in stone, it is good news for Ryan Day and OSU to make the cut in Hiller’s recruitment. Both Michigan and Penn State were both pushing hard to get a look, but the five-star recruit has left them off the list at this point.
If you want to win championships, it starts up front, and the Buckeyes must tighten things up there if they hope to make more championship runs.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State makes the shortlist for five-star offensive lineman
