Ohio State has made the top schools list for the nation’s No. 1 running back, along with three other contenders.

The college football recruiting season is in a dead period until March 2, which prohibits in-person interactions with prospects, yet top high school recruits are still planning future visits and narrowing down their choices; for Ohio State, this past weekend was busy as the Buckeyes emerged as a finalist for four blue-chip recruits—including Savion Hiter, a five-star Virginia native and the top running back in the 2026 class (ranked No. 17 overall by the 247Sports Composite)—who trimmed his list from over two dozen offers to four schools (Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, and Tennessee) and scheduled an official visit to Columbus from May 30 to June 1.

Following a stellar season in which TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins each exceeded 1,000 rushing yards to help Ohio State win a national title, position coach Carlos Locklyn is hopeful about striking gold with MaxPreps Junior All-American Savion Hiter, who ran for nearly 1,700 yards and 26 touchdowns while also contributing 56 tackles, seven sacks, and an interception on defense for Louisa County.

This won’t be Hiter’s first visit to see the Buckeyes. In November, the standout tailback already traveled to Ohio State during their 45-0 rout of Purdue—marking his second trip to Columbus after his initial visit in October 2023 when he first received an OSU offer. At the moment, Ohio State and Georgia appear to have an edge over the other two schools, but these official visits will significantly influence the final decision.

Speaking of Georgia, Ohio State is looking to expand its influence in the Peach State after adding four-star recruit Tyriq Green to its top schools list. Green, who has played both running back and safety for Buford, is currently ranked as the nation’s 10th top athletic prospect, the 22nd best player in Georgia, and the 164th overall prospect in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports Composite.