JUST IN: Four-star 2026 Ohio State target commits to another Big Ten school

Four-star 2026 Ohio State target commits to another Big Ten school

COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a surprise announcement Saturday, 2026 four-star CB Victor Singleton committed to Illinois.

The talented cornerback attends Toledo Central Catholic and had long been linked to Ohio State. He’s the No. 65 overall prospect and No. 6 cornerback in the 247Sports composite, and the No. 2 player in the state of Ohio. He’s part of a loaded cornerback class in Ohio in 2026, with five-star Elbert Hill and four-star Jakob Weatherspoon (an Ohio State commit) all in-state.

Why Sonny Styles’ NFL Draft decision is so important to Ohio State football

COLUMBUS, Ohio — James Laurinaitis took over an Ohio State linebacker room where only one person had legitimate experience and turned it into an elite unit.

Jakob Weatherspoon, 2026 4-star ATH, commits to Ohio State Buckeyes

Now as he heads into Year 2 as a full-time assistant, the question is whether he can do it again. The good news is that he will have a pretty valuable piece available to him as Sonny Styles has decided that one year as a linebacker isn’t enough to feel comfortable leaving for the NFL.

Styles joins Caleb Downs as the lone returning starters on Ohio State’s defense in 2025.

Styles arrived as a five-star, originally part of the 2023 class before reclassifying to 2022 to show up a year early. His career began as a safety, having a small role in the 2022 Peach Bowl before claiming a starting job in 2023. But his athletic profile continued to suggest that maybe his best position was a linebacker as he quickly adjusted to the position and started alongside Cody Simon (113 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, seven sacks and seven pass breakups) this past season.

The tandem became the most productive in school history both surpassing 100 tackles with Styles recording 100 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks and five pass breakups in Year 1 as a linebacker. Now he returns for Year 2 and Year 4 in the program to help Laurinaitis lead a room with plenty of upside.

The room isn’t as inexperienced as it was this time last year thanks to Arvell Reese emerging as a potential star. He’s expected to replace Simon as the starting Mike linebacker. But then things get interesting.

C.J. Hicks could be on the verge of changing positions as there’s a chance that OSU’s defense looks drastically different from a scheme standpoint with so many defensive linemen graduating. Payton Pierce and Garrett Stover head into Year 2 expecting to make a jump, especially Pierce as he goes through his first spring after spending last year recovering from an injury suffered in high school.