Justin Hilliard, Jashon Cornell pledge
The ESPN 300 prospects announced their decisions live on ESPN.com. They give the Buckeyes their first five-star commitments for the 2015 class.
Hilliard, the No. 13 prospect, is the second No. 1 linebacker Ohio State has landed in as many years. The Buckeyes signed Raekwon McMillan in the 2014 class and now will officially add Hilliard to the defense come February.
Cornell is the No. 16 overall prospect and the No. 5 defensive end. The 6-foot-3, 265-pound lineman is coming into a situation with an already-loaded defensive line at Ohio State, but will fit well into defensive coordinator Chris Ash’s system. Both prospects could compete for early playing time and should also be able to help reel in other prospects for coach Urban Meyer.
The Buckeyes are already targeting No. 1 running back Damien Harris, who had previously been committed to Michigan.
Their commitments help the Buckeyes move up 17 spots to No. 6 in the new ESPN class rankings. Ohio State now has 12 commitments in the 2015 class, including four ESPN 300 prospects.