Ohio State DC Matt Patricia visits Top-100 EDGE Mekai Brown

Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is quite familiar with the Northeast and he’s got his sights set on the No. 1 recruit in Connecticut.

The Buckeyes got Greenwich (Conn.) Country Day four-star EDGE Mekai Brown to Columbus for the first time during the 2025 season and they are a top contender heading into the spring. On Thursday, Patricia paid a visit to the pass-rusher:

Brown’s first time at OSU came at the end of November and he saw the Big Ten juggernaut blow out Minnesota. Brown got to spend time with the staff, including head coach Ryan Day and the vaunted defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

“They made a great first impression,” Brown told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “It exceeded my expectations. The atmosphere was great and the place was loud.”

“I feel very highly about them. This visit helped me see a lot of stuff that I liked,” he added. “The production they have shown through the years, and explaining what they could do with my level of talent really made my interest high in Ohio State.”

There was some Northeast representation near the top of Ohio State’s 2026 class. Pittsburgh Pine-Richland five-star cornerback Jay Timmons flipped from Florida State and is now Rivals’ No. 1 CB in the nation. A pair of New Jersey blue-chippers in Oradell Bergen Catholic four-star CB Jordan Thomas and Egg Harbor Township St. Augustine four-star defensive lineman Damari Simeon are also headed to the Horseshoe.

In addition to being the No. 1 recruit in Connecticut in the 2027 cycle, Brown is also the No. 68 overall prospect and No. 7 EDGE, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.

Brown’s offer sheet is loaded. Nearly all of the usual suspects are involved with the 6-foot-6, 235-pounder. USC, Nebraska, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia are among those pushing.

Ohio State has the No. 1 class in the 2027 Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings early on. Last month, it landed a surprise pledge from Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity Catholic five-star EDGE David Jacobs, the No. 10 overall prospect in the cycle.

Miami was the leader for Jacobs — until it wasn’t. A literal last-minute pivot to the Buckeyes shocked many when he made his decision public on Dec. 29. Jacobs and Wayne (Ohio) Big Walnut five-star wide receiver Jamier Brown provide Day and Co. with an elite one-two punch at the top of the pledge list early on in the cycle. Brown has been committed for over a year and is currently the No. 12 overall prospect and No. 3 WR.

The full Ohio State class thus far can be seen here.