Ohio State Expected To Be Dealt Blow on Highly Touted Playmaker by Michigan or SEC Foe

Ohio State Expected To Be Dealt Blow on Highly Touted Playmaker by Michigan or SEC Foe  originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Ohio State Buckeyes had arguably the premier running back tandem in college football last season as TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins played a critical role in their surge to a national title. However, they seem set to miss out on the top player at that position in the 2026 recruiting class.

Rivals has the Buckeyes rated as the favorite to land Savion Hiter (Mineral, Va.), the only five-star running back in the class, giving Ohio State a 27% chance of landing his commitment.

However, in an update on players on the Eastern side of the country still to commit to a program, Rivals' Chad Simmons indicated the Buckeyes will miss out on Hiter's services.

Simmons wrote: "The No. 1 running back in the Rivals Industry Ranking is set to commit on Aug. 19. Will Savion Hiter choose Michigan? The Wolverines have been trending since early in the year and Tony Alford is one of the best when it comes to recruiting running backs. NIL is a real factor here and we are told Michigan is all-in.

"The same can be said about Tennessee. The Vols have to be taken seriously in this race and there is some optimism in Knoxville that they can win this battle. Georgia and Ohio State are on Hiter’s list, but this is expected to come down to the Wolverines and the Vols for the five-star."

Missing out to the Michigan Wolverines would be a painful setback for the Buckeyes, while Ohio State would likely be similarly bemused to miss out to a Tennessee Volunteers team whom they beat in the first round of last season's College Football Playoff.

Still, having already landed one four-star running back in Favour Akih (Delaware, Ohio) after securing the services of two of the top 12 backs in the 2025 class in Anthony Rogers and Bo Jackson, the Buckeyes can afford to have confidence in the long-term outlook of their backfield regardless of what happens with Hiter.

Related: Jeremiah Smith Reveals Major Change in Physical Appearance Ahead of Ohio State's Season

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.