For 2025 four-star offensive tackle Ziyare Addison, Ohio State was the last school he expected.
Addison, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound tackle from Riverview, Fla., said he has had prior relationships with several coaches on Ohio State’s staff, including offensive coordinator and former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly and the running backs coach Carlos Locklyn, who was recently hired from Oregon. Kelly and Locklyn, Addison said, encouraged Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye to “go after this kid too.”
Even with an official visit schedule set with Georgia, UCLA, Florida, Florida State, Penn State and Oregon, Addison received an offer from Ohio State on Thursday morning, an offer he said he was “waiting on.”
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“You know, I have Georgia, Alabama, USC,” Addison said. “But I feel like this was the last rock I was really looking for in my recruiting process.
“If you didn’t know who Ziyare Addison is before, I think you should know who he is now.”
Who is Ziyare Addison?
Originally a 190-pound defensive end and tight end entering high school, Addison switched to tackle and grew into his 285-pound frame. A few months after the job change, he caught the attention of Florida State and received an offer after a recruiting camp.
Addison, the No. 211 player and the nation’s No. 22 offensive tackle according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, said Frye likes his 8-foot wingspan, something that is “very rare for an offensive lineman.”
Even with official visits scheduled, Addison said Ohio State is in the “top seven” and that he hopes to get to campus for possibly a midweek official visit this summer, with an August decision date looming.
Ohio State may have been the last offer Addison wanted. But if he chooses the Buckeyes, he also knows what they would get.
“You’re going to have one of the best offensive linemen in the state of Ohio,” Addison said.
Is Justin Frye resetting his big 2025 offensive line board?
Frye has been busy adding a big board to his offensive line in the 2025 class.
Addison is another forward in a series of offers Frye extended throughout the spring contact period that includes four-star California forward Jackson Lloyd, four-star Mississippi forward Mario Nash Jr., three-star forward Texas’ Henry Fenuku and Georgia three-star Andrew Stargel, who Ohio State sees at center.
And Frye doesn’t appear to be wasting any time.
After receiving an offer on April 26, Stargel was in Columbus for an unofficial visit on May 10, and has an unofficial visit scheduled with the Buckeyes from June 7-9.
“(They are) telling me and proving that they can make me the best man and the best football player,” Stargel said.
Lloyd was also on Ohio State’s campus on May 11 after receiving an offer on May 7.
More about Justin Frye: Why Justin Frye is looking for violence on Ohio State football’s offensive line
Ohio State has an offensive line commitment in the class of 2025 in four-star Toledo tackle Carter Lowe. But the Buckeyes have their eye on the class’ top target: five-star David Sanders Jr., who has made multiple trips to Columbus in 2024 and reportedly has an official visit scheduled June 21-23.
Ohio State also has players like Micah DeBose, a four-star from Alabama, and Joshua Blackston, a three-star from Maryland.
Ohio State has already lost four-star offensive lineman Avery Gach, who committed to Michigan.
Since 2020, Ohio State has averaged more than four offensive line signees in each recruiting class. In the spring recruiting period, Frye appears to be widening his net, even with top targets still available.
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This article originally appeared in The Columbus Dispatch: Why 2025 OL Ziyare Addison Is Considering Ohio State
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