Under Brian Hartline’s guidance, Ohio State has built a reputation for recruiting, developing, and producing top wide receivers over the past six years. Although they have yet to secure an elite receiver for the 2025 class, they soon have a chance to change that.
Vernell Brown III, a four-star wide receiver from Jones High School in Orlando, Florida, announced that he will make his college commitment on Sunday, July 21. His final choices are Florida, Florida State, Miami, and Ohio State.
According to 247Sports, Brown is the nation’s No. 7 wide receiver, a top-40 overall player in the 2025 class, and the fourth-best prospect from Florida. The 247Sports Composite ranks him as a five-star recruit, the sixth-best receiver, and a top-25 overall player in the class.
The 5-foot-11, 170-pound wideout has been on Ohio State’s radar since before Hartline offered him a scholarship in June 2023, following a camp at Ohio State. At that time, Brown was ranked just inside the top 90 players in the Top247 rankings for 2025 but has significantly risen in the rankings over the past year.
Since receiving his scholarship offer, Brown has visited Ohio State multiple times. He took an unofficial visit during the Scarlet and Gray’s 38-3 win against Michigan State last season and began his summer of official visits—which included stops at each of his finalists—at Ohio State.
“The visit was great,” Brown told 247Sports after his official visit. “My dad and I had seen most of the stuff before, so it was more for my mom and siblings. Some highlights were spending more time with the players and staff and enjoying the good food Columbus has to offer.
“I met with head coach Ryan Day, coach Hartline, and coach Chip Kelly. All great meetings. They reiterated how much they want me to be a Buckeye and how they plan to use me. They did a very good job making my mom and siblings feel good about Ohio State. My dad and I already felt comfortable with them, so that was important to me.
“I have three visits left. The Buckeyes solidified their chances with a great visit. However, I still want to go through the process and give the other schools an opportunity as well.”
The Scarlet and Gray have commitments from receivers Quincy Porter, De’zie Jones, and Bodpegn Miller but are looking to add another wideout to the 2025 class. Brown is one of Ohio State’s top remaining targets, along with Phillip Bell, Daylan McCutcheon, Jaime Ffrench, and Preston Bowman. According to 247Sports rankings, Brown would be the standout among this group.