4-star safety Faheem Delane commits to Ryan Day's Ohio State ahead of 2024 season 

By Maliha

Modified Jun 10, 2024 05:23 GMT

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day continues to bolster his 2025 recruiting class with the addition of four-star prospect Faheem Delane. The safety, hailing from Our Lady Good Counsel High School in Maryland, officially committed to Ohio State on Sunday, marking the program's first Maryland commit for the 2025 cycle.

Delane is ranked as the No. 44 overall prospect and the No. 2 safety in the On3 Industry Rankings. ESPN recognizes him as the second-best recruit in Maryland and the fourth-ranked safety in the 2025 class.

Delane’s decision follows an official visit to Ohio State's campus from June 7-9. This visit was one of several he has made to Columbus, having been offered by Ohio State back on May 16, 2022.

The four-star athlete initially formed a strong connection with former safety coach Perry Eliano. After Eliano's departure, cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and new safety coach Matt Guerrieri continued to strengthen the relationship, ultimately securing his commitment.

Ohio State faced stiff competition for Delane, as programs like Oregon, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Florida State, Michigan and LSU were all vying for his talents. His commitment brings Ohio State's total number of commits in the 2025 class to 14.

In his junior season in 2023, Delane led Good Counsel to a stellar 10-1 record and a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) championship victory over DeMatha Catholic. He recorded 69 tackles and 18 pass breakups, earning him first-team All-Conference honors.

Faheem Delane chooses Ohio State for its magnificent defensive back history

Delane joins a star-studded recruiting class that already boasts top cornerback recruits Na’eem Offord and Devin Sanchez, alongside four-star prospects like EDGE rusher London Merritt, linebacker Tarvos Alford, and cornerback DeShawn Stewart.

His decision was heavily influenced by Ohio State's consistent focus on developing defensive players (via On3):

“They have an impressive defensive back history and they run a safety-driven defense with three safeties on the field at all times,” he said in December.

A major influence on Delane's decision was also his admiration for Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, who received a new three-year contract this offseason. He is known for his successful tenure at Oklahoma State.

“That provides an opportunity to play and with coach [Jim] Knowles coming from Oklahoma State, they had a great defense over there and this year, Ohio State had one of the best – if not the best – defense. They definitely have something going on for them on the defensive side of the football,” Delane said.

Ohio State’s power is not limited to defense, as the Buckeyes are also assembling a formidable offensive lineup. They hold commitments from five-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair, four-star offensive tackle Carter Lowe, four-star tight end Nate Roberts and four-star wide receiver De’zie Jones.