"Ryan Day getting shoved into a locker by Dabo": CFB fans react as 2026 Class safety Kaden Gebhardt from Ohio commits to Clemson over the Buckeyes 

By Byron Terry

Modified Mar 11, 2025 20:28 GMT

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The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming off winning the College Football Playoff national championship against Notre Dame, going 14-2 in the process. They've been making waves in the recruiting world as well as they had a stellar 2025 recruiting class, ranked fifth by 247Sports.

However, a lot of college football fans have been reacting to a recent recruiting shock by the Buckeyes.

On3's Hayes Fawcett tweeted on Tuesday that Class of 2026 safety Kaden Gebhart committed to Dabo Swiney's Clemson Tigers, choosing them over Ohio State and others even though Gebhart is from Ohio as he attends Olentangy High School in Lewis Center, Ohio.

Gebhardt talked to On3 about his commitment to Clemson:

"I love Coach Conn, Coach Allen, Coach Swinney and the whole staff. I knew after my first visit that it was the school that fit me best. Where they see me dominating in their defense I absolutely love and can’t wait. I’m very blessed to be a Clemson Tiger. I'm all in."

Fans reacted to the post, with one writing:

"We see schools do this every cycle and it always ends the same way. You can’t just dump out a load of money before the summer and expect many to stick all the way till the end."

Another fan commented:

"Ryan Day getting shoved into a locker by Dabo absolutely love to see it."

One commenter wrote:

"Not good enough to be a Buckeye."

A fan commented:

"Never winning a ship there."

Another wrote:

"Dawg dabo is cooking."

Another posted:

"Let’s go!!! 2026 class is going crazy!"

Kaden Gebhardt: Recruiting breakdown

Kaden Gebhardt is rated as a four-star prospect, the 15th safety overall, the seventh-best player in Ohio and 214th in the country in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports. He holds over 30 offers from schools like Penn State and Ohio State.

Gebhardt is a playmaker at stopping the run and excells in coverage, anchoring the middle of the field. In his junior season in 2024, he had 94 tackles to go along with two interceptions and was named the OCC Defensive Player of The Year.

Clemson Tigers: Recruiting breakdown

The Clemson Tigers currently have the No. 2-ranked 2026 football recruiting class, according to 247Sports. The class features 12 commitments, including multiple four- and three-star prospects.

Clemson went 10-4 in 2024 and had a College Football Playoff appearance.