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"Why people committed and still took visits": Five-star safety Blane Bradford delivers subtle jabs while reaffirming his commitment to Ohio State
Ohio State made a major move on the recruiting front after its national championship run by landing a commitment from five-star safety Blane Bradford in March. For an elite player like him, schools will continue to push until the early signing period in December, but Bradford said he is fully committed to Ryan Day's program.
“I’m a man of my word," Bradford told Buckeye Huddle on Wednesday. "At the end of the day, everybody can try (to flip him), I don’t mind talking to people about it or explaining myself, but yeah I’m a man of my word and I plan on sticking to it."
Bradford is the second five-star recruit to pledge to the Buckeyes, joining wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., who also reaffirmed his commitment in April. Like Henry, Bradford has no plans to explore other options.
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"I'm only taking one official visit to Ohio State," Bradford said. "I never understood why people committed and still took visits. I feel like if you commit, you’re committed for a reason. You committed because you’re really selling yourself to that school. I feel like it would just be disrespectful for me to take other visits."
Blane Bradford typically plays as a traditional safety, but his athletic versatility makes him a valuable asset for Ohio State wherever they choose to utilize him. He is the No. 4 safety in the 2026 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.
Blane Bradford opens up about his surprising commitment to Ohio State
Blane Bradford's commitment marked a big recruiting victory for Ohio State, as they managed to secure him from LSU’s backyard.
Bradford attends Catholic High School in Louisiana, which is just four miles from LSU’s Tiger Stadium and was heavily pursued by Brian Kelly’s coaching staff. In fact, LSU was considered the frontrunner to land him, with a 93.9% chance of securing his commitment, according to On3.
However, during the unofficial spring visit in March, Bradford surprised many by choosing the Buckeyes instead. His recruitment was led by safeties coach Matt Guerrieri and cornerbacks coach Tim Walton. Watching both coaches work closely with players during that visit played a key role in influencing his decision.
“It’s a feeling that you can’t really describe,” Bradford told Buckeye Huddle. “It’s a feeling like God is telling you, ‘you have to do it’. I talked to my parents about it, I talked to my relatives about it, my close friends. It’s a good feeling.”
Ohio State also has four-star prospect Simeon Caldwell in the safety room of the 2026 class, which ranks No. 3 in the nation with 13 committed players, per On3.
