A top-10 recruit in 2025 has chosen Ohio State

Ohio State added four-star cornerback Devin Sanchez to its 2025 recruiting class on Saturday.

Sanchez (No. 10 in the 2025 ESPN 300), the next cycle’s second-best cornerback, made his pledge official during the US Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio and will begin classes in January 2025.

“My plans are to just come in (with my) head down, just work because I know I’m not going to be at the top of the depth chart when I get there,” he told ESPN earlier this month. “I’m coming in and competing with guys who have already been there, in that system.” So I’m ready to get back to work in the weight room and on the field.

“I know who I am and how I am.” And, you know, I don’t want to be on the bench with this football stuff. I don’t want to trail anyone. I want that starting slot, so I’m going to do everything it takes to get and keep it, since college isn’t like high school.

“I don’t want a coach to have second thoughts on me.”

Sanchez emphasized communication with cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and safeties coach Perry Eliano as a key factor in his decision to attend Ohio State over Alabama and Texas A&M.

As a junior at North Shore High School in Houston, Sanchez recorded 32 tackles (12 solo), 11 passes defended, and five interceptions (one touchdown) for a team that won 15 games before falling to Duncanville High School in the state championship game.

He joins an ESPN 300 class for Ryan Day that includes St. Frances Academy (Maryland) cornerback Blake Woodby (No. 27 overall in 2025), who committed to Ohio State on Oct. 14, 2023.

Sanchez went on to say that he privately committed to Ryan Day and the Buckeyes in early November, immediately after seeing the Buckeyes’ 20-12 win against Penn State on Oct. 21, 2023 – a departure from his intended timeline of later this fall.

“I don’t really like to lose,” he admitted. “I lost the state championship, but I only lose one or two games a year.” I’m not a big fan of losing. I don’t like losing three, four, five, or six games in a row. That bothers me. I mean, Ohio State isn’t going to lose only two games. So that’s what I’d like to be a part of.

“And then there’s just the relationship part.” I traveled to Ohio State before heading to Alabama for the Alabama-LSU game a few weeks later. But that never happened. So I basically pulled the trigger and felt like I should be a Buckeye.”

Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ unit established a different tone in his second year after joining from Oklahoma State with an 11-2 season in 2023, finishing third in total defense (265.4 YPG) and first in passing defense (145.9 YPG).

However, the Buckeyes’ seven interceptions tied them for the fewest in the Big Ten with Illinois.

And Sanchez believes he can assist in this regard. “What Coach Knowles and Coach Walton is doing in the back with the guys (stands out) and I like how they play,” Sanchez went on to say. “And I believe the scheme is appropriate for me.” They play a bit off, and I believe I could run with anyone.

“However, they’re also pressing and getting physical at the line of scrimmage.” That’s exactly my style of ball.”