The Commitment
On **June 19, 2025**, four-star linebacker **Cincere Johnson** from Cleveland Glenville—Ohio’s powerhouse high school—made his pledge to **Ohio State**. At 6′3″ and roughly 240 lb, Johnson holds a composite four-star ranking (#71 nationally and #8 edge prospect) and instantly becomes a key building block of OSU’s 2026 class ([elevenwarriors.com][1], [elevenwarriors.com][2]).
Recruited heavily by **James Laurinaitis** and **Matt Patricia**, he visited Columbus just days before committing, attracted by the team’s post‑championship momentum and “brotherhood” culture the staff emphasized ([elevenwarriors.com][2]).
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## Legacy Pipeline: Glenville to Columbus
Johnson continues a proven pipeline from **Glenville High School**—joining fellow alums **Arvell Reese**, **Bryce West**, and **Damarion Witten** among Ohio State signees ([elevenwarriors.com][2]). Reese, now a sophomore linebacker and CFP champion, exemplifies the development path OSU promises ([en.wikipedia.org][3]).
Johnson seems ready to follow in Reese’s footsteps. He praised Reese as a mentor and recognized OSU’s ability to elevate players from his high school pedigree .
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## Flip-Side: One and Not Done
While Johnson’s pledge is a big win, it came during a day of mixed emotions for the Buckeyes. Ohio State also lost top defensive end target **Luke Wafle** to **USC**, reportedly due to a last-minute NIL advantage for the Trojans ([elevenwarriors.com][1]).
That blow stings, especially as OSU had aggressively pursued Wafle—possibly diverting resources toward him and away from other positions ([elevenwarriors.com][1]). Though they still have other defense‑end targets, letting such a high-caliber athlete slip through could leave a lingering sense of what might have been.
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## Why the “Disappointment” Angle?
* **Win the day, but…** Grabbing Johnson is solid. But missing Wafle on the same night dampens the victory.
* **Shifting gears:** The effort and attention paid to land Wafle might have distracted from securing other key recruits, especially at defensive end—a vital need.
* **Pipeline pressure:** Glenville fans expect multiple Buckeyes from their program each cycle. Johnson’s arrival raises hopes—but only if momentum is sustained (e.g., flipping DT Jamir Perez is still possible) ([elevenwarriors.com][2]).
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## Bottom Line
Ohio State’s 2026 class now includes a standout linebacker who fits its culture and Carroll legacy. But the glow of that commitment is dimmed by the missed opportunity to keep Luke Wafle in Columbus. OSU fans will cheer for Johnson—while hoping the coaching staff pivots swiftly to close other holes in the defense.
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[Snap Judgments: Cincere Johnson commits to Ohio State over Penn …](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ret5MZBjXE&utm_source=chatgpt.com)
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Overall, the commitment is a **net positive**, but only if Ohio State follows it up by replenishing the talent at the defensive end position and reinforcing the Glenville-to-OSU flow.
Johnson was a frequent visitor to Ohio State’s campus over the past few years, his most recent visit coming on Friday when the Glenville standout took his official visit to Columbus and received a full presentation from Laurinaitis and Matt Patricia on how he’d be developed in Columbus. He committed to the scarlet and gray six days later.
“Ryan Day, James Laurinaitis and just the brotherhood and relationships that are going on down in Columbus,” Johnson told Eleven Warriors in May of what stands out to him the most about Ohio State. “The transfer portal just happened and Ohio State is one of the schools that just shows that brotherhood, that stands out to me every time.
“I’ve been able to see how things are run this spring coming off a national championship. They’re not getting too lax. The addition of coach (Matt) Patricia also shows the things that he brings to the table and the way Ohio State is going to be run this year.”
With Johnson’s commitment comes the continuation of the vaunted Glenville pipeline, as the linebacker is the fourth Tarblooders standout to join the Buckeyes within the past three recruiting cycles, a group that includes Bryce West, Arvell Reese and Damarion Witten. Ohio State wouldn’t mind if his teammate, three-star defensive tackle Jamir Perez, joins him in Columbus and eventually flips his commitment from Florida. Perez took an official visit to OSU with Johnson and the Buckeyes are seen as a strong challenger to the Gators.
“It would mean a lot,” Johnson said in May of the opportunity to keep the pipeline going. “To join the history and tradition, and also be able to write my own side story on that history, that would mean a lot.”
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