Ohio State Strikes Gold: Bo Jackson (Not That One) Joins Buckeyes’ 2025 Recruiting Class
Bo Jackson, Ohio State Buckeye.
No, not that Bo Jackson.
The same-named College Football Hall of Famer, a four-star running back recruit from neighboring Cleveland, made his commitment to nearby Ohio State on Thursday.
This Bo Jackson is not the same as the 61-year-old Bo Jackson, who was a star in both the Major League Baseball and the National Football League at the same time in the 1980s and is regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. However, the younger Jackson is not without skill.
Jackson, one of the top running back prospects in the 2025 recruiting class, declined offers to play for his home-state Buckeyes, including those from Georgia and Alabama. Indeed, the younger Bo Jackson participates in a variety of sports; in addition to football, he was an outstanding baseball and track and field player in high school.
The younger Bo Jackson was given the moniker Bo at a young age, but he really shares a name with another well-known football player: Lamar Jackson Jr.
Naturally, there is still a long way to go before this Bo Jackson is regarded in the same league as the Bo who came before him. The elder Jackson was an Auburn football player who was selected to the first team twice as an All American and won the Heisman Trophy.
In addition to playing Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and California Angels, he went on to play four NFL seasons for the Los Angeles Raiders. Having played in the Pro Bowl in 1990 and the MLB All-Star Game in 1989, the elder Jackson is the only athlete in North American history to have been designated an All-Star in two major professional sports.
When he returns in 2025, the younger Jackson might play a significant role in Ohio State’s running back future. However, with TreVeyon Henderson, a returning starter, and Quinshon Judkins, a standout Ole Miss transfer, at the top of head coach Ryan Day’s depth chart, the Buckeyes are well-positioned at the position in 2024.
[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]