Ryan Day and the Buckeyes were widely considered the frontrunners for a coveted four-star edge rusher. However, a stunning decision on Friday saw him pledge allegiance to a Big Ten rival, shaking up the 2027 recruiting landscape.

Four-star edge rusher Mekai Brown has announced his commitment to Lincoln Riley’s USC, despite Rivals giving Ohio State the edge throughout his recruitment. 

“With all that being said, for the next three, four years, I’ll be committed to…” Brown said as he stood up and unzipped his jacket to reveal the USC apparel he was wearing underneath.

The four-star talent from Greenwich Country Day in Connecticut had countless suitors from all parts of the nation, but he cut down his list to five schools last week, naming Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Ohio State as the other four programs in the picture. 

The Buckeyes were on the verge of boosting the rankings of their 2027 recruiting class with Brown after earning the pledges of nine athletes. With two five-star and four four-star talents, they were set to make Brown their fifth four-star recruit. However, they have now dropped to fourth nationally and lost their spot at the top of the Big Ten rankings for the 2027 class to the Trojans. 

According to the Rivals Industry rankings, Brown is the No. 50 overall player in the nation, the No. 1 player in Connecticut, and the No. 7 edge rusher. The 6-foot-7, 230-pounder recorded 68 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks at Greenwich Country Day School in 2025. Rivals National Scout Cody Bellaire gave a more detailed analysis of Brown’s playing style beyond the limits of statistics. 

“Brown is an explosive athlete gifted with a prototypical frame whose motor runs hot from off the edge all game long. Tremendous frame and build with room to fill out at the next level. Plays with that burst and explosiveness off the edge, getting off the line of scrimmage when rushing the passer. Has the balance and body control to win in space and has tremendous change of direction in the open field. One of the more gifted physical and athletic specimens for the position, but he needs to develop his technique as a rusher,” the scout assessment read. 

Notwithstanding, the Buckeyes are not without an outstanding edge rusher in their corner. Five-star talent Daniel Jacobs, the No. 1 edge rusher in the class who made his commitment late last year, has even more mind-blowing numbers. In his junior season with Blessed Trinity Catholic School, Georgia, he totaled 102 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two blocked field goals in 11 games. Over his high school career, he totaled 292 tackles, 67 tackles for loss, and 31 sacks. 

The Buckeyes must do their best to avoid such misses, like Brown’s, in the future if they want to see their 2027 class soar higher in the rankings. 

Mekai Brown commits to USC

The Trojans looked like they might miss out on Brown because of the proximity advantage against them, but it turned out they had several attractions that ultimately led to his commitment. Notably, it was his second visit to Southern California that turned the tide in their favor.

“That second visit really changed things for me,” Brown said. “I got to see more of USC and more of L.A., and it just felt different. The location, the education, the people, the history, and the networking—it all checked the boxes for me,” Brown said. “That’s what pushed them over the edge.”

Brown acknowledged the efforts of other schools but emphasized that “none were like USC.” The decision was one he was excited about, highlighting the all-around development philosophy Lincoln Riley and the program embody as a really striking factor that lured him.

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