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Five-star cornerback Elbert Hill IV is the top player in the state of Ohio. The class of 2026 recruit is being pursued by major programs throughout the country.
Hill locked in the last of his official visits this week. He’ll be headed to Columbus to meet with the Buckeyes.
That didn’t always seem a likelihood. Earlier in the offseason, he appeared to snub his hometown school of an official visit opportunity while scheduling trips to LSU, USC, Alabama, and Oregon.
His reasoning? Proximity. Hill lives in Akron, about two hours outside of the Ohio State campus. He’s already been on numerous unofficial trips to check out the school.
“So, I know everybody’s been asking this, but Ohio State is still pretty high in my recruitment. [They’ve] been recruiting me since going into my sophomore year… I’m just from Ohio and I’ve been to Ohio State a lot of times.”
-Elbert Hill
The Buckeyes continue to be a player in his recruitment. Still, some took offense to the perceived snub.
On Wednesday, he reversed course on that initial decision. He will use one of his official visits to get the full Ohio State experience. That date is set for May 30th, replacing his original trip to Baton Rouge.
That’s great news for Ryan Day and Co. Elbert Hill IV is a top target. He’s rated as a Top 20 player nationally by Rivals, earning that five-star status as the nation’s No. 1 corner.
After setting up that trip to Columbus, his father posted a message to the fanbase. He’s been unhappy with the local narrative surrounding his son’s recruitment.
How is it that the fans in your own state talk negatively about you and make up lies but expect you to stay home at the same time , oh and let’s not forget some of your in state media also smh 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— Elbert Hill lll (@lllelbert3) April 22, 2025
Elbert Hill III wants fans and media to stop lying on his son’s name. The Buckeyes are still considered a top destination, though USC recently landed a crystal ball prediction. Hill is simply going through the recruiting process as all high-profile prospects do.
Five-star lineman Lamar Brown of Louisiana experienced a similar reaction from LSU fans after scheduling out-of-state trips to rival universities. He, too, took a moment to flay his two-faced fanbase on social media amid his recruitment.
Hill’s family took offense to false claims from Buckeye Nation. We’ll see if those in Columbus take note.