Ohio State wins commitment from 4-star defensive lineman Karlos May after visit swing

Ohio State has landed a major defensive-line piece for the next recruiting cycle, beating Auburn and Georgia for 4-star defensive lineman Karlos May. The commitment ends a recruitment that shifted leaders multiple times, with Auburn and Georgia each spending meaningful stretches in the driver’s seat before the Buckeyes closed the final gap after an official visit to Columbus.

May is a defensive lineman from Birmingham, Alabama, who draws attention for the type of front-line impact programs look for when they want to keep pressure consistent across downs. According to the report from Yahoo Sports, his recruitment began with early momentum toward Auburn in the spring, a common pattern for in-state and nearby prospects whose first wave of contact often sets an early baseline.

Georgia then took over as the perceived leader, according to the same report, placing the five-star-type attention zone that elite programs compete for squarely on May. That would have put Ohio State in a familiar recruiting posture: waiting for the right moment to convert interest into a final decision while competing against two programs with strong track records on both defense and recruiting in the Southeast.

The balance changed after May’s official visit to Columbus. Yahoo Sports reported that once he went on campus, Ohio State surged to the top, ultimately earning the commitment. The article also notes that Ohio State’s coaching staff, including head coach Ryan Day and defensive line coach Larry Johnson, were part of the late-stage pitch, reinforcing how the Buckeyes often emphasize fit within their front and development plan for players at the position.

In recruiting, an official visit can be the clearest indicator of how a prospect’s priorities line up with a program’s day-to-day structure, coaching access, and how quickly a player envisions a role. May’s “this is home” sentiment, as characterized in the report, frames the decision around comfort and belonging rather than only X’s and O’s. For Ohio State, landing May is not just another name in the class, it is a statement of intent toward continuing the kind of defensive-line depth that sustains pressure year to year.

Auburn and Georgia, meanwhile, will have to absorb the outcome and keep building their defensive front plans without May. Both programs have shown they can attract top interior and edge disruptors in the same recruiting windows, so losing ground to Ohio State after being ahead at different points is a reminder that recruiting momentum is rarely linear, especially when multiple finalists are involved.

What to watch next is how May’s commitment shapes Ohio State’s remaining recruiting priorities on the defensive line. With Auburn and Georgia already in the mix for similar profiles, Ohio State’s staff will likely be balancing immediate needs with the recruiting board’s deeper targets. For fans, May’s addition is one to track early, because defensive-line commitments often become key indicators of how a program plans to build for physicality, depth, and rotation in the trenches.