Ohio State football is already hunting its next elite pass rusher, and George Parkinson IV has officially become one of the Buckeyes’ biggest priorities in the 2028 recruiting class.

The four-star EDGE prospect from Douglassville, Pennsylvania, included Ohio State among his final six schools, setting up a heavyweight recruiting battle with Penn State, Texas A&M, LSU, Oregon and Tennessee.

At 6-4 and 240 pounds, Parkinson already has the frame college coaches want on the edge. He’s ranked as the No. 2 prospect in Pennsylvania, the No. 11 EDGE defender nationally and the No. 99 overall player in his class.

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Those rankings may not stay that low for long.

Parkinson has barely begun building his high school résumé, but his combination of size, athleticism and developmental upside has already attracted some of college football’s most aggressive recruiters. He has enough mass to hold up against the run and plenty of room to add weight without sacrificing the burst that makes him dangerous off the edge.

Penn State currently appears to have the early advantage, according to multiple recruiting services. That makes sense for an in-state prospect, but Ohio State has never been shy about crossing into Pennsylvania to pursue defensive talent.

The Buckeyes also have one of the strongest recruiting pitches in the sport when it comes to edge rushers. Ohio State’s history at the position, national exposure and NFL development give the program credibility few schools can match.

Parkinson would join a defensive-line pipeline that’s already being restocked.

Ohio State’s 2027 class features five-star EDGE DJ Jacobs, the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect, along with four-star defensive lineman Markus Fakato and four-star edge defenders Wyatt Smith and Prince Goldsby. That group gives the Buckeyes future depth, but it doesn’t mean they’ll stop chasing premium talent in the next cycle.

In fact, it’s the opposite.

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Ohio State enters 2026 with questions across the defensive front after losing experienced production. The Buckeyes may still have enough talent to dominate, but uncertainty in the present has made long-term recruiting even more important.

Parkinson represents exactly what Ohio State wants: length, power, upside and the potential to become another nightmare for Big Ten quarterbacks.

Penn State may lead today, but recruiting battles for players like Parkinson rarely end quietly.

Ohio State has made the first cut. Now the Buckeyes have time to turn interest into momentum … and possibly steal another elite defender from a rival’s backyard.