Ohio State has its second defensive end commit for the 2026 recruiting class.

Four-star defensive end Dre Quinn, a former Clemson commit, pledged his services to the Buckeyes on Sunday. Ohio State’s late surge on the recruiting trail continues with less than a month remaining before the early signing period, as five prospects in the 2026 class (plus three in the 2027 class) have committed to the Buckeyes in November alone.

Quinn is the No. 391 overall prospect and No. 36 EDGE in the 247Sports composite rankings. He hails from Buford, Georgia’s Buford High School, the same institution that produced sophomore Ohio State defensive tackle Eddrick Houston. 

The Quinn File

  • Class: 2026
  • Size: 6-4/228
  • Pos: DE
  • School: Buford (Buford, Georgia)
  • Composite Rating: ★★★★
  • Composite Rank: #391 (#36 EDGE)

Quinn committed to Clemson on May 30 following official visits to the Tigers, Georgia and South Carolina. But on Sep. 13, he took an unofficial visit to Tennessee, breaking one of Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney’s rules for his recruits. Quinn’s decommitment followed on Sep. 25.

“Yes, that is a policy,” Swinney said when asked about the rule shortly after Quinn visited the Volunteers. “And I don’t bring committed kids in here either. I don’t do that. I don’t visit committed guys here.”

Quinn committed to the Buckeyes while on an official visit for Ohio State’s 48-10 win over UCLA. He’s the Buckeyes’ second commitment of the weekend, joining four-star 2027 safety Eli Johnson.

Standing 6-foot-4 and 228 pounds, Quinn switches between 3-technique and 5-technique as a defensive end in the Wolves’ 3-4 defense. He collected 53 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and two sacks in Buford’s first 10 games this season. At 11-0, his team is in the Sweet 16 of the Georgia Class 6A high school football playoffs after defeating Richmond Hill in the first round.

While he’ll need to add size and technical skill to his game at the college level, Quinn is an explosive athlete at the defensive end position. He’s able to overpower high school offensive guards despite sometimes being undersized. His pursuit and quickness are excellent. He plays both ways at Buford, assuming the role of tight end on offense. 

In Ohio State’s class, he joins composite top-80 prospect Khary Wilder at defensive end. Four-star defensive tackles Emanuel Ruffin and Damari Simeon pair with three-star DTs Jamir Perez and Cameron Brickle to round out Buckeye defensive line coach Larry Johnson’s current haul.

Class of 2026 Commits

Pos

Name

Rating

Rank

Size

School

WR CHRIS HENRY JR. ★★★★★ #20 NATL | #2 WR 6-5 | 205 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) S BLAINE BRADFORD ★★★★ #41 NATL | #6 S 6-1 | 207 Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) OT SAM GREER ★★★★ #55 NATL | #5 OT 6-6 | 310 Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) LB CINCERE JOHNSON ★★★★ #67 NATL | #10 ED 6-3 | 225 Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) DE KHARY WILDER ★★★★ #79 NATL | #9 DL 6-4 | 260 Junipero Serra (Gardena, California) CB JORDAN THOMAS ★★★★ #98 NATL | #11 CB 6-1 | 185 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, New Jersey) S SIMEON CALDWELL ★★★★ #109 NATL | #7 LB 6-3 | 185 The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida) CB JAY TIMMONS ★★★★ #136 NATL | #17 CB 5-11 | 185 Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pennsylvania) WR KAYDEN DIXON-WYATT ★★★★ #142 NATL | #20 WR 6-2 | 180 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) OT MAXWELL RILEY ★★★★ #143 NATL | #11 OT 6-5 | 280 Avon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio) DT EMANUEL RUFFIN ★★★★ #197 NATL | #26 DL 6-4 | 290 Bessemer City (Bessemer, Alabama) RB FAVOUR AKIH ★★★★ #210 NATL | #15 RB 6-0 | 190 Rutherford B Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) DT DAMARI SIMEON ★★★★ #211 NATL | #29 DL 6-3 | 275 St. Augustine Prep (Richland, New Jersey) LB CJ SANNA ★★★★ #295 NATL| #20 LB 6-3| 225 Olentangy (Lewis Center, Ohio) WR JERQUADEN GUILFORD ★★★★ #301 NATL | #46 WR 6-2 | 190 Northrop (Fort Wayne, Indiana) WR JAEDEN RICKETTS ★★★★ #334 NATL | #52 WR 6-0 | 187 Watkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio) ATH LEGEND BEY ★★★★ #361 NATL | #24 ATH 5-11 | 175 North Forney (Forney, Texas) DE DRE QUINN ★★★★ #391 NATL | #36 EDGE 6-4 | 228 Buford (Buford, Georgia) WR BROCK BOYD ★★★ #504 NATL | #75 WR 6-2 | 183 Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) DT CAMERON BRICKLE ★★★ #532 NATL | #63 DL 6-2 | 305 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) OL TUCKER SMITH ★★★ #532 NATL | #40 IOL 6-5 | 280 Sandra Day O’Connor (Phoenix, Arizona) QB LUKE FAHEY ★★★ #580 NATL | #34 QB 6-1 | 185 Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, California) DT JAMIR PEREZ ★★★ #724 NATL | #89 DL 6-4 | 330 Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) S KHMARI BING ★★★ #923 NATL | #78 CB 6-0 | 190 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Maryland) OT LANDRY BREDE ★★★ #1119 NATL | #92 OT 6-5 | 280 Mentor (Mentor, Ohio) OL MASON WILHELM ★★★ #1276 NATL | #101 IOL 6-4 | 285 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite