"I found my home & I have found that in Ohio State": Four-star safety reaffirms his commitment to Ryan Day's program

Four-star safety Simeon Caldwell committed to Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class on Thursday, choosing the Buckeyes over other top programs like Miami, USC and Notre Dame. Shortly after announcing his decision, the standout from The Bolles School in Florida shut down his recruitment process.

As part of his decision, Caldwell canceled his official visits to Miami (May 30-June 1), USC (June 6-8) and Notre Dame (June 10-12).

“I know that this is home! I took the recruiting process slow for a reason and said I was going to commit when I found my home and I have found that in Ohio State!” Caldwell told On3.

Caldwell has family ties in Columbus, as OSU cornerbacks coach Tim Walton is his uncle. While that relationship played a role, he said Ryan Day's program would have still been his choice even without the connection.

“Ohio State is the best program in the country," Caldwell told On3 following his commitment. "They are BIA (Best in America) for a reason. It is the best place for me and my family. It is about family. The team is about brotherhood. They care about life after football there."

On3 ranks Caldwell as a safety, while Rivals lists him as a linebacker. Rivals ranks him as the No. 19 linebacker nationally and the No. 34 overall prospect in Florida for 2026. He plans to take his official visit to OSU on June 20.

Ahead of Simeon Caldwell, five-star wide receiver commit Chris Henry Jr. also reaffirmed his commitment to OSU by shutting down recruitment and cancelling all official visits to other schools.

Simeon Caldwell speaks about his potential with Ohio State

Ohio State recruiting is on a heater. Since last month, they have secured commitments of safety Blaine Bradford, interior offensive lineman Max Riley, offensive tackle Sam Greer, linebacker CJ Sanna and interior offensive lineman Tucker Smith, alongside Simeon Caldwell.

Coming off a national championship win, OSU's chances of defending their title continue to rise, making the program even more appealing to top talent like Caldwell.

"I will be competing at the highest level," Caldwell told On3. "I will go against great players in practice and in games. The development is second to none as well."

The Buckeyes are now up to 10 committed players in the 2026 class and rank No. 3 in the nation.