"They know where they should be": 5-star Ohio State target Bralan Womack praises SEC powerhouse as four schools emerge as potential destinations

In the fierce landscape of college football recruiting, few names carry the buzz of Bralan Womack. The five-star safety out of Hartfield Academy in Brandon, Mississippi, has firmly established himself as the top player at his position and the No. 18 overall prospect in the 2026 class, per On3.

After a junior season that saw him intercept eight passes, throw for 1,045 yards and rack up 13 touchdowns, Womack was named Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year.

But the competition for his commitment is steep. Womack recently trimmed his list to four schools: Ohio State, Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M. Of those, Florida has made a compelling case. After a recent visit with coach Billy Napier and his staff, Womack came away impressed.

“I like the culture over there,” Womack said of Florida. “They know they’re young, but they will continue to compete and do it at a high level this upcoming season.”

He was particularly struck by the renewed energy in Gainesville.

“Just how they know where they should be and they feel like they fell way short of that last year,” he said. “So you kinda see a different type of competitiveness and expectations for the players and coaches now.”

Ohio State has made the Mississippi native a top priority since June 2024, with coach Ryan Day and safeties coach Matt Guerrieri both actively recruiting him. The Buckeyes, fresh off a national championship win, extended an offer to Womack and hope to add him to a defense loaded with elite talent.

Buckeyes lead the pack for elite safety Bralan Womack amid spring visits

Despite keeping his options open with spring visits lined up, five-star safety Bralan Womack continues to view Ohio State as his top choice. The Hartfield Academy standout from Mississippi visited Columbus and remains closely tuned into the Buckeyes' recruiting efforts.

“Their tradition, the mindset in the locker room, the brotherhood and development is second to none,” Womack told On3.

He’s also tracking recent OSU additions like Blaine Badford and Simeon Caldwell.

“Adding me into the mix, a hybrid ball-hawking safety who can get the ball out of the air and make the tackles that are needed to be made, they have a great trio of versatile safeties in the ’26 class,” he added.

Though Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M are still in contention and will host Bralan Womack on official visits this summer, intel suggests Ryan Day’s program remains in the driver’s seat. Further, On3 gives Florida just a 3% chance of landing the star safety.