College Football

Ohio State lands commitment from top running back recruit — named Bo Jackson

Published Jun. 4, 2024 10:21 p.m. ET

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Bo Jackson, Ohio State Buckeye.

No, not that Bo Jackson.

A four-star running back recruit from nearby Cleveland, who shares the same name as the College Football Hall of Famer, committed to nearby Ohio State on Thursday. 

This Bo Jackson is unrelated to the 61-year-old Bo Jackson, who used to star in the MLB and NFL at the same time in the 1980s and is often thought of as one of the best athletes of all time. But the younger Jackson still carries some talent of his own. 

Jackson is one of the best running back prospects within the 2025 recruiting class and turned down offers from Alabama and Georgia among others to play for his home-state Buckeyes. And yes, the younger Bo Jackson plays multiple sports as well — he excelled not only in football in high school, but also in baseball and track and field. 

The younger Bo Jackson actually also shares a name with another famous football star — his birth name is Lamar Jackson Jr., but he was given the nickname Bo at an early age.

Of course, this Bo Jackson has a long way to go to be considered in the same realm as the Bo that came before him. The older Jackson played football at Auburn, where he became a two-time first team All American and a Heisman Trophy Recipient. 

He went on to play four NFL seasons for the then-Los Angeles Raiders, while also playing Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals, the Chicago White Sox and California Angels. The older Jackson is the only athlete in North American history to be named an All-Star in two major professional sports, making the MLB All-Star Game in 1989 and the Pro Bowl in 1990.

The younger Jackson could be a key part of the Ohio State's future at running back when he arrives in 2025. But the Buckeyes are plenty set at the position in 2024, featuring returning starter TreVeyon Henderson and star Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins at the top of head coach Ryan Day's depth chart.

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