COLUMBUS, Ohio --The arrival of defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has sparked a seismic shift in Ohio State’s defensive recruiting philosophy, one that’s becoming increasingly evident with each new commitment. The Buckeyes aren’t just recruiting differently – they’re recruiting entirely different types of players, a transformation best exemplified by recent edge rusher commit Braxton Rebert.

Rebert, the No. 358 player in the country from the same high school as current Buckeye Caleb Downs, represents this new paradigm perfectly. Standing 6′5″ and 200 pounds with exceptional length and basketball credentials, he’s the prototype for Patricia’s defensive vision – but he might never have been a Buckeye under previous regimes.

“When I first started this, like when we first started doing the

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