Ohio State and head coach Jake Diebler inched closer to securing their first commitment of the 2025 class on Monday when Cleveland Richmond Heights four-star shooting guard Dorian Jones (6-4, 160) placed Ohio State in his top four list of preferred schools.
Jones, the nation’s 72nd-best prospect, 12th-best shooting guard and No. 2 player in Ohio, will announce his college decision on July 1, according to Joe Tipton of On3 Sports. He will choose between the Buckeyes, Michigan, Missouri and Rutgers.
Jones has taken official visits to Missouri, Ohio State and Rutgers, while he also went on an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor, which occurred before new Wolverines head coach Dusty May replaced the relieved Juwan Howard in March. The Cleveland native most recently visited the Buckeyes the week of May 6, which he said was a positive experience.
“The visit was pretty good,” Jones told the Columbus Dispatch. “It was a good experience, but I’ve been down there a couple times so I’ve pretty much seen everything. But the love from the coaches and everyone was just amazing.”
As Jones alluded to, that was not the first time he had taken a visit to Ohio State as a high schooler. Since getting offered by the then-Chris Holtmann-led Buckeyes following his freshman season in 2022, Jones has taken multiple unofficial visits to Ohio State, including one last September during the Ohio State football team’s home game against Western Kentucky.
But his most recent visit was his first with Diebler leading the program, who was Jones’ primary recruiter when Holtmann was head coach. Jones told The Dispatch after his May visit that Diebler re-offered him a scholarship that week, a gesture that he said affirmed his interest in the Buckeyes under a new coaching staff.
“They didn’t take long at all (to re-offer me),” Jones told The Dispatch. “It was constant ever since Holtmann left and when he was still there. It means a lot because that once again shows the love that they have for me.”
Jones has turned in a sensational first three high school seasons at Richmond Heights, helping lead the Spartans to a combined 73-13 record and three-straight OHSAA Division IV state championships. Last season, he earned first-team All-Ohio Division IV honors by averaging 14.1 points per game while also thriving on the defensive end. He was perhaps more dominant his sophomore season, averaging 20.1 points per game and earning Division IV Player of the Year.
A commitment of Jones would be a significant one for Diebler, who since taking over as head coach has emphasized bringing in top in-state talent through the recruiting ranks. While Jones would be Ohio State’s first commitment of the 2025 class, the program has already secured an in-state pledge from one of the top prospects in the 2026 class, Cleveland Garfield Heights five-star point guard Marcus Johnson (6-1, 175).
Johnson, the cousin of Ohio State senior guard Meechie Johnson, is the No. 1 player in Ohio and the nation’s 19th-best prospect in the class.
The Buckeyes are also set to host Northwest Ohio native and Huntington (W.V.) Prep five-star 2025 shooting guard Darryn Peterson (6-5, 195) on Aug. 1, making for a potentially formidable 2025 class of in-state talent if both Peterson and Jones commit to the Buckeyes.
Buckeye Sports Bulletin will provide up-to-date coverage of Jones’ commitment as news unfolds.
