Four-star Ahwatukee Mountain Pointe offensive lineman Aaron Thomas, the No. 4 prospect in Arizona and the No. 38 offensive tackle in the 2026 class, has committed to Ohio State.
The 6-foot-6, 300-pound offensive lineman took visits to each of his top-5 schools, which he released on his X account, before making his pledge to the Buckeyes official on Wednesday night.
But it didn’t take long after Thomas’s last official visit to know where he was going.
“I chose the Buckeyes right after my (Texas) A&M visit,” Thomas said. “Right after. That same day.”
“I just visited everywhere else, and the Buckeyes was the best fit.”
Thomas said his relationship with offensive line coach Tyler Bowen was a key factor in his decision to choose OSU.
“My relationship with Bowen is real good,” Thomas said. “He came out to see me the first day on the road. So it was really nice to start building that relationship with him, through when he first got there in February, to right now. I feel like he's the coach that knows me the best and likes me the best, and you know, the best coach for me.”
Thomas said the OSU coaching staff sees an opportunity for him to come and immediately make an impact.
“They see me coming in and fighting for that second string spot my freshman year, and then, you know, work my way up,” Thomas said.
Thomas said he knows he has the size and the footwork, so working on his Football IQ is the one major part of his game he plans to improve upon before he enrolls in Columbus.
At the end of the day, the opportunity to play for a team that is coming off a National Championship season, was an chance Thomas said he couldn’t pass up.
“I wanted to go to a team and win,” Thomas said.
