The son of an NFL icon just turned up the heat on the college football recruiting trail—and all eyes are now locked on Columbus.
Meet Cooper Witten, a five-star phenom, the No. 1 linebacker in America, and, perhaps most intriguingly, the son of NFL royalty—Jason Witten, the Dallas Cowboys’ legendary tight end and future Hall of Famer. But this story isn’t about past greatness. It’s about future dominance—and a critical message Witten just delivered to Ohio State that could shake the recruiting landscape to its core.
Make no mistake: Witten isn’t your average high school prospect. At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, he’s a sideline-to-sideline enforcer who reads offenses like a seasoned NFL vet. The Argyle, Texas native is already being hailed as the next great linebacker of his generation—and the Buckeyes are going all-in to land him.
But there’s been a twist in the saga.
Just as Ohio State was ramping up its pursuit, the Buckeyes were rocked by the departure of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles—the very architect of the unit that helped fuel their 2024 national championship run. It was a move that could have caused chaos in Witten’s recruitment. Instead, it may have unleashed a secret weapon.
Enter: James Laurinaitis—Ohio State legend, former NFL linebacker, and now the Buckeyes’ newly crowned defensive coordinator. If there were any doubts about his ability to recruit at an elite level, Cooper Witten just obliterated them.
Following a recent recruiting camp appearance in Columbus, Witten didn’t hold back in his praise for Laurinaitis.
“Coach Laurinaitis is a great coach,” Witten told reporters. “He’s played the position at a high level in the NFL, so he taught me a lot over the course of this camp. A lot of good points to bring back to my high school.”
Translation? Laurinaitis made a huge impression—and may have single-handedly kept Ohio State alive in the race for this generational talent.
But Witten’s remarks didn’t stop there—and what he said next should terrify Texas Longhorns fans.
Despite growing up in Longhorn country, despite being recruited hard by the in-state powerhouse, Witten made it crystal clear: he’s not looking for a hometown handshake. He’s hunting for greatness.
“Maybe a little, but I don’t really care that much,” Witten said when asked about staying close to home. “I just want to play football somewhere that values me and that I’m going to be able to make an impact at the school.”
Let that sink in. The top linebacker in the nation just publicly said he’s not tethered to Texas—and that he’s looking for a place where he can leave a legacy. You don’t have to be a recruiting analyst to know what that means: Ohio State is very much in the driver’s seat.
The Buckeyes officially extended an offer to Witten last month, and the momentum has been building ever since. Behind the scenes, sources say Laurinaitis has been relentless, forging a real connection with the young linebacker and laying the groundwork for what could be one of the most high-profile commitments in recent Buckeye history.
And let’s not ignore the elephant in the room—Ohio State’s linebacker lineage. From Laurinaitis himself to Ryan Shazier, A.J. Hawk, and Darron Lee, the Buckeyes have become Linebacker U in their own right. It’s a legacy tailor-made for someone with Witten’s pedigree and ambition.
Still, this recruitment is far from over. Texas isn’t going down without a fight. Alabama is lurking. Georgia is circling. And the NIL era has introduced a level of unpredictability that makes every visit, every tweet, every whispered word behind closed doors matter.
But make no mistake: Cooper Witten just sent a message that echoed through the Woody Hayes Athletic Center—and perhaps straight into the locker room of the next national championship team.
The question now isn’t just will Witten choose Ohio State—it’s: if he does, how many titles could he help them win?
