Payton Pierce

LB · #26 · Ohio State · JR · 6'1" · 232 · Lucas, TX

Projected MLB starter

29 2026 tackles
0.5 · 0 2026 sacks · TFL
0 2026 INT + PD
33 Career games (10 starts)

Career

SeasonTeamGPGSTackles Sacks TFL INT PD FF
2026 Ohio State7729 0.5 0 0 0 1
2025 Ohio State14340 0 1 1 1 1
2024 Ohio State1203 0 0 0 0 0

2026 Percentile vs LBs

Tackles per game 4.1 74
Havoc plays 1 38
INT + pass breakups 0 0
Forced fumbles 1 84

The situation

Ohio State 2026 defense ›
Explosive rate allowed 6.3% 97
Line yards per carry allowed 2.0 83
Sack rate 4.2% 19

2026 Game log

WeekOpponentTkl Sacks TFL INT PD
W2 @ TEX6
W4 ILL
W5 @ IOWA5

Weeks with a recorded defensive stat.

Recruiting

2024 class · 247 composite

Four-star high school recruit

The 2024 board
#202 Sterling Dixon EDGE · Spanish Fort ALA
#203 KD Daniels RB · West Point FLA
#204 Payton Pierce LB · Lovejoy OSU
#205 Demond Williams Jr. QB · Basha ARIZ
#206 Jordon Johnson-Rubell S · IMG Academy TEX
LBs in the class
#13 Brayden Platt Yelm ORE
#14 Dylan Williams Long Beach Poly ORE
#15 Payton Pierce Lovejoy OSU
#16 Kamar Mothudi Los Alamitos ORE
#17 Fred Johnson Maury SCAR
2026 · 38th pctile of LBs
Recruit · 93th pctile of class

The pedigree says there is more in there.