Ryan Day’s son, RJ Day, announced his commitment to Northwestern’s 2027 class on Sunday. RJ is a three-star quarterback who is heading into his senior season of high school football.
Why Ryan Day’s Son RJ Didn’t Commit to Ohio State
Ryan and RJ recently appeared on the “Fan Stream Sports” podcast just prior to his commitment, where they discussed his recruitment process. RJ explained why Northwestern felt like a better fit for him than Ohio State.
“For me, looking at the name of the school and the size of the school isn’t as important as you would think,” RJ said. “I just want to find a place that fits me and fits who I am and fits the player that I will become. It’s not about the size of the school. We say all the time, I could come here if I wanted to, but would it be a great fit? I don’t believe so.
“I don’t think that Ohio State would be a good fit for me. It’s not about the size of the school for me. I’ve said this to pretty much anybody who’s recruited me. It’s about the fit and the people that are in the building.”
RJ picked Northwestern over offers from South Florida, Purdue, Syracuse, and Cincinnati, among others. He also visited schools like Clemson and South Carolina before committing to Northwestern.
However, Ohio State and RJ never had momentum throughout his recruitment, and he revealed the reason.
“Coming into it (Ohio State), I just feel like a lot of people would have their own reservations about why I’m there,” RJ said. “I want to do something on my own. A lot of my life has been about being someone’s son. I feel personally that I want to go do something for myself and try to make a name for myself instead of just being someone’s son.”
RJ is set to play under new Northwestern offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who shares a connection with Ryan Day dating back to their time at New Hampshire. Kelly later served as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator in 2024 before spending the 2025 season with the Las Vegas Raiders and eventually joining Northwestern in December.
With RJ now committed, Northwestern’s 2027 recruiting class has grown to five players and currently ranks No. 49 nationally, according to 247Sports. Every player committed to the class so far plays on the offensive side of the ball.
RJ currently attends St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, where he put together a standout junior season by setting single-season school records with 2,710 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. He is the No. 78 quarterback in the 2027 class and the No. 44 player in Ohio, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.
