Daverin “Deuce” Geralds II isn’t your typical football star-in-the-making. Well, yeah, he’ll be a defensive lineman from Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia, and the coveted prize to Ohio State’s 2026 class, but just one minute is enough time with him, and you’d realize he is still a kid—loud, humorous, with lots of heart, and a bit shy when the spotlight gets too intense. At 6-foot-1 and 255 pounds, he has a huge build, yet one is compelled to cheer for him due to his story—family, hustle, and the love for the game.
A Suwanee Kid with Big Plays
Deuce grew up in Suwanee, a quiet spot outside Atlanta where Friday nights mean football and backyard barbecues. He was that kid who’d tackle his cousins in the grass, pretending he was sacking Tom Brady, while his mom hollered at him to come eat. By the time he hit freshman year at Collins Hill, everyone knew he wasn’t just playing around anymore. He racked up 66 tackles—17.5 of them for losses—10.5 sacks, and a bunch of other chaos-causing plays. “I just love hitting people,” he says, laughing like it’s the most normal thing in the world.
His dad still teases him about that first season, how he’d come home muddy and grinning, replaying every hit like a movie in his head. “Football’s my happy place,” Deuce says, kicking at the ground. “It’s where I figure stuff out.” He’s ranked No. 5 among defensive linemen in the 2026 class by On3, and some call him the best defensive tackle out there. But to him, it’s less about the hype and more about the next play.
Ohio State Feels Like Home
Deuce’s first trip to Ohio State in April 2023 was a game-changer. He was barely 15, tagging along for a spring practice, when Larry Johnson—the Buckeyes’ defensive line coach with a trophy case full of NFL success stories—pulled him aside and offered him a spot. “I was shaking, man,” Deuce remembers, his eyes wide even now. “I called my mom right after, and she was screaming louder than me.”
He’s been back a bunch since then—hanging out at the 2024 spring game, eating burgers with other recruits, and just soaking it all in. “Columbus feels… big, but cozy,” he says, struggling to find the right words. “Like, the fans stop you on the street just to say hi.” In January 2025, when Coach Ryan Day and Johnson showed up at Collins Hill to see him, Deuce couldn’t believe it. “They didn’t have to do that,” he says quietly. “But they did. That’s stuck with me.” Check out more on Ohio State’s recruiting efforts at Eleven Warriors.
Johnson’s become more than a coach to him—he’s the guy Deuce texts when he’s overthinking a drill, the one who tells him to keep his feet moving and his head up. “He’s tough, but he gets me,” Deuce says. “I want to play for someone like that.”
Too Many Choices, Not Enough Time
Ohio State’s got a big piece of his heart, but Deuce is the first to admit he’s torn. He’s got over 30 offers—Alabama, LSU, Miami, Texas, you name it. Oklahoma wowed him on a visit last year; he still talks about their fried chicken and how the coaches made him laugh. Then there’s Ole Miss, where his family’s got history. “My grandma’s always like, ‘You’d look good in red and blue,’” he says with a smirk. “She’s not wrong.”
He’s not rushing, though. “It’s scary, picking a place,” he admits, his voice dropping. “I don’t want to mess it up.” Ohio State’s ahead right now—recruiting sites like On3 give them an 84.6% shot as of March 16, 2025—but Deuce just shrugs. “I’m still figuring it out.”
The Goofy Kid Who Hits Hard
On the field, Deuce is a tornado—fast off the snap, hands like sledgehammers, and a knack for blowing up plays. “I play loud,” he says, mimicking the grunt he lets out when he sheds a block. His teammates call him “Bulldozer,” but he’s the guy who’s first to crack a joke in the locker room or share his chips at lunch. “He’s a goofball ‘til the whistle blows,” his coach once said, and Deuce doesn’t disagree.
He knows he’s not perfect. “I’m too sloppy sometimes,” he confesses, rubbing the back of his neck. “Gotta clean it up.” That’s why he spends hours watching film, texting Johnson questions, or dragging his little brother out to run drills. “I want to be the guy nobody can stop,” he says, half-dreaming.
Where’s Deuce Headed?
Right now, Deuce is uncommitted, and he’s cool with that. He’s got another trip to Ohio State coming up, and you can tell he’s excited—he keeps talking about the stadium, the food, the way the crowd roars. “I just want a place that feels right,” he says, kicking at a pebble. “Somewhere I can be me.”
For Deuce, it’s not just about football. It’s about his mom’s proud tears, his dad’s chest-puffing stories, and maybe making it big enough to buy them a house one day. Whether he ends up a Buckeye or not, this Suwanee kid’s got a spark—on the field and off it—that’s impossible to miss. “I just want to keep smiling,” he says, flashing that grin. “And maybe hit a few more quarterbacks along the way.”
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