Ohio State’s fight for a top prospect just got a little tougher. Ryan Day already has a busy schedule at the beginning of the year, managing the playoffs and recruitment. His already full plate saw more pressure coming from Wonderful Champ Monds, one of Day’s most elite recruiting targets.

Wonderful Champ Monds IV is a quarterback whom Ohio State has been chasing since January this year. However, the star QB will necessitate a major change in plans for the Buckeyes’ front office, having reclassified from the 2028 class to the 2027 class. That means Monds will forego his senior year in high school to play college football. He is the No. 1 QB prospect of the 2028 class, which means Ohio State now has to speed up its efforts to secure his commitment.

BREAKING: Elite 2028 QB Wonderful “Champ” Monds IV has reclassified to the 2027 Class, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’3 215 QB from Port St. Lucie, FL was ranked as the No. 1 QB in the 2028 Rivals300https://t.co/xSJjXhR1Wz pic.twitter.com/KklLJUPpyK

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 31, 2025

The QB recorded 2,234 yards in only his freshman season and scored 23 TDs. That production immediately put him on the map. However, his 2025 season has taken a hit, as two injuries have kept him out for a long time. The second one came just one game after he recovered from his first one. According to MaxPreps, Monds has scored 691 yards and 7 TDs over 5 games. Still, he remains an elite prospect and has caught the attention of many more elite programs apart from OSU.

In the run for Monds are Alabama, LSU, Miami, and others. Day will also have to fight Florida, despite the Gators having a tough time this season. Now that Jon Sumrall is running the show, Florida has once again become an attractive option for players, including Monds. The QB visited Gainesville four to five times during his sophomore season alone. Sumrall could have a great QB locked in for Florida’s future with Monds.

Monds has visited Columbus and attended the season opener against Texas. The 14-7 win over the Longhorns made a good impression on him.

“The coaching staff, they’re all great,” Monds told Rivals of his visit. Down to earth. Humble. They definitely produced and made a lot of quarterbacks better that came out of Ohio State. That’s one of the things I like about them.”

Ryan Day is in a good position in the 2027 cycle, having the best class so far. He already has 2 blue-chip talents in David Jacobs and Jamier Brown. Adding Monds would cement the Buckeyes’ class as the best country. The QB not only brings exceptional talent but also a storied sporting legacy.

Wonderful Champ Monds is not the only athlete in the family

Wonderful Champs Monds IV comes from a sporting family, which has made some ripples in the NFL, college football, and the MLB. The QB is the third-generation Monds to be an athlete, and has followed the family’s legacy of emerging as an elite one. His grandfather, Wonderful Monds Jr., played for Nebraska and earned All-American honors in 1976. He played in the CFL with the Ottawa Rough Riders. The elder Monds was associated with the Steelers and 49ers in the NFL, but nothing came out of these opportunities.

Champ’s father, also named Wonderful, played in the MLB with the Atlanta Braves. His uncle is Mario Monds, who played for the Bengals and Dolphins during a short-lived NFL career. The younger Monds’ phenomenal run in the high school circuit has put the family back on the map once again. His career justifies his name (which has ‘Terrific’ as a middle name), which is another story altogether. The QB’s great-great-grandfather uttered the words “Wonderful! Terrific!” after the birth of his first son. That son became the first Monds to carry both names.

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Wonderful Champ Monds now has a chance to emerge as one of the top prospects of the 2027 class. According to Rivals, the Top 50 only has 3 QBs, which gives him more room to make an impact. Ryan Day will now be busy working to attach the OSU-commit tag to Monds by that time.