{{Short description|American football player (born 2007)}} {{use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox college football player |name=Riley Pettijohn |school=Ohio State Buckeyes |currentnumber=5 |currentposition=Linebacker |class= Sophomore |major= |birth_date={{birth date and age|2007|7|8}}<ref name=birthday>{{cite tweet|user=WhoDeyBucks|number=1942597931334594742|title=Make sure you wish @r_pettijohn a happy birthday! Happy birthday Riley!|access-date=September 22, 2025}}</ref> |birth_place= |heightft=6 |heightin=2 |weight_lb=231 |highschool=McKinney (McKinney, Texas) |pastschools= *Ohio State (2025–present) |highlights= |espn=5141630 }}
'''Riley Pettijohn''' (born July 8, 2007)<ref name=birthday /> is an American college football linebacker for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
==Early life== Pettijohn attended McKinney High School located in McKinney, Texas. Coming out of high school, he was rated as a five-star recruit, the 4th overall linebacker, and the 31st overall player in the class of 2025, where he held offers from schools such as Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, and USC.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gay |first1=Colin |title=Riley Pettjohn, 2025 five-star linebacker, commits to Ohio State football. What we know |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/college/football/2024/07/06/riley-pettijohn-commits-to-ohio-state-james-laurinaitis-osu-football-recruiting-2025/73922306007/ |website=The Columbus Dispatch |date=6 July 2024 |access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref> Ultimately, Pettijohn committed to play college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Teague Robinson |first1=Cameron |title=Ohio State football recruiting: Buckeyes bolster 2025 class with 5-star LB Riley Pettijohn |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5620120/2024/07/06/ohio-state-recruiting-riley-pettijohn-lb/ |website=The Athletic |date=6 July 2024 |access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Lederman |first1=Eli |title=Ohio State adds 4-star OLB Riley Pettijohn to top-ranked class |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/40507402/ohio-state-adds-4-star-olb-riley-pettijohn-top-ranked-class |website=ESPN |access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref>
==College career== Pettijohn entered his true freshman season in 2025, set to contribute for the Buckeyes.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gillis |first1=Andrew |title=Ohio State freshman linebacker loses black stripe |url=https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2025/08/ohio-state-freshman-linebacker-loses-black-stripe.html |website=Cleveland.com |access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Little |first1=Brandon |title=Former highly touted recruit from Texas has already started his climb for stardom with the Ohio State Buckeyes |url=https://atozsports.com/college-football/ohio-state-buckeyes-news/former-texas-high-school-recruit-riley-pettijohn-breakout-game-grambling-state-ryan-day/ |website=A to Z Sports |access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref> In week two of the 2025 season, he recorded two tackles, a pass deflection, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery which he returned for a touchdown in a victory over Grambling State.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Means |first1=Stephen |date=September 8, 2025 |title=How Kayden McDonald, Riley Pettijohn and the rest of Ohio State’s defense graded vs. Grambling |url=https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2025/09/how-kayden-mcdonald-riley-pettijohn-and-the-rest-of-ohio-states-defense-graded-vs-grambling.html |access-date=20 September 2025 |website=Cleveland.com}}</ref>
==Personal life== Pettijohn is the son of former Syracuse starting defensive lineman Duke Pettijohn.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cobb |first1=David |title=Ohio State football recruiting: Five-star LB Riley Pettijohn commits as Buckeyes bolster top-rated 2025 class |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ohio-state-football-recruiting-five-star-lb-riley-pettijohn-commits-as-buckeyes-bolster-top-rated-2025-class/ |website=CBS Sports |date=6 July 2024 |access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref>
== References == <!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --> {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/football/roster/riley-pettijohn/12339 Ohio State Buckeyes bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pettijohn, Riley}} Category:2007 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from McKinney, Texas Category:American football linebackers Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players Category:21st-century American sportsmen