Ohio
Ohio State football recruiting: What we learned in June
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class has come collectively at a slower tempo than a number of the courses that preceded it. However we’ve reached the top of an important June official go to month, and the Buckeyes discover themselves atop the 247Sports Composite class rankings.
That ensures nothing. There’s nonetheless a protracted technique to go earlier than gamers can begin signing in December, and everybody has must fill. However June was nonetheless a fruitful month for Ryan Day’s program.
Right here’s what we discovered during the last month and what work stays to be performed.
How Ohio State acquired to the No. 1 spot
The Buckeyes had arguably the very best June in faculty soccer this facet of Texas. The Longhorns had a banner month, including 11 commitments, together with coveted five-star quarterback Arch Manning, and vaulted to No. 3 within the class rankings. Ohio State’s June wasn’t fairly that eventful, however it had loads of necessary wins along with another developments that pushed OSU to the No. 1 spot.
Begin with the booms. 5-star receiver Carnell Tate dedicated on June 20, springboarding the category from No. 8 nationally on the time to No. 2 and beginning a ridiculous three-day run of receiver recruiting. 5-star prospect Brandon Inniss adopted on June 21, and top-50 four-star prospect Noah Rogers on June 22.
These strikes put OSU on the cusp of the No. 1 class. The subsequent dedication, whoever it was, was seemingly going to push the Buckeyes over the hump. 4-star cornerback Kayin Lee did simply that when he dedicated on June 27.
These have been the marquee strikes, however the rise was additionally helped by some members of the category making jumps within the rankings this month.
Cornerback Dijon Johnson was No. 285 general in Could and is now No. 95. Offensive lineman Austin Siereveld was No. 323 within the nation when he dedicated in Could and is now No. 223. Receiver Bryson Rodgers jumped from No. 367 to No. 269 whereas security Malik Hartford went from No. 205 to No. 149 and fellow security Cedrick Hawkins had a modest rise from No. 250 to No. 211.
All of that gave Ohio State the purpose whole essential to move Notre Dame within the composite class rankings. After all, the extra necessary quantity is the typical participant score. OSU is sitting fairly there, too. The Buckeyes are No. 2 in common participant score (94.12) with 14 commits, trailing solely Alabama (95.34) with its eight commitments.
The race is much from sewn up. Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame and USC all have sufficient extremely ranked remaining targets nonetheless on the board that any of these colleges, along with Ohio State, may conceivably end within the high spot. What’s necessary for Ohio State proper now’s that it’s not shedding floor within the race for No. 1. In truth, in June, it gained important floor.
What’s subsequent?
Gamers will proceed nailing down choice dates following a busy month of official visits. Because it pertains to Ohio State, the 2 instantly on the docket are four-star cornerback Jermaine Matthews and four-star defensive lineman Darron Reed.
Mathews is the No. 9 participant within the state out of Cincinnati Winton Woods. He’ll announce on July 1 following a month that noticed his profile enhance a bit. He hasn’t had a monster leap on the rankings, but, however he had stellar camp performances at Ohio State and LSU. These two colleges provided. So did Alabama and Oklahoma. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes are the favourite to land Matthews when he pronounces Friday.
Reed is a top-300 participant from Columbus, Ga., whose recruitment appears prefer it’s come right down to Ohio State and LSU. He’ll announce on July 4. If he picks the Buckeyes, he’ll be the second defensive position dedication within the class.
Another high targets don’t have official announcement dates however look like in choice mode with the potential to announce any time over the following month or so. That features five-star security Caleb Downs, four-star linebackers Tackett Curtis and Troy Bowles, four-star offensive lineman Olaus Alinen in addition to quarterback targets Austin Novosad and Brock Glenn.
What wants stay?
It’s not probably the most urgent want, however it’s an important place, so you can begin with the quarterbacks. Ohio State provided Novosad after he camped on June 1. Glenn’s provide got here shortly after. However each are getting quite a lot of consideration as quarterbacks proceed to return off the board.
Novosad just lately picked up a suggestion from Texas A&M, a college that was stated to have the potential to alter the recruitment of the Baylor commit if a suggestion ever got here by. The Texas product continues to be mulling his choices, which embrace staying with Baylor, selecting one other in-state faculty or arising north to play for the Buckeyes. The uncommitted Glenn, in the meantime, has Ohio State, Auburn, Florida State, TCU and LSU on the high of his checklist.
Three offensive linemen are within the class, however new place coach Justin Frye continues to be in search of tackles. Alinen is on the high of that checklist, however the Buckeyes additionally hosted four-star Oluwatosin Babalade and three-star Miles Walker for official visits.
It’s laborious to see a state of affairs during which OSU would say no to 3 linebackers — Curtis, Bowles and Cleveland Glenville’s Arvell Reese — if all three needed in. However including at the very least a type of gamers, and extra seemingly two, feels crucial.
The defensive position group is once more coming collectively a bit slowly. Will Smith Jr. is in, and Reed may quickly be a part of him. Each of these gamers appear to be tackles, which might then put an emphasis on touchdown some gamers with the power to play on the sting. Matayo Uiagalelei and Jason Moore visited in June, and are each priorities. OSU will preserve pushing to flip Notre Dame commit Keon Keeley till that door is closed. High-100, 310-pound sort out John Walker can also be in play. Would OSU take a five-man defensive position class? Once more, it’s laborious to see how the employees would say no to a (hypothetical) class of Smith, Reed, Walker, Uiagalelei and Keely/Moore even when that will imply signing 13 defensive linemen over a three-year span.
And whereas the employees has performed nicely to handle secondary wants up to now with two safeties and two corners within the class, there’s room for extra. Downs, Matthews, four-star nook Calvin Simpson-Hunt and four-star security Jayden Bonsu stay precedence targets.
Largest class since when?
So let’s sport this out. Ohio State at present has 14 commitments. It wish to add a quarterback, one or two extra offensive linemen, as many as 4 extra defensive linemen, anyplace from one to 3 linebackers and doubtlessly 4 extra defensive backs. If OSU operates on the excessive finish on every of these want lists, that’s a 28-man class — which might be completely throughout the new rule handed in Could that eradicated the preliminary 25-man counter restrict for the following two years.
And that projection makes no point out of the potential so as to add a second operating again and/or a second tight finish to the category. There’s not an apparent potential tight finish addition to affix commit Ty Lockwood. Nevertheless, OSU would definitely take Justice Haynes within the operating again room alongside commit Mark Fletcher.
Ohio State’s common class dimension since Day took over as head coach in 2019 has been 21.5. It hasn’t signed greater than 25 gamers because it signed 26 in 2018, a quantity it reached solely as a result of it signed junior faculty switch Antwuan Jackson along with 25 highschool prospects.
If every part breaks proper this cycle, the 2023 class may exceed that mark.
(Photograph of Ryan Day: Emilee Chinn / Getty Photographs)