This weekend was the last recruiting time before a dead period, and Ohio State football didn’t host a gathering like many other schools did.

That opened up the time for some Buckeye 2025 commits to visit other schools, and defensive end commit, Zion Grady, was one of them. The nation’s No. 80 overall player according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings took a trip to Auburn on Saturday.

Rivals reporter Bryan Matthews wrote a story claiming that he felt like the Tigers “have a good chance” to flip the 6-foot, 4-inch, 235-pound star.

As Lee Corso famously says, “not so fast my friends,” as Grady quoted the story and claimed that he’s “1000% lock-in.”

If I had to guess the reason for the trip was an accompany one his best friends, 2025 Auburn commit Malik Autry. Ohio State is actively trying to flip the defensive tackle, and Grady is just trying to help those efforts.

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Story originally appeared on Buckeye Wire

Former Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Gareon Conley has announced his retirement from the NFL after signing with the Dallas Cowboys last month, via ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Conley arrived at Ohio State in 2013, but redshirted his first season. He then played in 15 games the following year and was part of the Buckeyes’ national championship team. However, his role was very limited, as he logged just 16 tackles.

Then, in 2015, Conley broke out and began establishing himself as an elite presence in Ohio State’s secondary, totaling 49 tackles, a couple of interceptions and five passes defended. He would go on to tally 26 tackles, four picks and eight passes defended in 2016 and was named Second-Team All-Big Ten conference by the coaches.

Conley had the chance to return for his senior campaign, but opted to declare for the 2017 NFL Draft, where he was regarded as the second-best cornerback behind his Buckeyes teammate, Marshon Lattimore.

The Massillon, Oh. native ended up getting selected by the Oakland Raiders with the 24th overall pick of the draft.

Conley never really lived up to expectations on the professional level, and injuries played a major role.

He missed all but two games during his rookie campaign due to a shin injury. The following year, Conley showed some promise, playing in 15 games and registering 37 tackles, three interceptions, 15 passes defended and a defensive touchdown.

Conley then had a scary moment in the 2019 season opener, when he had to be carted off the field on a stretcher due to a neck injury. Thankfully, he was alright and would ultimately appear in 14 contests that year, although he was traded to the Houston Texans midseason.

The 29-year-old would never play in another NFL game after 2019.

After being placed on injured reserve by the Texans in September 2020, Conley went three years without garnering any NFL attention. He played with the DC Defenders in 2023, and after being released from his contract, he signed with the Cowboys this past June.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have had a lot of success when it comes to the football program using their NIL collective. One of the players who has benefitted from it the most is wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.

Egbkua burst onto the scene as a sophomore, catching 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns as one of C.J. Stroud’s top targets. Had he been allowed to declare for the NFL draft that year, he could have been a high pick.

Alas, he had to wait at least one more season to turn pro. Unfortunately, he was unable to get close to replicating his production as a junior that he did as a sophomore.

In an injury-plagued campaign, Egbuka caught 41 passes for 515 yards and four touchdowns. Had he declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, evaluators believe he would have been selected somewhere in the first three rounds.

However, there is unfinished business for him and the team. He has lost to Michigan every season at Ohio State and that is something that motivated him to come back to school.

“It just so happened that we all came together and we were all thinking the same thing,” Egbuka said this week at Big Ten media days. “That was really special to be a part of, to know that I wasn’t alone and what I was feeling.”

Another thing that helped with the decision to come back for his senior season is NIL money. Not only does he have one last chance to beat Michigan, but Egbuka is making a nice chunk of change to do so.

The Ohio State star has NIL deals with Amazon Style, EA Sports and Casey’s. Along with The Foundation and The 1870 Society, which are NIL collectives at the school, Egbuka is earning $751,000, which lands in the top 25 of college football.

Earning that kind of money was enough of a reason for him to return to Columbus for a fourth season.

“I came in my freshman year, and it was kind of implemented early on,” he said. “For some of the other guys that came in and they started college right with NIL, it’s just allowed us to make money, which I don’t think is a bad thing. It had some implications as to why some of the guys decided to come back for their senior year because the NFL is always going to be there. That money is always going to be there. We’re able to make a little bit of an earning while we’re here in college, so I think it’s a bonus.”

Earning that kind of money before turning pro certainly makes it an easier decision to return to school. Especially for a player like Egbuka, who has a chance to improve his draft stock considerably during the 2024 season.