4-star tight end Ty Lockwood flips from Ohio State to Alabama

Over 11 months ago, Ty Lockwood committed to Ohio State. The tight end out of Thompson’s Station (Tenn.) Independence quickly emerged as a leader for the Buckeye recruiting class.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound four-star felt good about Ohio State, but as a top recruit, he never completely shut the door.

Alabama invited Lockwood to games last fall. The Crimson Tide continued to show interest in the No. 132 prospect in the On3 Consensus. Nick Saban hired Joe Cox to coach tight ends in February. Not long after he got settled in Tuscaloosa, he reached out to Lockwood.

Alabama made stops at Independence in the spring to check on the No. 9 tight end in the country. As the summer progressed, Lockwood begin to think more and more about the Crimson Tide. Alabama got him on campus last week for a couple of days, an offer was extended, and Lockwood has flipped from Ohio State to Alabama.

“I was as locked in as I could possibly be, but I always had a little doubt in there,” Lockwood told On3. “Ohio State is a great place and I have a lot of respect for the coaches, but I had questions about the fit.

… There is nothing bad about Ohio State or the coaches there, but I owed it to myself to venture out a little, check out other schools, and I found the best fit at Alabama. I made that instant connection with Coach Cox, I love the offense, and I get to stay closer to home and play in the SEC. Alabama never went away, they stayed present in my recruitment, and I feel best about the fit there for me.”

It only took Ty Lockwood one visit to commit to the Tide

During the dead period, Lockwood thought about potential visits. He was in contact with Alabama and decided to head to Tuscaloosa last Thursday and Friday. It was an unofficial visit, but with him being one of the few recruits on campus, it was like an official visit.

He got the attention, he and his family saw the campus, they learned about the program, and he got that feeling.

“It was a great visit for me and my family,” Lockwood said. “It was a very eye-opening experience at Alabama. The campus is beautiful, the coaches are great, I was in SEC-land, where everyone knows football, and Alabama showed me it is the spot for me to be.”

Lockwood entered the visit without an offer from Alabama. On Friday, about mid-way through the day, he received the offer. By the time he left, Lockwood knew he was moving to Tuscaloosa next year.

“I got that gut feeling. As a man, you know when you want to do something. I felt it the time I was leaving Alabama. I went there with an open mind and it is everything you can ask for at Alabama. They have it all. I didn’t see anything that I had doubts about.

“Alabama fits me as a man. It is Alabama. They produce a lot of highly-touted prospects. The program is top-notch. It is the best vs. the best every day. That is what I want for myself.

“Alabama fits me and my family the best. I love the school, the coaches, and the SEC. I belong in the SEC.”

Lockwood is excited about playing for Joe Cox

Cox played a key role in this decision as well. He and Ty Lockwood spent a lot of time together during the visit. They got to know each other the relationship is only going to grow moving forward.

“Coach Cox is a great coach and he is doing a great job in that room. The tight ends love him, he cares about them, and I value what the players think about him. I loved my time with him, I look forward to working with him, and he is a great man with great values.”