Ohio State recruiting rundown with Lettermen Row
Ohio State finds itself in a place the Buckeyes haven’t been in quite some time. After an early-season loss to Oregon, which now looks even worse after the Ducks’ loss to Stanford last weekend, OSU sits at No. 7 in the latest Associated Press polls. Ahead of them are two Big Ten foes that face off this weekend: Iowa and Penn State.
The Buckeyes are, though, in a familiar place on the recruiting trail, with the No. 7 class in the country and just 14 players committed for 2022 so far. On3 caught up with Lettermen Row’s Jeremy Birmingham to see who the Buckeyes will target down the stretch and who could be a surprise addition to this year’s signing class.
Who is the most important target still on Ohio State’s recruiting board?
Jeremy Birmingham: “Ohio State only has 14 commitments and has a number of key targets left, mostly on defense. The Buckeyes are in the top group for top safety prospects Xavier Nwankpa (No. 62 in the On300) and Zion Branch (No. 93), as well as a number of defensive linemen, led by Caden Curry (No. 267), Hero Kanu (No. 189), Kenyatta Jackson (No. 108), Omari Abor (No. 178) and Chris McClellan (No. 84). In my mind, with a number of potential losses coming on the defensive line after the season, Curry is probably the most important player for Ohio State to land with Nwankpa very close behind him.”
What is the most important position(s) still to fill and the main targets to fill those spots?
Jeremy Birmingham: “The Buckeyes have zero defensive line commitments and though they’re young at the position at tackle, it’s a veteran group on the edge and those guys need to be replaced. Defensive end development and production is the bread and butter of Larry Johnson’s career, so his pursuit of Caden Curry, Omari Abor, Kenyatta Jackson, Enai White and others is paramount to a successful conclusion in the Class of 2022.”
How many will Ohio State sign in this class and why? Will they hold some spots for the transfer portal?
Jeremy Birmingham: “Ohio State has one of the youngest rosters in the country and isn’t looking to go crazy in the Class of 2022 because of it. As mentioned, with only 14 commitments, the Buckeyes aren’t adding new targets to the board arbitrarily. They know who they want to wrap up the class and likely finish with somewhere in the 22-23 signee range. There is no plan to hold spots for potential transfers. But as attrition happens from the Ohio State roster, they may need to explore transfer options down the road.”
Who is the most important commitment in the 2022 class?
Jeremy Birmingham: “This was Quinn Ewers before he reclassified without question, but now it’s a little up in the air. Ohio State’s entire class has been built around 5-star linebacker C.J. Hicks (No. 20), though, and the defense needs a star at that level so it’s hard to give anyone else the nod over Hicks.”
What are recruits saying about Ohio State’s start to the season?
Jeremy Birmingham: “The Ohio State defensive struggles caught everyone’s attention, of course. The improvement they’re making with a very young roster is now doing the same. Ryan Day’s reputation as an offensive mastermind is strong as ever and quarterbacks, running backs and receivers are all taking note.”
What will be the biggest recruiting surprise between now and the early signing period?
Jeremy Birmingham: “There aren’t many surprises out there in a class with so few realistic options. But the Buckeyes are quietly waiting to see if the rumors about James Franklin and USC end up being more than rumors, for sure. Ohio State has offered in-state quarterback Drew Allar (No. 21) following the reclassification of Ewers, and Allar is locked in with the Nittany Lions. But if something changed in Happy Valley … things could get interesting.”
Which Ohio State coach has done the best job recruiting in the 2022 class?
Jeremy Birmingham: “The Buckeyes have a number of high-performing recruiters on staff, but once again it’s been Brian Hartline and Kerry Coombs leading the way. Hartline has four commitments and gone to Arizona, Texas, Illinois and Georgia to get them. Coombs has three cornerbacks in the fold and continues to be one of the elite relationship builders in the country.”