On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine: Buzz surrounding Ohio State's top targets

By Ohio State standards, the 2023 recruiting cycle was a bit of a disappointment. Sure, they still finished with a top-five class and one of the deepest groups in the entire country, but Ryan Day and Co. did miss out on a couple of key targets — particularly on the defensive line.

The Buckeyes now have their attention turned to 2024, where they’re trending to be in the conversation among the top three to four teams in the country yet again. Day already has four commitments on board, but a number of other prospects are heavily trending in Ohio State’s direction on the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). They’ve made a couple of key position groups their focus early on.

“Ohio State is heavily pursuing offensive linemen in the 2024 cycle and the number for the class hopes to be at or near six,” Lettermen row recruiting insider Matt Parker said. “The Buckeyes are a third of the way there with two commits in the class. There’s a new emphasis on defensive back recruiting in the cycle mainly because of the Buckeyes’ new-look defensive scheme so stocking piling talented defensive backs will be key moving forward. Something to watch as spring visits and officials unfold are predictions for running backs. That’s a massive priority for Ohio State in the 2024 cycle.”

4-star WR Mylan Graham

School: New Haven (Ind.)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 24
On3 RPM: Ohio State 89.1%, Notre Dame 3.7%, Michigan 2.2%

The Skinny: Mylan Graham is planning to make a commitment over the summer, a couple programs are prioritizing him right now. However, the Buckeyes have made a strong impression — and their recent development of elite wide receivers is no small part of that. He has been on campus multiple times and connected well with offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline. The Buckeyes aren’t a slam dunk, but things are trending in their direction for one of the country’s top playmakers.

4-star DB Bryce West

School: Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 38
On3 RPM: Ohio State 94.9%, Michigan 2.0%

The Skinny: Defensive back could arguably be Ohio State’s top priority in this class, and there’s few better than Bryce West. He has strong ties to the Buckeyes being from the Cleveland area, and Glenville High — coached by Ted Ginn Sr. — is an extremely Ohio State-friendly program. Michigan, Oregon, USC and more are still in the mix, but it’s going to be very hard to pull a local kid away from Columbus.

4-star DB Aaron Scott

School: Springfield (Ohio)
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 64
On3 RPM: Ohio State 92.8%, Cincinnati 1.3%, Michigan 1.1%

The Skinny: Much of the story for West is the same for Aaron Scott. An in-state cornerback is a top priority for Ohio State this cycle, and Scott also fits the bill. USC, Oklahoma and others are involved, but right now the two main contenders, according to Parker, are Ohio State and Michigan.

“The Buckeyes’ coaching staff is in constant contact with Scott and at times it’s three phone calls a week. They are pushing hard to keep Scott home and are doing well.”

4-star OT Deontae Armstrong

School: Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 299
On3 RPM: Ohio State 95.0%, Penn State 1.9%

The Skinny: It’s a strong class in the Buckeye State this cycle, and four-star offensive tackle Deontae Armstrong is among the top linemen not only in the state but in the country. Ohio State was a little later to the party than other programs in offering, but that doesn’t seem to be slowing down their momentum with both Armstrong and his brother, Devontae.

“This one certainly means a little more than some, being from the state of Ohio, and growing up an Ohio State fan just makes this offer feel a lot better,” Deontae Armstrong told Lettermen Row. “It just felt different to get offered by a school that you watched on TV since you were a little kid.”

4-star OT Devontae Armstrong

School: Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 329
On3 RPM: Ohio State 95.0%, Penn State 1.9%

The Skinny: Like his aforementioned brother, Devontae Armstrong has become a top priority for Ohio State along the offensive line. The two are expected to be a package duo at the next level, and all signs point to that being at Ohio State.

4-star EDGE Elias Rudolph

School: Deerfield (Fla.) Deerfield Beach
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 220
On3 RPM: Ohio State 49.6%, Cincinnati 11.6%

The Skinny: An Ohio native, Elias Rudolph recently moved down to south to the state of Florida. But that hasn’t slowed down Ohio State’s pursuit of him. Fellow in-state EDGE Brian Robinson and Rudolph were the Buckeyes’ top two in-state targets at the position, and Ohio State has made Rudolph the priority.