Ryan Day analyzes how Ohio State filled needs in recruiting

Like any other team, Ohio State uses recruiting to fill gaps on its roster. This is one of the strengths of the program and head coach Ryan Day analyzed how the Buckeyes have done filling the team’s needs in recruiting.

The question came up while speaking to the media following National Signing Day. For the most part, Day is happy with where his current recruiting class stands.

“I do think there’s a need to have some impact players in the o-line,” Day said.

“We’re going to lose some guys there. So, I think that was important to have a really strong class. You know, we’re going to have to continually build in the defensive backfield and that’s an area that I think we’ve addressed but will continue to need to be addressed. But, I think when you look at it overall, we could probably use one more defensive lineman in there along the way.”

Clearly, Ryan Day doesn’t think that Ohio State is done, even if large gaps in the roster have been filled already. That included signing a player like Jelani Thurman, who should help play the tight end position for the Buckeyes.

“I thought it was great to get Jelani Thurman as a really talented tight end that we think, as we start to get into multiple tight end use like we did this year, it was great to get him.”

Through the Early Signing Period, Ohio State’s 2023 class is ranked fifth in the On3 Consensus Football Team Recruiting Rankings. There is still time for that to change, with another signing period in February. Three of the Buckeyes’ top four players in the class are wide receivers.

“So, I think we’ve addressed a good portion of our needs,” Day said. “I don’t think we’re all the way there yet, but this is going to be a long process all the way through until we play next year.”

Ryan Day compared the transfer portal to high school recruiting

It’s clear that recruiting has changed in college football. The transfer portal is more prominent than ever. Of course, that doesn’t mean high school recruiting suddenly became unimportant, as Day explained.

“Yes and I think most of the guys who are in the portal have been through the recruiting process, so they don’t need to go through the recruiting dinners and all that. They have a certain list of things they’re looking for and we so do we and when it matches up, great,” Day said.

“I think one of the things that you don’t want to do is talk to somebody about hey you’re going to come in here and be a starter right away, that’s not good for your locker room and it’s just not good policy. Everybody who comes in that type of role, like Tanner (McCalister) did, like Chip (Trayanum) did, like Jonah Jackson did, Trey Sermon, they come in they’re going to have to compete. That’s a very prideful locker room, you don’t just walk into that locker room and say I’m gonna be a starter here. Even Justin Fields had to compete for that job and that’s the way it’s gonna be.”