4-star CB Miles Lockhart commits to Ohio State Buckeyes

Chandler (Ariz.) Basha four-star cornerback Miles Lockhart took his first trip to Ohio State last June for a camp and left with a great feeling. He returned five months later for the Buckeyes’ regular-season finale against Michigan and that feeling grew even more.

After that second trip Lockhart knew he had found his home. On Sunday he made it official announcing his commitment to Ryan Day and the Buckeyes.

“Since my second visit I was sold,” Lockhart told On3. “My first time I was there I was just in awe but I knew by the time second time it was a good fit for me. It just wasn’t some big school to me. I felt like I could fit in there and I had the best relationships there.”

Ohio State secondary coach Tim Walton extended an offer to Lockhart while he was on campus last June during that camp. When he returned in November Lockhart said that Walton showed him how he’d fit into Ohio State’s system.

He also saw the type of players already at Ohio State and began to feel that he was the kind of player that fit perfectly into their system.

Despite that comfortability factor, Lockhart wanted to go through the process. He had schools like Oregon and Utah who remained after him but they weren’t able to replace Ohio State at the top of his list.

“My relationships there were really the biggest factor,” said Lockhart, the No. 340 player in the 2024 class. “I think that’s the biggest thing for a lot of recruits and a lot of coaches. I felt like I had the best and strongest relationships with the coaches at Ohio State.

“It was always comfortable, fun and great conversations.”

Development also played a role in Lockhart’s decision

While the relationships he built early on played the biggest role in Lockhart’s decision, he’s fully aware of the type of talent to come out Ohio State especially over the last decade.

“They do a great job developing players and frankly, they’re great at developing cornerbacks,” Lockhart said. “You see great corners come out of there who have become the highest-paid corners in the league. That’s a very attractive thing to see.”

That sort of development starts in practice. Lockhart noted that Ohio State consistently has the top wide receivers and he can’t wait to compete against those type of guys daily in practice.

Ohio State currently has a pair of five-star receiver pledges in Jeremiah Smith and Mylan Graham. They have future first-round pick in Marvin Harrison Jr. already on the roster and a rich recent history of first-round receiver picks.

While that could have pushed him away, Lockhart said he’s excited for that sort of challenge.

“The fact of being developed and becoming a better player is what I’m looking forward to the most,” said Lockhart. “I just want to soak in as much as I can from the other players. Getting to go against those guys every single day, I’m looking forward to that challenge.”