Luke Montgomery in no rush to commit, eager to lead following Buckeyes offer

FINDLAY, Ohio — Luke Montgomery isn’t sure of much yet, but he’s certain that he’s going to be a leader.

The 6-foot-5, 260-pound sophomore at Findlay High School isn’t entirely sure if he wants to play offense or defense. He’s not entirely ready to give up basketball — his true sports love — and turn over his entire focus to football. He’s not anywhere close to making a college decision either. But he knows that wherever he ends up, he’s going to be a someone that makes a difference before he enrolls in college.

“I feel like that is just super important,” Montgomery told Lettermen Row on Wednesday afternoon. “I want to be able to go in and make a huge impact out of the gate. Wherever I end up going, I’m going to be recruiting the heck out of kids all over the country.

“I want to win national championships and I’m a pretty social kid. Whatever school I pick — and I’m not going to make any kind of decision until after my junior season I don’t think — I’m going to take on that role. I will definitely be a recruiter for the school I pick.”

It didn’t take long after Montgomery posted his offer from Ohio State last week to see that he’s already made some very real connections around the country. Recruits from coast-to-coast congratulated him on the opportunity and various members of the Buckeyes football program, including kids in the Class of 2020, 2021 and 2022, started calling him out the likely first commitment in the Ohio State 2023 class. It’s not just lip-service from these folks either, it’s apparent in just a quick conversation with Montgomery that he has a personality that others are drawn to.

With offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Florida State and many others coming, there’s going to be plenty of opportunities for Luke Montgomery to stretch his wings as a recruiter. He’s not waiting around for a commitment to do that, either. His time traveling the country on Lebron James’ AAU team and through various other sporting events in his life, he’s begun getting to know hundreds of kids that a kid from Northwest Ohio doesn’t usually make. His father played college football with Paris Johnson’s dad, he’s grown close to former AAU basketball players like Tyreke Smith and has a very close friendship with Ohio State 2022 commitment Gabe Powers.

Then there are the multiple large group text messages, where he and 40 or so of the country’s best young prospects spend their days talking to one another about their futures. He plans to spend a few weeks this summer with a couple of them, working out with Mentor (Ohio) star Brenan Vernon and Pickerington Central standout Sonny Styles.

That trio would give Ohio State a huge early boost in the Class of 2023 if they all decided to be Buckeyes and lining up together is something that they’ve definitely discussed.

“I’ve talked a lot with Brenan, Trevor Carter and Sonny Styles,” he said. “They were pretty excited for me to get that offer so that was big to see because I know they want the best for me like I do for them. We’ve always had those conversations of wherever we go, we’d like to team up, stuff like that. So that maybe a step we take in the next year, who knows.”

Somehow, someway, the kid who doesn’t know a lot about what he’s thinking knows a lot of other kids.

Even Ryan Day, in his first real conversation with Montgomery, made no bones about it: whenever Montgomery commits, its expected it will be to the Buckeyes and from that moment on, he’ll be using his extensive contact list to help maintain something special at Ohio State.

“He pretty much just said ‘We see you being a Buckeye,'” Montgomery said.  “He he told me they recruit nationally, and that if they offer a kid in Ohio this soon it’s because they believe I can be a big part of the program and then they expect the kids they have committed to try to get as many people as they want out of state. That was pretty big for me, because it lets me know that I can be as good as any kid out there.”

Add that to the list of things Luke Montgomery now knows.

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