Signing entirety of 2021 class is top priority for Buckeyes in December

COLUMBUS — The end of the road is nearing for most of the 2021 recruiting class, and Ohio State still sits high above the Big Ten with the league’s best class.

The Buckeyes have one less commitment than the second-ranked class in the conference, which belongs to Michigan. But on the strength of the stars already verbally pledged to Ohio State, there’s no worry or concern about anyone in the Big Ten passing it up.

The gap between Ryan Day’s program and everyone else in the Big Ten appears to be widening annually. That is again going to be the case when the latest haul of Buckeyes recruits officially signs on the dotted line. Exactly who will sign with Ohio State, and when, isn’t wrapped up at this point. But the momentum is building toward a successful December signing period. The Buckeyes culture is strong, and its recruiting presence is being felt from coast-to-coast despite the challenges that this specific cycle presented.

After a pretty solid month of November, there are some important things that Ohio State needs to do in order to truly put a bow on the 2021 class. Here’s how the folks at Lettermen Row see it.

Ohio State needs to sign every current commitment in December

This may sound like a bit of a no-brainer, but in a year that’s been anything but routine, Ohio State needs to see signing day come and go without any unexpected hiccups from its current class. That means that everyone currently committed, from Kyle McCord to Denzel Burke and everyone in-between, needs to leave no doubt about their intentions for college.

So far, the Buckeyes have only experienced two decommitments in this cycle: In-state defensive back Devonta Smith and defensive line Tunmise Adeleye. Any further attrition or uncertainty is going to be very difficult to replace with the recruiting dead period extended until April. There’s no chance to go back to the well if someone flips away from Ohio State in this cycle, so it’s incumbent on Ryan Day, Mark Pantoni and the staff to avoid any negative surprises.

The good news for Ohio State is that there’s no real concern about any of the current commitments making that sort of decision. But as signing day gets closer, the nerves get touchier and the drumbeats from other schools — especially those closer to home for kids who’ve not even been able to visit Ohio State this point — get louder and louder. The relationships that the Buckeyes have cultivated over these last handful of months need to be better and stronger than any almost any recruiting relationships in modern history for that reason.

Buckeyes need answer from Emeka Egbuka before signing day

While Ohio State needs to sign every current commitment, if they want to catch Alabama as the country’s No. 1-ranked class, it will need to make an addition or two.

No uncommitted prospect has been on the board longer than 5-star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, and he’s still on the fence about his future. One way or the other, good or bad, the Buckeyes need to know if the Steilacoom (Wash.) standout is coming to Columbus to work with Brian Hartline or if he’s going to end up at Oklahoma or Washington. Egbuka is making his long-discussed visit to Oklahoma on Saturday as the Sooners host Baylor. And though he can’t meet with the coaching staff in Norman, there’s no doubt that any possible loophole to make him feel connected with Lincoln Riley’s staff is going to be exploited. He’ll be spending his time there with 5-star quarterback Caleb Williams, who has somehow already moved to Oklahoma while awaiting his January enrollment.

It is very difficult to be the unquestioned leader in a recruitment for an uncommitted prospect for almost two years, and that’s what the Buckeyes are up against in the battle for Egbuka. There’s always a pull to stay closer to home, which makes the hometown Huskies as much of a threat as Oklahoma. But no matter where he ends up, it’d be good for Ohio State to have a final answer before signing day. That way if Brian Hartline wants to add another receiver still in the 2021 class, he can make a move with a handful of targets that he’s remained in contact with over these last few months while prioritizing Egbuka.

That doesn’t mean the Buckeyes will get another receiver just because they offer, but time is obviously of the essence. That is also one thing that Ohio State hasn’t been able to have with Egbuka since his last trip to Columbus way back in October of 2019. He’s had multiple planned trips to Ohio State fall through because of the Covid-19 pandemic and was consistent in his messaging that no decision would be reached until he made a visit to Oklahoma. With that trip on deck, every school chasing the country’s No. 1-ranked receiver is hoping for a final choice sooner rather than later.

It’s been over a year since Emeka Egbuka was last on campus at Ohio State. (Birm/Lettermen Row)

Ohio State needs 2022 recruiting class to get together in Columbus

The pandemic has affected the 2021 class more than any other for sure, but the 2022 recruiting cycle is going to be forced into some weird moments as well. That means any potential visit to Columbus as a group needs to be taken advantage of. Right now, there’s at least preliminary discussions being had for a class get-together in the Capital City over the weekend of Dec. 12 — when Ohio State hosts Michigan — and it’d be a great momentum builder for the Buckeyes if their recruits are able to pull it off. With a recent influx of interest and a pair of 5-star Texas commitments in the fold from November, the sooner everyone can get together and build real, in-person chemistry, the easier it will be for the 2022 class to go from huge internet buzz to huge recruiting booms.

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