Ohio State recruiting: Talyn Parker talking to Buckeyes, DT target off board

Stay in touch or be left out because Ohio State recruiting is a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week obsession. What’s the latest news as the Buckeyes build for the future? Get that and more Sunday through Thursday on Lettermen Row. Today we’re talking about some of the Buckeyes state’s best young players, including Portsmouth running back Talyn Parker.

Ohio Stay staying in touch with Talyn Parker

Ohio State is looking to add a pair of running backs in the Class of 2020, and though it’s working hard on some of the country’s elite talents, the program is not forgetting that some impressive young backs can be found close to home.

Portsmouth’s Talyn Parker told Lettermen Row months ago that he’d been in touch with Ohio State.

“They straight-up said I’m arguably one of the best backs in Ohio,” Parker said in November. “Just telling me to keep my grades and I’ll be getting offered.”

Parker racked up more than 2,500 yards on the ground and almost 30 touchdowns as a junior, so it’s not a surprise that the Buckeyes have kept him in their sights even after the coaching transition in December.

“I’ve still been getting written mail and texts,” Parker told Lettermen Row. “I get mail from [running backs] Coach [Tony] Alford, [staff member] Ed Terwilliger and then [Director of Player Personnel] Mark Pantoni sends me the texts. He’s just sending updates on the team and things like that, basically what’s going on there.

“I’m going to be there in March for a visit to Ohio State.”

To this point, there’s been little change in the messaging from the Buckeyes, and Parker has not really heard much of anything from Ryan Day. He hopes that will change in March, and he’s encouraged by a recent Ohio State request.

“The only thing that’s been different recently was them asking for my transcript the other day,” Parker said. “They said they would get back to me about it soon. I’m hoping to talk to meet and talk to Ryan Day a bit when I go there next month.”

Rickey Hyatt impressing, still not hearing from Ohio State

One of the stars from this past weekend’s “Best of the Midwest” combine in Indianapolis was Westerville Central star Rickey Hyatt, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound defensive back who ran a 4.46-40 yard dash at the event. Despite a lot of recruiting buzz lately, the rising-star and Ohio’s 26th-ranked 2020 prospect has not yet been hearing much from Ohio State.

“[Recruiting] really is picking up,” Hyatt told Lettermen Row. “A lot of coaches are saying they love my film. From the film, to talking to me in person, they like what they see.”

Hyatt has early offers from Cincinnati, Iowa State and a few MAC schools. But he hasn’t yet begun getting the attention from Ohio State that he covets and is trying not to worry about that.

“I’ve not talked to Ohio State much recently,” he said. “I talked to Coach Day last year. They are a big school and are really good at football, but I want to know more stuff about them than just football. How much do they care about each player? How classes are, what other things are good about the campus other than football?

“I’m just staying focused.”

Is Hyatt a candidate to be this summer’s Darron Lee? Is he the kind of player who shows up for a camp and turns some heads in Columbus? I think there’s a good chance he could be.

Colorado defensive tackle target opts for Notre Dame

Twice in the last seven months, Ohio State hosted Colorado 2020 defensive tackle Aidan Keanaaina for a visit. After his most recent trip, he hinted that he’d be back for an official visit with the school this spring.

“I probably will be back in the spring for an official,” he said. “I’m seeing new things about schools I haven’t seen before. Some are good, and some aren’t as good. I don’t believe I’m anywhere near a decision, but the process has begun and the countdown begins.”

You can probably cross that off your list of possibilities. The 6-foot-3, 292-pound 4-star tackle made his college choice on Wednesday — and he has picked the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Keanaaina is the second offered defensive tackle in the Class of 2020 to choose another school in the last three weeks: Clemson landed St. John’s College (Washington D.C.) 4-star Tre Williams at the end of January.