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Buckeyes still waiting for linebacker Reid Carrico to commit

Jeremy-Birminghamby:Jeremy Birmingham•07/30/19•

Birm

Reid Carrico courtesy

Have a question about Ohio State recruiting? This is the place for you, five days a week. Submit your questions on Twitter or on the Lettermen Row forums. Check in daily to see what’s on the mind of Buckeyes fans all over the country. Today we focus on Ironton (Ohio) 2021 star Reid Carrico and the latest in his recruitment.

Ohio State Recruiting Question of the Day

Ohio State is off to a fast start recruiting inside home borders in the Class of 2021. The Buckeyes have already locked up three of the state’s top targets with early commitments from 5-star defensive end Jack Sawyer and 4-star offensive standouts Ben Christman and Jayden Ballard.

The state of Ohio’s top linebacker target in 2021 is Ironton star Reid Carrico, who sits as the state’s fourth-ranked prospect after rising up the national rankings in the last handful of months following a run of scholarship offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and the rest of college football’s elite programs.

Carrico, 6-foot-3 and 218-pounds, made multiple springtime visits to Columbus, and most analysts assumed following the Ohio State offer on April 13 that he’d be quick to commit there. However, Carrico made just one trip to Ohio State this summer for a camp date in which he didn’t camp and was on campus for just a few hours before taking trips to Texas, Clemson, Tennessee, Notre Dame and other places.

As for the Buckeyes, there’s not been much of a change in their efforts. In fact, the energy they’ve put forth to land an early commitment from Carrico is certain to increase exponentially as Sept. 1 approaches and open communication with high school juniors begins.

Al Washington-Ohio State-Buckeyes-Ohio State football

Securing a commitment from Reid Carrico will be the first big in-state test for Al Washington. (Birm/Lettermen Row)

There have been discussions about a commitment prior to the start of his junior season. But for his part, the standout linebacker is backing off of them a bit.

“The season has snuck up on me pretty freaking quick,” Carrico told Lettermen Row. “So, no. But my plan is to decide sometime during my junior year.”

Is that good news or bad news for the Buckeyes? That’s hard to say because there’s certainly a case to be made that it could be either.

Clemson is a concern with any player in the country. And it’s especially a concern to Ohio State after the Tigers showed they were one of the only programs in the country capable of swooping into the Buckeyes home state and stealing a player away like they did with 5-star offensive lineman Jackson Carman last year. The extra time for a decision potentially sets up a chance for another visit to Dabo Swinney’s program this season.

Ryan Day would love for Carrico to issue an early commitment to Al Washington and lock up his recruitment early. But at the same time, there will now be a much better opportunity to build a relationship that allows each side to be even more comfortable in a decision, whenever it is made.

The best way to stay on top of all that recruiting #stuff? Subscribe to Lettermen Row’s Recruiting with Birm newsletter. 

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