Buckeyes make cut for trio of top prospects over weekend
COLUMBUS – Ohio State has been hot on the recruiting trail this summer, and there aren’t any signs of the Buckeyes slowing down soon.
The Buckeyes picked up five pledges in June and three in July. More are expected before the summer comes to an end. Part of the journey is making the cut, and Ohio State found itself on three lists this weekend including four-star 2024 safety Jaylen Heyward.
Lettermen Row is taking a look at the eventful weekend that was for the Buckeyes and their 2023 and 2024 classes.
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Jelani Thurman will be making his decision soon – very soon.
The four-star Langston Hughes (Fairborn, Georgia) tight end announced via Twitter on Monday morning that he’ll announce his commitment on July 17 at 12 p.m.
At 6-foot-6, 225-pounds, Thurman provides an excellent frame for Ohio State to build upon. Additionally, Thurman’s size is nearly identical to Buckeyes’ tight end commit four-star Ty Lockwood who is listed at 6-foot-5, 225-pounds.
Jelani Thurman’s decision is expected to be between Ohio State, Auburn, Alabama and Michigan State.
“I thought getting offers would be the toughest part of my recruitment, but it is really making this decision,” Thurman told On3’s Chad Simmons. “I am really torn between two schools right now. These schools are similar and I see myself doing well at both of them. They offer a lot of the same things, but there are some differences too.
“It is up to me to figure out which one is the best for me. I am not there yet, but I will be ready in the coming days.”
The Tigers are the current favorites to land Thurman with a 26.1-percent chance according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, but the Buckeyes are making a real push in the late stages of Thurman’s recruitment.
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Four-star 2023 defensive lineman keeps Buckeyes in final 5
Is Jalen Thompson the next defensive lineman prospect to join Ohio State’s 2023 class?
Thompson, a four-star Cass Tech (Detroit, Michigan) defensive lineman prospect and the No. 3-rated prospect in Michigan according to the On3 Consensus Rankings, released his final five schools on Saturday.
Ohio State made the list along with Big Ten rivals Michigan State and Penn State, followed by Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Thompson said in June that Ohio State was one of his dream schools and that an offer from defensive line coach Larry Johnson would force him to really re-evaluate his decision-making process.
Thompson would join a defensive line class that already includes four-star Jason Moore and three-star Will Smith Jr.
Buckeyes make top 10 on No. 1-rated 2024 cornerback’s list
Ohio State still is in the race for the No. 1 rated cornerback in the 2024 class.
Five-star IMG Academy (Chesapeake, Virginia) cornerback Desmond Ricks released his top 10 schools Sunday night, and the Buckeyes are locked in.
Ricks, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound rising junior, also had LSU, Oregon, Miami, USC, Alabama, Texas A&M, Jackson State, Florida and Oklahoma on his list.
Desmond Ricks, also the No. 2 rated prospect nationally in the 2024 class, hasn’t visited Columbus yet, but with another year of his recruitment cornerbacks coach Tim Walton can work the logistics out to bring Ricks up north.
