Ohio State appears set on defensive line, ready to move on to next cycle
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. Thursday, we’re examining the expectations for the Buckeyes during the December early signing period for Larry Johnson and the defensive line position.
Ohio State Recruiting Question of the Day
@Birm Any updates on Tyler Baron? a few D-linemen committed to Tennessee recently and I've seen Rival's predictions going to Kentucky. Any hope for the Buckeyes still?
— Leo (@CLEV__Leo) December 11, 2019
It appears the Buckeyes are at least peripherally still in the mix for Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic 4-star defensive end Tyler Baron. But Tennessee and Kentucky remain the more likely landing spots as the December early signing period arrives next week.
Ohio State seems totally fine with that, for the record. The Buckeyes hosted Baron for an official visit in early October, and he had been in Larry Johnson’s sights for a handful of months prior to that visit. But things have changed at Oho State when it comes to the defensive line.
First, the recent news that Jonathon Cooper would return for a fifth season lessened the immediate need of another body. And then it became clear that Cade Stover would move from linebacker to defensive end, following the Sam Hubbard career path, eliminating the need for another lineman in the Class of 2020 and turning the possibility of adding another signee into nothing more than a luxury at this juncture.
So, it’s expected that Baron will sign somewhere other than Ohio State next week while Ty Hamilton, Darrion Henry and Jacolbe Cowan all put pen to paper with the Buckeyes, finalizing their intentions to suit and play for Johnson and Ryan Day in Columbus.
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Ohio State remains interested and in the mix for Utah defensive lineman Xavier Carlton. (Birm/Lettermen Row)
There remains, though, at least a small chance that Ohio State could still look to add another lineman before the February signing period. Utah’s Xavier Carlton, who took his official visit to the school in November, is expected to wait until February to sign his Letter of Intent. The Buckeyes are in the race for Carlton still, and Johnson and Day are expected to make an in-home visit to see him sometime in January.
To sum it up? With just a week until the early signing period, I don’t expect any additions for Ohio State along the defensive line — but there may be a better chance of it happening eventually in February than in December.
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