Signed: Omari Abor has huge upside as Buckeyes edge rusher

The February Signing Period is here and Ohio State is finishing up one of the country’s best recruiting classes. Lettermen Row is tracking the Buckeyes recruiting news throughout the signing period as 2022 commitments officially join the Ohio State football program. The latest Letter of Intent is in: Omari Abor has signed with the Buckeyes.

COLUMBUS — Omari Abor is in for Ohio State.

The defensive end from Texas has officially joined the Buckeyes after a back-and-forth recruiting cycle that included Ohio State and a number of the country’s top programs.

What does this addition do for Ohio State? Let’s take a look at why he was the final defensive end piece for the Buckeyes this year.

Who is Omari Abor?

Omari Abor is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end who committed to Ohio State on Jan. 2, 2022.

On3 Consensus Ranking: 80 overall, 11 DL, 16 Texas
On3 Ranking: 140 overall, 18 DL, 29 Texas
Hometown: Duncanville, Texas
High School: Duncanville

Scouting summary: “EDGE prospect with his best football ahead of him. Better prospect than player and has missed a senior with injury. Has shown exceptional snap anticipation at times over his high school career. Plays with aggressive hands and initiates contact with offensive linemen. Is flexible and athletic out of his stance. Capable of setting the edge as a run defender with effort, strength and eyes in the backfield. Stays in the fight to disengage. Shows quickness and agility to pursue and chase down plays.

“Up and down with his initial movement with a tendency to hop at times when not rushing off the edge. Plays top competition in the largest classification in Texas high school football. Has a well-proportioned frame capable of carrying over 270 pounds. Off-season foot/toe injury required surgery and rehab time. Also suits up for the Duncanville basketball team, which is among the best in the country.” – Charles Power, On3 director of scouting and rankings

How did Abor end up at Ohio State?

Ohio State identified and targeted Omari Abor very early in his recruiting process. At one point, Abor was ranked as high as No. 18 in national composite rankings and one of the hottest recruits in the nation. The Buckeyes getting involved early, led by Larry Johnson, opened the door for Ohio State to be a real player in the recruitment of the highly-physical edge rusher when his recruiting really took off.

The Buckeyes hosted Abor for an official visit in the first weekend of June and from that point on, the battle for his signature was kind of a slow burn. Reports of Abor being “bored” during his Ohio State official visit — never actually confirmed but rather just speculated — had most wondering if he was actually interested in the Buckeyes anymore. SEC programs like Texas A&M, Alabama and LSU were routinely mentioned as more likely landing spots for Abor, but Larry Johnson remained steadfast in his efforts.

For months after that official visit, Ohio State seemed like an afterthought in the recruitment of Omari Abor.

A late October trip back to Ohio, a game-day trip as the Buckeyes hosted Penn State, changed that. He found a new perspective of the Ohio State campus and a heightened appreciation for Johnson as a coach. That trip helped bring things full-circle. The Buckeyes had continued to make Omari Abor a priority when a number of other schools were reluctant to do that. Larry Johnson’s concern and coaching was the difference when picked Ohio State in early January.

RELATED: OMARI ABOR ON BIRMINOLOGY

“The main reason [I picked Ohio State] is Larry Johnson. Just the way he coaches his players, I just really feel like it [will] be a great experience,” Abor said. “[We’re] close. Real close. He called me after every game, like, ‘Yo, you messed up on this. You messed up on that.’

“He was picking out the little details, and I’m just looking at them like, ‘Wow, this dude really changes how I play the game of football.’“

And that really changed the calculus of the recruitment. His public announcement didn’t end the potential drama though.

Even as Omari Abor announced his commitment to the Buckeyes, he said he’d be open to visiting other schools and exploring his options until signing day. Texas A&M was once again mentioned and others like Texas and Florida emerged as potential suitors. But despite the plan to visit others, Abor didn’t see other schools and instead locked in his commitment to Larry Johnson and Ohio State.

The Buckeyes committed to Abor early and he picked Ohio State late. As the time to officially choose a school arrived on Wednesday, the team that had been there all along received his signature.