Welcome to The Hurry Up, which runs Sunday through Thursday, serving as your last stop for recruiting news and notes nightly. We'll recap the day as it happened and preview the days ahead while keeping our ear to the ground on the Ohio State recruiting scene.
DOTSON MAKING OHIO STATE CAMP TRIP, VISIT
While Ohio State continues to try and land Perry, Ohio's Luke Farrell (visiting Notre Dame today) to round out 2016's tight end recruiting, this weekend brings into town the player who could be the top target at the position in 2017. Cincinnati Moeller's Matt Dotson, a 6-foot-5, 225-pounder, will visit Ohio State on Saturday. Dotson currently has offers from Tennessee, Cincinnati and Illinois, but he's confident the opportunity to play for the Buckeyes is approaching. This weekend could go a long way towards that.
"(Recruiting is) really heating up," Dotson told Eleven Warriors. "I've been hearing a lot from Ohio State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and LSU. I will be at Ohio State's camp on Saturday and then I will be visiting the school. I'll be hanging out with one of the players and staying there with them (Saturday night)."
Dotson, like a lot of kids from Cincinnati, grew up following Notre Dame, but he's got familiar ties to the Irish that help explain why.
"I didn't really follow Ohio State growing up," Dotson said. "I was more of a Notre Dame guy because my grandfather, Steve Niehaus, played there."
The Buckeyes' recruiting efforts are being spearheaded by Kerry Coombs.
"We have a great relationship," Dotson said of Coombs. "He saw me my freshman year and we've been talking since then. I also speak to (Tim) Hinton."
Dotson believes the Buckeyes could offer this weekend, but he's unlikely to make any sort of quick decision.
"I'm really just trying to take it all in, recruiting-wise," Dotson added. "It's just about seeing (how) each school can benefit me academically and athletically."
SOUND MIND/SOUND BODY BRINGS BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR BUCKEYES
Today in Detroit, one the country's most prestigious local recruiting camps, Sound Mind/Sound Body, got underway. For the Buckeyes, it's an opportunity to get some face time in Michigan – Urban Meyer and the Ohio State staff will make an appearance – and that could be especially helpful for the pursuit of an additional wide receiver in 2016.
On Friday, the Buckeyes' staff will get a chance to look at a couple of big-timers at the position, including Donnie Corley, Binjimen Victor and Desmond Fitzpatrick. Corley and Victor each have Buckeye offers, while Fitzpatrick – a Louisville commitment – does not. Zach Smith will be one of the Ohio State coaches on hand and the chance to work with Corley again is perhaps the biggest story of the group.
The Detroit Martin Luther King star will reportedly make a decision within the next month and he – according to 247Sports.com's Steve Wiltfong – scheduled a return to Notre Dame next Friday, June 19th. He has not yet scheduled a return to Ohio State, but sources say it's still a priority for him to do before making a final college choice. Corley remains at the top of the list for the Buckeyes as they try to round out the receiving corps.
SATURDAY IN COLUMBUS COULD BRING SOME STARS
Ohio State's first one-day camp is Saturday on campus and there's a number of names that – if they show up – are worth paying attention to.
A pair of Buckeye 2016 commitments, Austin Mack and Jack Wohlabaugh, will be on campus, although Mack will not work out. Wohlabaugh is going to be a regular on the Buckeye camp circuit, soaking up every opportunity he gets to work with Ed Warinner and the Ohio State staff. Mack will be bringing a group of his teammates and workout partners so they can get a chance to be checked out by Ohio State.
Recent 2018 offer Jaelen Gill, who picked up a Michigan State offer this past week as well, will camp on Saturday. Ohio State will check out Gill's potential at a number of positions, but he'll get a crack at running back primarily.
One of Ohio's biggest prospects in the 2016 class, Meadowbrook's Josh Sills, will be in attendance and remains one of the more intriguing in-state offensive line options if the Buckeyes decide that they may need another at some point. Sills is 6-foot-5, 320-pounds and has an offer from Michigan.
In the defensive backfield, Smyrna, Tennessee safety Ikenna Okeke will get his shot to impress Ohio State coaches. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound three-star prospect has offers from Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt among his sixteen offers.
There's some speculation that the Buckeyes could receive a visit from Lawrenceville, Georgia five-star Isaiah Pryor, a 2017 star defensive back at Archer High School. Pryor did visit Ohio State earlier this spring, despite my error in stating he had not previously been to campus. A second trip to Ohio State would certainly lend some credibility to the train of thought that he's seriously considering the Buckeyes.
JORDAN FULLER CONTINUES TO THINK BUCKEYES
One of the top targets remaining on Ohio State's 2016 defensive backs' board is New Jersey's Jordan Fuller, who we've discussed a number of times here. The country's 121st-ranked prospect says he and the Buckeyes continue to have very regular contact.
"Things are going great," Fuller told 11W. "Track just ended so I can finally focus solely on football. I talk to (Urban) Meyer every two weeks, but I mostly talk to Ed Warinner and Chris Ash; Coach Coombs too."
The Buckeyes are hoping the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder will get back to Columbus this summer. Fuller says that is in his plans.
"I don't know when yet," Fuller said of the return to Columbus. "But I will be back there at some point."
Next week, Fuller is part of a large contingent of New Jersey prospects – led by Tennessee commitment Jarrett Guarantano and including Ohio State pledge Kareem Walker – that will head to Knoxville to check out the Volunteers. The Westwood resident says that Guarantano's influence remains a positive one and that the quarterback isn't pressuring anyone to try and join him in orange.
"It's good being able to relate to guys going through the same process," Fuller said. "Jarrett doesn't go overboard, but you know, he'll hint at it sometimes. All the Jersey guys I talk to are real cool.
Fuller's 247Sports.com crystal ball has the Buckeyes out in front. He expects to make all his official visits prior to a decision following his senior season.
GREENE PREPARES FOR BUCKEYE VISIT, DOWN TO TWO SCHOOLS?
IMG Academy 2017 wide receiver Emmanuel Greene will, as I've said before, visit the Buckeyes on June 24th. He intends to stay in Columbus until the first of July, and Ohio State has been at the top of his list for months. Who is Ohio State's primary competition for his verbal pledge? It appears that Miami has crawled back into the race.
"I will be making my decision between Miami and Ohio State," Greene told 11W. "I'll probably make my choice a few days after the Ohio State visit between the two schools."
Greene says he will visit Miami again prior to visiting Columbus.
