This is hardly earth-shattering news, but Ohio State's recruiting efforts have been quite stellar of late. The 2018 class currently checks in at No. 2 in the nation, trailing only a Miami Hurricane program that has seven more players committed.
The more tenured Buckeye staffers have already shown their worth on the trail, and earlier this week Bill Davis got his first big win when four-star linebacker Dallas Gant committed to Ohio State over Notre Dame, Michigan, and others. But it's not just the coaching staff that has gained a reputation for its tireless efforts in bringing America's top talent to Columbus.
Since Urban Meyer has been at the helm, it has seemed like nearly every recruiting class has that one commit who just goes out of his way to help make the class the best it can be. It's always a bit of a group effort, but typically there's one or two pledges who go above and beyond.
The 2014 class was highlighted by Damon Webb's efforts as the Detroit Cass Tech product helped to organize a group that would feature the likes of Raekwon McMillan, Dante Booker, Jalyn Holmes, and Jamarco Jones. Webb made Columbus his second home after spurning the Wolverines and Spartans.
Damon Webb and the Ohio State coaching staff strategizing during 2013's Friday Night Lights camp.
The Class of 2015 saw its most crucial moments take place almost simultaneously in the summer of 2014. On July 2, five-star linebacker Justin Hilliard and four-star defensive end Jashon Cornell announced their commitments to the Buckeyes. The duo went on to recruit players like Matthew Burrell, Mike Weber, and Jerome Baker who would ultimately side with Ohio State after an early commitment to Florida.
The 2016 class was a little bit different as one of the Buckeyes' lead recruiters didn't officially hop on board until two weeks before signing day. Austin Mack had been putting in some serious work for some time following his commitment in June of 2015, but things really started to take off when the calendar turned to 2016.
Dwayne Haskins flipped from Maryland to Ohio State on Jan. 17, but the four-star had been doing some behind-the-scenes work leading up to the moment. He was instrumental in flipping fellow Terrapin pledge Keandre Jones and helping Zone Six to secure Binjimen Victor out of Florida. The trio made their intentions known on the same day which is still one of the bigger moments of the Meyer era.
Tate Martell was one of the Buckeyes' most active recruiters in the 2017 class. Though he made his commitment a little later than fellow Bishop Gorman star Haskell Garrett and a number of others, Martell was one of the more outspoken members of the class, rarely shying away from his Buckeye affinity on social media. At one point, he even released an image of a whiteboard listing his top Ohio State targets.
With Ohio State well on its way to another top-ranked recruiting class, the 2018 unit is thus far being led by an Ohioan and a quarterback who resides behind enemy lines in SEC territory. The duo has been at the heart of the Buckeye recruiting efforts, already helping to assemble a pretty special group of young talent.
Jaelen Gill made his intentions known back in March, and it's been full speed ahead ever since. The all-purpose back has been working especially hard on Micah Parsons and seemed to know about his plans to decommit from Penn State well before anyone else had learned. The Westerville star has been on campus countless times and that is sure to continue as signing day approaches.
You already know the best place to do it at bro bro https://t.co/n3P5JATDUs
— Raaaaaad Chaaaaad (@jaelengill21) April 27, 2017
Five-star quarterback Emory Jones made his commitment in July of 2016, and while a number of national powerhouses are still recruiting the country's No. 2 dual-threat passer, he's been an integral part of Ohio State's 2018 efforts. Jones recently turned his attention to four-star defensive end Brenton Cox who would go on to make his commitment in late April.
Gill and Jones continue to work on one of the staff's top linebacker targets. Teradja Mitchell is expected to make his intentions known sometime within the next two weeks, and it's a safe bet that the Buckeye staff and commits won't go down without a fight.
The Micah Parsons recruitment is expected to play out for some time before the country's No. 3 prospect makes a decision. Parsons has been to Columbus several times this year and Gill and Larry Johnson have the Buckeyes in a great spot to eventually land the five-star.
Other top targets include cornerback Anthony Cook, tight end Jeremy Ruckert, offensive tackle Jackson Carman, and wide receiver Kamryn Babb. This summer's visitors, especially those who attend Friday Night Lights, should go a long way in shaping the class.
The Ohio State staff – along with Jaelen Gill and Emory Jones – is hoping to finally supplant the Crimson Tide atop the national recruiting rankings.
There's still a lot of work to be done.
