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.
DON'T SLEEP ON BURROW
With all the discussion about whether or when or where Torrance Gibson will visit Ohio State, people seem to forget a key piece of the Buckeyes' 2015 recruiting class: quarterback Joe Burrow. Yes, Gibson has the star-ranking and the gaudy athletic prowess, but Burrow's accolades and numbers speak for themselves. According to one source close to Ohio State's quarterback recruiting, more people need to be talking up the 6-foot-4, 205 pound Burrow.
"It's ridiculous (how overlooked Burrow is). He's the most dominant player in Ohio," our source said. "He would be in any division of competition. It's not his fault he plays at Athens High School."
Wow. Tell us how you really feel, right?
"I love him," the source continued. "He's a totally different player than he was 18 months ago. He's a no-brainer 'take' at Ohio State."
The 2013 Gatorade Player of the Year in Ohio, Burrow has competed 53 of 70 passes in his senior season for 1237 yards and 19 touchdowns. He's thrown one interception for his undefeated Bulldogs.
MAYDEN STILL PLANNING ON OHIO STATE VISIT
Yesterday, Oregon offered Jared Mayden II, a talented cornerback in the 2016 class from Sachse, Texas. The country's 8th-ranked corner, Mayden visited Columbus and Ohio State in July and participated in Friday Night Lights. He is being recruited by Ohio State's Chris Ash and says the two of them have an excellent relationship.
"(Coach Ash and I) have a great relationship," Mayden told Eleven Warriors. "We talk almost every day."
In early August, days after visiting the Buckeyes, Mayden announced his top 10 schools, and the Buckeyes were firmly on the list. He's made two visits this fall, to Baylor and Texas A&M, but has a third planned: to Ohio State.
"I'm going back to visit Ohio State on November 29th," Mayden shared. "I'm going to the Michigan game."
Mayden will likely cut his list from ten at the end of his junior season. With a second visit to Columbus scheduled it's safe to assume the Buckeyes will make the next round of cuts.
HILLIARD/GIBSON HIT UP THE DUBCAST
In case you missed it, two of the higher-profile recruits in the 2015 class, Ohio State commitment Justin Hilliard and target Torrance Gibson joined Johnny and Michael on the Eleven Dubcast. In doing so, the pair became the first prospects ever to appear on the show, and each of them dropped some great knowledge on the guys.
When you listen to the show, take note especially of Gibson, who continues to say the right things about his recruitment: it's not just about football. Both he and Hilliard cited the impressive Fisher College of Business as one of the Buckeyes' biggest lures. As you know, Gibson will make his official visit to Columbus this weekend and Ohio State continues to be at the top of his list.
Hilliard will be on hand this weekend as well, trying to help the Buckeyes seal the deal on a number of key targets.
HAMLIN TALKS WITH BUCKEYES REGULARLY
Another of Ohio State's early 2016 defensive back offers belongs to Pittsburgh's Damar Hamlin. The 12th-ranked cornerback in 2016, Hamlin said shared a brief update on his recruitment with Eleven Warriors.
"I'm thinking about maybe visiting Pitt sometime soon," Hamlin said. "I just talked to the Buckeyes last night."
Hamlin visited Ohio State during their season-opening loss against Virginia Tech.
BLACKWELL AND SIMMONS TRAVELING TOGETHER
There are a host of big name football recruits slated to visit Ohio State this weekend, but a pair of 2016 basketball prospects could be just as important. Kobi Simmons, the top-ranked player in Georgia and a five-star point guard, will be traveling north with Braxton Blackwell, the 33rd overall player in the class.
Ohio state : 2 Days!!
— Law&Order (@JordanKobi) September 24, 2014
Thad Matta and Jeff Boals are hoping to strike it big with this dynamic duo on campus.
