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.
GUARANTANO CHANGES VISIT DATE
I got a chance to talk a bit last night with 2016 quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, one of the top targets for Ohio State in the next recruiting cycle. The Bergen Catholic (Oradell, New Jersey) prospect, a 6-foot-4, 200 pounder, continues to be very interested in Ohio State and the Buckeyes are returning that interest.
With offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Penn State, Rutgers, North Carolina and many others, he's one of the top players at his position nationally. He's only visited one school this fall (Oklahoma) and conventional wisdom seems to suggest he's very serious about the Sooners and the Buckeyes first and foremost among his suitors.
Guarantano, scheduled to visit Ohio State next weekend when they host Illinois, informed me that he's had a slight change of plans.
"I'll actually be visiting Ohio State on November 29th now," Guarantano told Eleven Warriors. "It works a bit better with my schedule."
Ohio State, of course, hosts Michigan in their annual showdown that day. An already impressive visitor list appears to be getting even bigger.
HASKINS TO PENN STATE CRYSTAL BALL PREDICTION/EXPLANATION
Earlier today, I made a switch to my 247Sports.com "Crystal Ball" for another 2016 quarterback, Dwayne Haskins, Jr. Initially I, like most others, had Haskins pegged for Ohio State in part to his long time affection for the Buckeyes, feedback from his visits to Columbus and his overall fit in the Ohio State offense.
After doing some research and yes, a gut feeling, I've changed my prediction on Haskins and think he'll end up at Penn State. I'll admit that some of my feelings on this matter are related to Haskins recent — and repeated — interaction with Penn State commitments in 2015 and their targets beyond it. Although he was only offered by Penn State two weeks ago, the Nittany Lions impact in the DMV is now, and has always been, hard to ignore. Does this mean that I think Ohio State is "getting beat" for Haskins? Not necessarily. Doing a little digging into things has me feeling, for the first time, that perhaps Haskins isn't the top priority at quarterback for 2016, even if he's in the top two. As I said last week, this could be a "who wants it first" type of proposition.
NEVILLE GALLIMORE A LONG SHOT?
If there's one position of "concern" as I look at the 2015 recruiting class, it's defensive tackle. Neville Gallimore, the Canadian prospect who remains right at the top of Ohio State's wish list, will officially visit Florida State this weekend. It will be his second official visit (he visited Oklahoma earlier in the year), and he's scheduled to be in Columbus when the Buckeyes host Michigan later this season. I had the chance to talk to one source who's spent some time talking to Gallimore recently. On the surface, it doesn't sound good, but there's always more to the story.
"Gallimore, wow, what a great kid," a source shared with 11W. "It's nice to chat with someone that open and candid, a big-time player and prospect who isn't so focused on himself. He's almost naive, but he's so genuine and sincere with everything he says. Right now, he said he's definitely leaning towards Oklahoma, and some of that is the fact he's been there for an official, but it's also because it's kind of a small town feel. He liked that."
What about the Buckeyes?
"I think Ohio State has always done a 'good' job recruiting him," the source continued. "He really likes Larry Johnson, Sr. but I don't see a connection with anyone else at Ohio State yet. I know he roomed with Jashon Cornell at The Opening, but he's not had any real contact with Buckeye commitments since then. That official visit in November is going to be huge. He's a kid who doesn't have any pre-existing notions about anything, so they'll get the chance to really impress him."
DONNIE CORLEY TO VISIT THIS WEEKEND
We've highlighted a few potential 2016 targets over the last few weeks in the Hurry-Up and tonight we'll examine another, Detroit's Donnie Corley. Few midwest prospects have seen their star rise faster recently than Corley, a 6-foot-2, 180-pounder from Martin Luther King High School.
Offered in the last month by Michigan State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Maryland, NC State, Wake Forest and others, Corley will be visiting Ohio State this weekend for the second time (he camped at Ohio State during Friday Night Lights) and sources close to the situation indicate that a Buckeye offer is likely to happen soon.
Ohio State, if they offer, will likely find themselves in a battle for Corley, competing mostly against Michigan and Michigan State, although the Irish can't ever be discounted.
DID YOU SEE THIS?
More accolades for Ohio State commitment Justin Hilliard. Further testament to Hilliard's impact in his school, his community and on the football field.
