Offensive Lineman Mirko Jurkovic Commits to Ohio State

2015 offensive guard Mirko Jurkovic, who visited Ohio State last weekend, has committed to Ohio State. He was previously committed to Nebraska, but re-opened his recruitment on Sunday upon the news from Lincoln that the Cornhuskers had terminated head coach Bo Pelini.

Jurkovic, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound lineman from IMG Academy in Bradenton (Fla.), visited Columbus this past weekend to make sure he made the right choice with the Huskers, and it appears that decision was a wise one.  His primary Buckeye contact was offensive line coach Ed Warinner, who has made the versatile Jurkovic a priority since the early parts of the season.

"[Warinner] and I started to talk again about two months ago," Jurkovic told Eleven Warriors before The Game. "But it really picked up in the last month. He said I've got a scholarship offer on the table, so I'm taking an official visit there to make sure I'm making the right decision."

Jurkovic took an unofficial visit to Ohio State on June 25 and received an offer soon after. Although he committed to Nebraska in July, Jurkovic says he knew he wanted to be a Buckeye after his official visit. 

"I got to spend a lot of time with the players, and I got good feel for what goes on here," Jurkovic told Eleven Warriors. "I felt more at home at Ohio State than anywhere. It reminded me of home."

Choosing Ohio State over offers from the likes of Arkansas, Cincinnati, Florida, Mississippi State, Missouri and others. He is rated as a three-star prospect by most of the major recruiting services; the 247Sports composite ranking has him as the 796th-rated player in the 2015 class. Rankings aside, Ohio State is getting a talented prospect who comes from a terrific football background. His father, Mirko Jurkovic, was an All-American guard in 1988 and helped Notre Dame to win a national championship. His uncle, John Jurkovic, played 9 seasons in the NFL as a defensive tackle. The younger Mirko Jurkovic has the pedigree to be a star.

"I like the fact that Ohio State sees I can play all five positions," the lineman, who will likely start his college career as a center or guard, said. "That really will help me get a shot to see the field early."

This season, Jurkovic has led his IMG Academy team to a 10-1 record. IMG Academy is in its second season of football and it had a 9-2 record in their first season to go along with their 10-1 record this season. Jurkovic's head coach at IMG Academy is 2000 Heisman winner Chris Weinke. He also grew up next door to a face he'll get very familiar with at Ohio State: strength and conditioning coach Mick Marotti.

"Mick was our neighbor in South Bend," he said. "He's a great guy. My mom loved the entire coaching staff at Ohio State."

Jurkovic is the 23rd commitment in Ohio State's 2015 recruiting class. He is the fifth offensive lineman in the class, joining New Jersey's Kevin Feder, South Dakota's Grant Schmidt, Virginia's Matt Burrell, and Utah's Branden Bowen. While the numbers seem imposing, he says it's a positive.

"I don't see it as a bad thing," Jurkovic said of being the fifth lineman in the class. "I think we'll all bring out the best in each other."