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.
HAMLIN MAKES KEY WEEKEND VISIT
I made a brief mention of it yesterday afternoon, but Pittsburgh defensive back Damar Hamlin made a visit to Ohio State this weekend. Hamlin came to town with his entire family in tow and got a chance to observe practice with the Buckeyes during their "Student Appreciation Day."
Ohio State does not yet have any defensive backs committed in the 2016 class and Hamlin is a player that they've been working hard to secure for months. Still, like Jordan Whitehead in 2015 – and well, most players from the Pittsburgh area – the battle is uphill and difficult. Getting Hamlin, the country's 12th-ranked cornerback, on campus again (first time since January) and with his family is a good sign that the Buckeyes are still definitely in this race.
Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Penn State and West Virginia have all been closely linked with Hamlin throughout his recruitment.
FULLER SURPRISED BY OHIO STATE
On Thursday, Ohio State hosted Jordan Fuller, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound athlete from Westwood, New Jersey. Fuller is being recruited by the Buckeyes as a defensive back, but plays a number of different positions for Old Tappan High School. He's the country's 144th-ranked overall player and said the trip to Ohio State is one he'd been looking forward to for a while now.
"I've been talking with Ohio State since the beginning of my football season, last year," Fuller told Eleven Warriors. "I had always wanted to take a visit out there, but now was the first time we were able to get out there and visit and I loved the visit."
As the football program at the top of the college heap, Fuller was surprised by Ohio State's focus on things not related to football.
"They spoke a lot about academics, and life after football," Fuller continued. "They don't let you forget there's more than football."
Fuller spent much of his visit with key components of Ohio State's recruiting team.
"I spent a lot of the (visit) with Mark Pantoni, Kerry Coombs and Chris Ash," he said. "I really like their style and their approach to everything they do. I believe they do things the right way."
With a brother at UCLA (Devin), Jordan isn't afraid to go away from home for school. He says that the decision won't come until after official visits in the fall, and thinks the Buckeyes will be one of those trips.
"Ultimately, it will always come down to comfort," Fuller said when asked what would be a deciding factor for him. "I'm hoping to get to Notre Dame in the summer, as well as some SEC schools and then hopefully back to Ohio State in the fall. I have no time table, I'm just going to take some visits and then I'll think about a decision."
WILLIAMSON IMPRESSED BY STUDENT APPRECIATION DAY ATMOSPHERE
Yesterday morning the Buckeyes hosted one of the state's top 2017 prospects, Westerville South's Marcus Williamson. Predicted by 100-percent of predictors to eventually commit to Ohio State, Williamson was hoping for a chance to sit down and talk to Ohio State's coaches with his parents this weekend, but with the festive atmosphere surrounding SAD, that didn't happen.
"It was pretty cool, man," Williamson told 11W. "I gotta say I was pretty impressed. The (visit) went well, it was just pretty chaotic with the student stuff going on."
As a Columbus native, Williamson is able to get to campus more regularly than most. The next visit could be for next weekend's spring game at Ohio State.
"I am going to try and make it next weekend," Williamson said of the spring game. "I have prom, but hopefully I'll make it."
MACK DISCUSSES RECENT TRIP TO COLUMBUS
Widely expected to end up choosing Ohio State in June, Fort Wayne wide receiver Austin Mack made his latest trip to Columbus this weekend. For a player who's been to Ohio State so many times, the visit for Mack was about business and getting to spend time with his people who could be future teammates and future coaches.
"I had a real good time," Mack said of this trip. "I was chilling with Coach Meyer and Coach Smith for a bit and spent time with Damar Hamlin, Jake Hausmann and Jonathon Cooper."
A recent visit to Notre Dame had Mack wondering how the Buckeyes could make sure he's prepared for life post-football, and how his personal brand can be developed through on-field success. He says those questions were answered and he's satisfied with the plans. He realizes that to thrive anywhere he's going to have to buy into the work and the program.
"Most definitely," Mack said when asked if he felt his questions were answered. "The school just provides the platform. The opportunity is there to shine and I have to be the one to take advantage of it."
SHAUN WADE HOPING TO GET TO COLUMBUS SOON
Shaun Wade shocked the world when he committed to the Buckeyes the day of this past January's national title game. The country's 14th-ranked 2017 prospect is a five-star talent and committed to the Buckeyes without anyone expecting it to last. Since his commitment, his only school visits have been to Florida and Central Florida, but he's hoping to get up to Ohio State soon.
"I'm trying to get to Ohio State next week," Wade told 11W. "But I'm not sure if my family will be able to get up there."
Whether he visits this coming week or not, Wade says he's starting to forge some bonds with future teammates and coaches.
"I've been talking to (Tim) Hinton a lot and lately I've been getting to know Urban Meyer, too," he said. "He's a really cool person, and I can't wait to meet him and the entire coaching staff in person. They've told me that I'm a really good fit for their program. I've known Bruce Judson for a while and lately I've started to talk to Danny Clark."
