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.
KAREEM WALKER, MEYER TALK FUTURE PLANS
Last weekend, to the chagrin of Buckeye fans everywhere, the top-ranked player in Ohio State's 2016 recruiting class made a couple of big visits in the heart of the South. Kareem Walker made the trek south to Auburn and Alabama and while not much has been said of the trips (Walker is incredibly private) the Buckeyes have been in contact with him a few times this week, including Urban Meyer last night.
Spoke to coach meyers. GoBuck
— AlightyReem (@_KareemWalker) June 4, 2015
Misspelling of his future coach's name aside, Meyer talking to Walker directly – as opposed to him speaking with his regular recruiters like Ed Warinner or Tony Alford – underscores how valuable the country's top-ranked running back is to the Buckeyes. The pair discussed the future for Walker at Ohio State, and Meyer's message to his future star tailback was direct and to the point.
"He told me he just needs me to be focused," Walker, who is still trying to enroll early for the Buckeyes, told Eleven Warriors. "He is just telling me to be ready to go when I come in."
Walker has, at the very least, decided what number he'll don when he arrives in Columbus.
Rocking the #3 at OSU
— AlightyReem (@_KareemWalker) June 4, 2015
MICHIGAN STRIKES GOLD AT SATELLITE CAMP, HUGE WEEKEND LOOMS FOR MSU
Today was the first day of Michigan's "Summer Swarm," the moniker given to their tour of satellite camps around the country. Jim Harbaugh and his assistants descended upon Indianapolis and hoped to continue their momentum in the Hoosier State. The Wolverines have a commitment already from the state's third-ranked player (QB Brandon Peters) and are right in the thick of things for the top two (defensive end Auston Robertson, wide receiver Austin Mack). They are also considered the front-runners for No. 4 (running back Chris Evans) and No. 8 (athlete Kiante Enis), so increasing their visibility in Indiana has obviously become a priority.
The second piece of their Indiana puzzle fell into place this afternoon when Enis verbally committed to Harbaugh's staff. He's the third running back in their recruiting class but is likely to end up at a different position, according to Michigan sources. Evans, from Ben Davis High School, is still expected by most to go "blue" at some point in the near future.
Enis' commitment is the second of the week for the Wolverines, who added a pledge from Detroit Cass Tech's Michael Onwenu on Tuesday night. While Harbaugh's tenure got off to a bit of a slow start on the recruiting front, you should expect that things will heat up soon for Michigan.
One conference foe who has not been struggling is Michigan State, and the Spartans could be in a for a huge weekend if everything plays out as expected. Tomorrow, Hinsdale South defensive Josh King, the country's 75th-ranked overall prospect, will make his college choice and Michigan State is the favorite.
On Sunday, Auston Robertson will likely choose the Spartans over Michigan, Notre Dame, and others and on Monday, Mark Dantonio's recruiting class – and defensive line group – could grow by two more. Naquan Jones and Mike Panasiuk, two defensive tackles ranked as four-stars and three-stars respectively and both from Illinois, are each expected to commit to Michigan State on June 8th. Panasiuk earned an invitation to The Opening during Nike's regional camp in Chicago in early May.
It's a good time for the Big Ten, and Ohio State fans should embrace it. A strong conference is the best thing for the Buckeyes.
BLAINE SCOTT TO CAMP AT OHIO STATE
Last October, I introduced you to Blaine Scott, a 6-foot-4, 293-pound offensive lineman from Sciotoville East High School in Portsmouth. At the time, the 2018 prospect had yet to hear much from colleges because, well, he had not played football in a few years and was in the middle of his freshman season for the Tartans. Now, the former teammate of Ohio State commitment Tyler Gerald (who since transferred to the IMG Academy) is entering a big time in his own recruitment and has picked up his first scholarship offer.
"I had my first camp last Sunday at Ohio University," Scott told 11W. "They offered me a few weeks ago. The recruiting process is moving along great. Toledo, Kent State, and James Madison are very interested and I think I have a good shot of getting offered. I'm going to camp at Ohio State on June 16th and I think if I have a good camp at Virginia Tech they'll really step up their interest. I'm going to Purdue on Sunday, too."
Aside from no longer having Gerald alongside him on the offensive line, Scott will change his position from center to right tackle. He is an early candidate for Ohio's top 2018 offensive lineman and a player to watch heading into this summer.
BUCKEYES IN BALTIMORE
This weekend in Baltimore, three Ohio State commitments – two in the 2016 class and one in 2017 – will line up and compete against many of the nation's top talents in the Rivals.com Five-Star Challenge. Kareem Walker, Jonathon Cooper and Danny Clark will all represent the Buckeyes along the Inner Harbor, a key weekend not only for their individual rankings but also for class-building and relationship-honing. It's also a pretty good weekend for collecting cool gear.
@RivalsCamp and @UnderArmour just went next level with the coldest bag I've ever seen! #5starchallenge #Darkknight pic.twitter.com/qLQuukZyXh
— PROTOTYPE (@DClarkQB) June 3, 2015
What other Buckeye targets will be on-hand? Here's a few of the names to watch.
- 2016 WR Donnie Corley
- 2016 WR Nate Craig-Myers
- 2016 WR Binjimen Victor
- 2017 WR Trevon Grimes
- 2016 ATH Ahmir Mitchell
- 2016 DT Antwuan Jackson
- 2016 DT Rashan Gary
- 2017 DB Richard LeCounte
- 2017 DB Lamont Wade
- 2017 WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
Grimes, the country's top-ranked 2017 wide receiver, is apparently looking forward to the chance to spend some time with Danny Clark.
@DClarkQB @RivalsCamp @UnderArmour See you there
— GrimeTime (@TrevonGrimes7) June 3, 2015
MACK, DAVIS HIGHLIGHT KEY WEEKEND FOR BUCKEYES
We've talked about it for months, and the June 7th decision date set aside by Austin Mack is finally here. Sunday, Mack will make his college choice, selecting from a final group that includes Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan and Tennessee. While most believe it's ultimately coming down to the Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish, Mack has been to Michigan twice in the last month and the Wolverines have made a big push for him and his best friend, defensive end Auston Robertson.
I've said for months that I'd be surprised by Mack selecting anyone other than Ohio State on Sunday, and I'll stand by that. He's been the Buckeyes' top guy since last summer and that consistency should pay off this weekend. Here's a little video on Mack's performance (and other Buckeye targets, commitments at wide receiver and tight end) from this past Sunday in Columbus.
Outside of Mack, the Buckeyes are still expecting a visit from Norfolk, Virginia's Wayne Davis, who should be in Columbus on Saturday. The Buckeyes are neck-and-neck with Virginia Tech for Davis, with Michigan, Wake Forest, and Tennessee rounding out his top five schools. The Lake Taylor defensive back has had a number of Ohio State trips planned in the past but each has failed to materialize. Will this trip actually happen?
If it does, don't be surprised if it's the last visit Davis makes because the Buckeyes are going to reiterate to the 5-foot-11, 190-pound cornerback that he's a major priority for their defense. Could his June visit to Ohio State play out like Jalyn Holmes' did in 2013?
