The Hurry Up: Back and Forth Day for Corley, Updates from The Opening, Roster Perusing and More

By Jeremy Birmingham on July 7, 2015 at 7:45 pm
Austin Mack is in Oregon for The Opening
Ohio State commitment Austin Mack
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The Hurry Up is your nightcap of Ohio State recruiting news, catching you up on the day’s event with an ear on the ground for what’s next.

THE OPENING: ARRIVALS AND ROOMMATES AND MORE 

Earlier today we took a look at some of the key names arriving in Oregon today for Nike's The Opening and as players have made their way west, updates on a few things have made their way east. 

  • Let's take a look at some of the notable stuff happening in Beaverton today.

For the Buckeyes to have a shot at landing Gary, relationships are going to need to get stronger and this is a best-case scenario. Jonathon Cooper can room with Rashan Gary and he's on a team with Antwuan Jackson. Win/win for the Buckeyes there because there's no one better at selling the Buckeye program than Cooper who has been on campus more frequently this summer than Urban Meyer.

  • Sticking with 247Sports.com analyst Steve Wiltfong.

Even as numbers get tighter, the Buckeyes are working hard to make sure they land Luke Farrell, and it's good to see Jake Hausmann saying the right things, even 2500 miles away. Hausmann and Farrell in the same class seemed like a foregone conclusion last year but Michigan State and Notre Dame remain a threat. Hausmann will room in Oregon with fellow Ohio State commitment Austin Mack.

  • Perhaps the most important and more importantly most realistic option left at wide receiver for the 2016 class, Binjimen Victor gave a detailed update on his recruitment to 247Sports.com writer Luke Stampini.

Therein, Victor outlines a number of upcoming visits (Auburn, Tennessee and Georgia are mentioned) and he also hints that since he delayed his scheduled June 22nd commitment, he and Florida – who most felt he'd commit to in June – have not talked as much as before.

“After I laid off my commitment I talked to them a little bit, but not that much. I still talk to Coach Kerry Dixon on and off on Twitter. I still have a connection with them as well.”

The country's 10th-ranked wide receiver went on to say he's only got one official visit that he knows for sure: Ohio State.

“As of right now, I have one official. I don’t know when it’s going to be, but I have one in mind. I’m going to Ohio State.

Safe bet for that visit? Either October 17th, at night, against Penn State or November 21st against Michigan State.

  • Dexter Lawrence, a five-star defensive tackle from Wake Forest, North Carolina, checked in at 6-foot-4 and 330-pounds. He also, according to 247Sports.com analyst Ryan Bartow, plans to visit Ohio State officially. The Buckeyes, along with Florida, are the only two schools spoken of as certainties for official visits this fall.
  • Ohio State will "definitely" make the cut for Top 100 prospect Nigel Warrior when he narrows his list in the upcoming weeks.
  • The Buckeyes, as noted last night, remain at the top of the list for Antwuan Jackson.
DECISION DAY COMES AND GOES FOR CORLEY

Early this morning, the writing was on the wall and Detroit Martin Luther King, Jr. wide receiver Donnie Corley was ready to make a decision and announce his commitment.

As the venerable Lee Corso would say, "not so fast, my friends." 

The plan was for a Friday announcement that would have almost assuredly ended with Corley committing to Michigan State or Tennessee, but as the whistle blew on the work day in Detroit, things have changed.

Now what does this mean for Ohio State? Likely, very little. It appears that the younger Corley has, at the very least, a pretty good idea of where he wants to go to college. However, it also probably means that the Buckeyes will have another shot to try and get the Corleys on campus before a decision is actually made. The Buckeyes were at one point the clear-cut leader for Corley but now are in a position to make up ground. Will they get the chance?

JONES DECISION COULD COME FOLLOWING NEXT VISIT

Another target that had considered making an announcement this week, Allen, Texas, defensive back Jaylon Jones, will also push back his choice. Jones, the country's 18th-ranked cornerback, visited Ohio State three weeks ago but says it's an upcoming visit to Ole Miss that could determine whether or not he makes a decision.

As the Buckeyes continue to be at or near the top for guys like Damar Hamlin, Jordan Fuller and Andrew Prtys, it becomes less and less likely that Jones ends up in the 2016 Buckeye recruiting class.

ROSTER RESEARCH

In case you missed it, the official OhioStateBuckeyes.com website updated and released the 2015 roster for this year's Buckeye football team and there's a few interesting things to observe. We've updated the roster here, but these things caught my eye, specifically with the incoming 2015 class.

  • After not being sure what position either would play, it appears that the duo of Rashod Berry and AJ Alexander will both start their Buckeye careers at tight end. 
  • Offensive lineman Matt Burrell has trimmed down significantly in his time in Columbus, he ended his high school career at nearly 330-pounds and is down to 300. He's also lost an inch from his recruiting-profile height of 6-foot-4.
  • Although most suspected/expected him to be there, Detroit Cass Tech product Josh Alabi will start his career on defense, not offense as was briefly speculated.
  • At 6-foot-3 and 280-pounds, Dre'Mont Jones is more and more likely to end up on the inside of the defensive line. Reports from around campus indicate that he's healing nicely from his ACL tear, but even though he's ahead of schedule, he's still a likely redshirt.
  • Linebacker Jerome Baker is up to 215-pounds, as is running back Mike Weber.
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