Finding the right fit for your college football program isn't just about what happens on the field, but off it as well. Thursday, Ohio State added a key piece. How will that commitment impact the Buckeyes?
The surprise commitment today from Norfolk, Va., cornerback Wayne Davis was not a surprise because he committed to Ohio State, just when. Let's take a look at what the latest verbal pledge brings to the Buckeyes.
ON THE FIELD
Davis, the country's 29th-ranked cornerback, is a physical, aggressive and fast cornerback. At 6-foot-tall and 190-pounds, he's big enough to play press coverage and fast enough to run with most receivers he'll face. With a number of big-time cornerback prospects on the board and interested in Ohio State, why was Davis a priority?
"First of all, he's a pure corner who is already very technically sound," a source close to the Buckeyes said. "He's got good feet and fluid hips."
Davis becomes the second cornerback committed to Ohio State for 2016, joining Baltimore's Kareem Felder. The source discussed a subtle difference between the two.
"(Davis) doesn't 'thump' like Felder does but he's still willing in run support," he continued. "He's got speed and acceleration. Check out some of his offensive highlights in the second half of his video, he really shows it there."
IN THE CLASS
The 17th member of the 2016 class, Davis is, as noted, the second defensive back committed. With a limited number of spots left, Ohio State is still going to look closely at a few more defensive backs, guys that could player a hybrid corner-safety role like Damar Hamlin or pure safeties like Jordan Fuller and Andrew Pryts, since Davis and Felder are both 100-percent cornerbacks in their system.
THE INTANGIBLES
With Davis' commitment, the Buckeyes are making quite a name for themselves in Virginia. Jalyn Holmes in 2014, Matt Burrell and AJ Alexander in 2015 and now Davis is 2016 means the Ohio State brand is making significant in-roads in one of the country's most talent-rich areas. The Buckeyes are thought to be one of the leaders for another Lake Taylor standout, 2017 defensive tackle Darnell Ewell and are in the mix for a number of big-timers from Virginia.
As we've discussed a number of times in the past, being a player that will "fit" in Ohio State's program right now doesn't just mean you've got talent. It also means you've got the right mentality and approach to the game off-the-field. Davis has that. A second Ohio State source shared his thoughts.
"He's a Grinder, has high character and has a real desire to be great," the source close to Davis said. "That's why he picked Ohio State, he knew the Buckeyes were going to maximize him and give him the tools and platform to work to become great. He's a dog. He's competitive as (expletive)."
