The Hurry Up: Michigan Contingent for Friday Night Lights, Davis Will Be on Hand and More

THE MITTEN COMETH

Friday Night Lights is days away and we're continuing our daily preview with a look at a number of key names heading to Columbus. Today's players to watch are making the trek from Michigan and could provide some highlights for the Buckeye fans in attendance. We'll start with one the top player visiting from Michigan, a wide receiver who has been at the top of the list for the Buckeyes for a while now.

• Donnie Corley // 2016 // Wide Receiver
  • ​In January, Detroit's Donnie Corley visited Ohio State for a big Buckeye junior day. A pending Corley commitment was the rumor at the time and although he left campus without committing – most believe it was because his parents weren't with him – the Buckeyes appeared to be in great shape to land the country's 18th-ranked wide receiver. Since then however, Michigan State has surged into the lead and the Buckeyes have been playing catchup for months. Friday, he's scheduled to visit but will not work out and it's likely the last chance for Urban Meyer, Zach Smith and Kerry Coombs to show his place in Ohio State's plans. 
• Dez Fitzpatrick // 2016 // Wide Receiver
  • ​A Louisville Cardinals commitment, Dez Fitzpatrick has long been one of my favorite wide receivers in his class. He's a legitimate 6-foot-3 and just under 200-pounds and is, for my money, the best route-runner in the 2016 class. He may also have the best pair of hands because in nearly three years of seeing Fitzpatrick at camps, I don't know that I've ever seen him drop a pass. He's not a burner, but he's working with Stand Edwards, the father of former Wolverine Braylon, to improve that part of his game. Fitzpatrick has the frame and game to play anywhere in the country and a work-ethic that will see him continue to improve. I see a young version of Mike Thomas, but what will Ohio State see Friday Night?
• Ambry Thomas // 2017 // Defensive Back
  • ​Another likely future Spartan of Michigan State, Ambry Thomas, a four-star cornerback from Detroit Martin Luther King, is expected to arrive with his cousin, Cass Tech four-star safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell. Thomas, the 11th-ranked cornerback in 2017, was offered by the Buckeyes in late May and this will be his first trip to Columbus. Can the Buckeyes' coaching staff, led by Kerry Coombs, make a big enough impression on him to keep him from committing early to Michigan State? That's the big question.
• Xavier Goldsmith // 2019 // Cornerback
  • ​As I've said before, I don't like writing about, speculating about, talking about a player who has not yet played a single down of high school football, but here we go. Xavier Goldsmith, an incoming freshman at Cass Tech, was singled out by a number of the coaches on Ohio State's staff following a camp performance last month and he earned an invite to FNL; before he ever played a snap of high school football. Crazy. Army, Cincinnati and Kent State have already offered the cornerback and although it's unlikely Ohio State will follow suit this week, it will only be a matter of time before they do. 
• Sam Johnson // 2019 // Quarterback
  • ​Since I already feel dirty talking about a 2019 prospect, let's continue the downward spiral and dive further into the abyss and talks about a 2019 quarterback. Sam Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 180-pounder from Southfield, has six scholarship offers based on this summer's camp circuit. One of his earlier stops at Ohio State yielded an invitation to FNL and he, along with his family, will get a guided campus tour on Friday morning. Johnson will be one of the premier quarterbacks in attendance on Friday night.

IMPORTANT NIGHT FOR JA'VONTE RICHARDSON

The collective talent at wide receiver in 2017 being chased by the Buckeyes has been noted. Heck, we even talked today about another Top 100 national prospect hoping for an Ohio State offer. With the bright lights of Friday Night Lights coming, one Ohio wide receiver will have his best chance yet to try and prove he belongs in the conversation.

Maple Heights' Ja'Vonte Richardson is one of the country's elite athletes and he's learning to be an efficient wide receiver. This week, he'll work out for the Ohio State staff and hope to become the next Ohioan in 2017 to earn a Buckeye offer. Richardson's game is improving, at least according to Rivals.com analyst Ryan Donnelly, who has seen him play live a number of times.

It is very easy to see why headliner programs like Ohio State, Alabama, and many others are interested in Richardson. He has athleticism and suddenness that is simply hard to believe for a 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame. He's comfortable dropping in the back pedal and roaming as a free safety and he's a nearly impossible cover one-on-one in the passing game.

Opponents had fits trying to cover him during his seven-on-seven scrimmages Monday night, and while the Maple Heights starters came out relatively early to help the younger players gain experience, Richardson finished the day with four receptions for 55 yards, two touchdowns, a pass break up, and two interceptions - both of which came in the end zone. If the Mustangs can consistently get the ball his way, it could be a huge season for Richardson, and head coach Devlin Culliver is working on doing exactly that. 

Ohio State has already offered Cleveland Heights' 2017 wide receiver Jaylen Harris and with so many big name out of state players interested in the Buckeyes, Richardson needs to capitalize on this opportunity. He told Donnelly it would hold significant value.

"It would finally get it off of my chest and off my shoulders to have the Ohio State offer. I don't think I would commit on the spot or anything like that, but I'm definitely really interested. I've just always liked Ohio State since I was a kid. I'm from Ohio, so it makes sense," he explained.

TERRENCE DAVIS SAYS HE'LL BE THERE

With three commitments along the offensive line for 2016, the Buckeyes are not aggressively pursuing anyone else at the position. That said, if a big-time prospect wants to join the class, they're always going to listen, and they'll get a chance this week to see Maryland's Terrance Davis. A 6-foot-4, 305-pound guard, Davis was offered by Ohio State in May and will make his first trip to Columbus.

"I'm going to be there," Davis said of Friday Night Lights. "I'm going there with my mom."

Larry Johnson, Sr. has been the coach recruiting Davis so this will be Ed Warinner's first real opportunity to see the country's second-ranked guard in person. He's told 11W previously that he intends to make a decision late in the recruiting process.

FINAL CHANCE TO MOVE ON MITCHELL?

We've talked about New Jersey's Ahmir Mitchell a number of times and this is likely to be the last time barring a significant performance on his part this Friday. Mitchell, a four-star athlete ranked as the country's 79th overall prospect, will be in town with his mother for Friday Night Lights. He is expected to camp and as we've discussed, if he doesn't blow away Ohio State's coaching staff and become a "must take," it's likely that he'll end up committing elsewhere sometime shortly after the visit. Where? Michigan. When? Maybe as soon as Saturday, now that he has scheduled a return to Ann Arbor for Saturday.

Saturday I will be back at Michigan for a visit with Mom !!! #GoBlue

— Ahmir_SoDevoted (@TheDeuce_2_Nice) July 21, 2015

A fan favorite and a big piece of the New Jersey puzzle, Mitchell's recruitment could impact a number of things down the line for Ohio State and Michigan. The odds he ends up a Buckeye are very slim.

NO GREEN AT FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

One of Friday night's expected 2017 wide receivers, Tampa's Daquon Green, will not make it to Ohio State this week. The 32nd-ranked wide out in his class, Green told 11W that he couldn't make the trip work from a financial standpoint.

"I couldn't afford the flight," Green said. "So I won't be able to attend Ohio State's Friday Night Lights."

The Buckeyes' loss means another big-time wide receiver will be on hand in Gainesville for Florida's version of Friday Night Lights.

"I'll be attending Florida's camp (instead," Green added. "I'm looking forward to the competition."