Once again, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State coaching staff – armed with exciting new videoboard presentations remembering last season's epic national championship run – orchestrated quite a show for Buckeye fans with Friday Night Lights.
11W was there and here are the things that caught our attention and felt were worth talking about with all of you.
THE COMMITMENTS
The stars of the show at Friday Night Lights are usually the commitments and tonight was no exception. Overall, the 2016 and 2017 classes were both very well represented, but to me it was the trio of Austin Mack, Demario McCall and Josh Myers that were the big three.
Early in the camp, Mack seemed to have a little bit of trouble catching the ball, but as he's done before, when the competition cranked up so did he game. He was aggressive as usual, smooth as ever and now healthy you can see him getting a bit bigger as he's able to work out more regularly. There was a lot of grabbing going on with the defensive backs tonight but Mack fought through it and still got open a lot.
Demario McCall is, as plainly as I can state it, absurd. McCall's speed and burst are different level type-of-stuff and tonight he not only showcased his footwork during the running back portion of the night, but he worked out with the wide receivers during the later portion of the night and was uncoverable. He also showed off surprisingly good hands as a wide receiver.
If you built an offensive lineman in a lab, you'd build Josh Myers. The size, the footwork, the arms; Myers is the prototypical tackle and to be honest, it was kind of awesome to see him and Orlando Pace in the building at the same time. The expectations on Myers moving forward are going to be high, Pace-high.
I wanted to mention that Danny Clark looked about as good as I've seen him look in the last two years. His accuracy, velocity and mechanics have all gotten noticeably better and with the work he continues to put in, it should only continue. There's a looseness in Clark's demeanor and personality that wasn't there the last two years and I can't help but think he's in for a big year at Akron Archbishop Hoban.
THE STANDOUTS
Aside from the Ohio State commitments, a handful of visitors opened eyes around the stadium but none more than Calabasas, Calif., defensive back Darnay Holmes. Holmes was in lockdown mode the entire night and was exceptionally physical but ran step-for-step with each receiver he squared off against. Holmes is a rocked-up 5-foot-11 and 190-pounds and showed himself to be the quintessential cover cornerback. One Ohio State coach told me that Holmes may have been the "best cornerback we've ever had in camp."
Marietta, Ga., 2017 running back Trey Sermon was one of a handful of spectacular running backs in attendance but he found a way to stand out, earning a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes at the conclusion of the camp. Sermon flies back to Georgia tomorrow but told 11W he will "definitely be back for another visit." He's the country's 44th-ranked prospect in 2017 and the fourth-ranked running back.
Jaelen Gill continues to impress me at every turn, the kid is beyond his years on the field and off of it. He's smart, savvy and quick as hell from the backfield or running routes as a wide receiver. He had one rep tonight against Marcus Williamson, his teammate at Westerville South, and essentially roasted him. Beyond that, Williamson had a good night as well, staying as active as he could and taking as many shots as he could to make sure he stayed in front of Kerry Coombs.
Richard LeCounte made his second trip to Ohio in 10-day span and he was as good on Friday night as anyone in the stadium. The 5-foot-11 athlete has incredible range, long arms and would be as good on offense as he will be on defense. This is one of the country's most explosive athletes; period.
THE SURPRISES
In an event such as this one, there's always going to be guys that didn't get a lot of publicity heading into the event that surprise when the lights come on and tonight was no exception.
Foremost among this category, at least in my opinion was Streetsboro, Ohio's Dakari Carter, the 2017 track star who is trying to prove that he's also a football player.
Richard LeCounte can't keep up with 2017 Ohio speedster Dakari Carter.
Carter's speed is unmatched on the football field, but that was about all that was really known about him coming into this camp. What was unknown, and proved surprising, is that Carter is a really good route-runner and has above-average shake. He's made himself some fans inside the Ohio State football program who will watch him closely over his approaching junior season.
You'd think that a player who received his offer from Ohio State almost a year ago wouldn't be a surprise but Patrice Rene absolutely was. The Alexandria, Va., defensive back, who moved to the United States from Canada at the start of his junior year, was excellent during Friday Night Lights and may have put himself right back into the mix at defensive back for 2016. Rene and the Buckeyes will reconvene on Tuesday and he'll know where he stands, but tonight, he was excellent. His teammate, 2017 athlete Jonathan Sutherland, was excellent as well.
THE SKINNY
- Donnie Corley's visit for Friday Night Lights went well, despite the appearance that he was not interested/not involved from time to time. Corley's personality is a bit aloof naturally, and it was important for the Buckeyes to really make him feel involved during his trip. He told me following the visit that the Buckeyes moved up his list and that he's planning on a visit to West Virginia tomorrow, then to Michigan on Sunday. The most interesting thing on Corley? I was told that as it stands today it's Tennessee and Ohio State as the top two, with Michigan State trailing. Corley also repeated that he's now likely to take official visits, perhaps all five of them, before making a choice.
- Trevon Grimes did not visit Ohio State, but did not visit Florida either, and that's good news.
- Ahmir Mitchell, as active as he was – and he was – is still unlikely to end up in the Ohio State class. Don't be surprised if he commits to Michigan within the next 48 hours.
- Maple Heights' wide receiver Ja'Vonte Richardson had a really good night during Friday Night Lights and I would expect him to eventually be offered, but it's not likely to happen right now. Ohio State thought he was good, and he worked out only at wide receiver, but his athleticism could move him to other positions if needed.
- Kierre Hawkins was much improved catching the football from the last time I saw him.
- Richard LeCounte's rumored commitment is just that, a rumor, but there's definitely a lot of smoke around him right now. Could a commitment be coming before he leaves on Sunday?
- The Buckeyes have given Antwuan Jackson and his father the full-court press to this point and the Georgia defensive tackle doesn't leave until Sunday. Jonathon Cooper and Terrell Hall were each in his ear a lot on Friday and with most recruits leaving town Saturday, the chance for individual time with the Jackson clan won't be passed up.
- Speaking of Terrell Hall: Maryland rumors persist but the real concern, if he were to flip, it's Alabama that is the most concern, rumors of him and the Crimson Tide are getting stronger and stronger.
- 2017 kicker Blake Haubeil, who committed to Ohio State on Friday, really impressed the Ohio State specialists that he spent the day with. He's a perfect fit into the 2017 class and will move in right after Sean Nuernberger is graduating.
- Leipsic, Ohio's Gavin Cupp camped at Ohio State and it did not sit well with the staff at Michigan State, where he's been committed. In fact, there's rumors that the Spartans have, or at the very least will, cut ties with him because of it. Fellow Spartan commit Jonah Morris was in attendance supporting teammates Danny Clark, Todd Sibley, Jr. and Nate Bauer, but did not work and that didn't seem to draw the ire of the Sparty staff.
