This weekend's ESPN lineup will feature a 10-game slate of 2015 high school football action that will display some of the nation's elite teams and talents.
The 2015 ESPN GEICO High School Football Kickoff will run Friday, Aug. 28 through Sunday, Aug. 30 and will span across the ESPN family of networks. Teams from ten different states will be participating, including nine state champions from the 2014 season and a number of the nation's top recruits.
Let's take a glimpse at what Ohio State fans should be on the lookout for.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS VS BOOKER T. WASHINGTON // 8PM FRIDAY • ESPN
This Sunshine State matchup features a number of interesting storylines. Booker T. Washington (Miami, Fla.) is coming off of its third consecutive 4A state championship and is currently riding a ridiculous 41-game winning streak. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is coming off their own state title run and will begin their 2015 campaign ranked fourth in USA Today's Super 25. In 2014, the Raiders went 14-1 en route to the 7A state title with their lone loss coming at the hands of New Jersey powerhouse Don Bosco Prep. Despite Booker T. Washington's impressive winning streak, the oddsmakers (apparently high school oddsmakers are an actual thing) have made their thoughts abundantly clear.
Booker T. Washington football team has won 41 straight games. They're a 34.5-point underdog Friday. pic.twitter.com/cwYOS8H8JN
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) August 25, 2015
Buckeye fans will want to keep an eye on the St. Thomas Aquinas squad. Five-star 2016 defensive end Nick Bosa, who committed to Ohio State in late July, will be leading the Raiders' defensive efforts. On the other side of the ball, 2016 wide receiver Sam Bruce and his 2017 counterpart Trevon Grimes will be looking to stretch the field against the Booker T. defense. Bruce has been committed to Miami for over a year now but has made it clear that he will be taking his official visits, including one to Ohio State. Grimes, the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2017 class, hasn't been shy about his affinity for the Buckeyes and Urban Meyer. Ohio State has long been the leader for his services, and many expect a commitment from the 6-foot-3, 180 pound wideout could come at any time.
Other players to watch for the Raiders include 2017 quarterback Jake Allen (Florida commit), 2017 running back Mike Epstein (Illinois commit), 2018 defensive backs Asante Samuel Jr. and Benjamin Sapp, and 2018 defensive end Nik Bonitto. Samuel Jr. and Sapp have both been offered by the Buckeyes.
IMG ACADEMY VS MIRAMAR // 2PM SUNDAY • ESPNU
After making headlines this spring and summer for adding several talented transfers from around the country, the IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) came up short in last Saturday's season opener, falling to American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) by a score of 19-7. After starting the season ranked second in the country, the loss dropped IMG down to No. 22 and they will be looking to bounce back this Sunday against Miramar.
The talent at IMG Academy is well-documented and there are several targets and commits Ohio State fans should be watching for. Two future Buckeyes, 2016 offensive lineman Tyler Gerald and defensive tackle Malik Barrow, will be manning the trenches for IMG. In last week's loss, Barrow was one of the most dominant players on the field, as he moved all over the line to create mismatches (five-star 2016 defensive end Shavar Manuel did not play due to injury). Gerald has been nursing a shoulder injury, but is expected to play.
#OhioState DT pledge Malik Barrow just made his presence known & blew up the play. He has a ton of upside in the interior at 6-foot-3, 270.
— Corey Bender (@Corey_Bender) August 23, 2015
2017 wide receiver Emmanuel Greene took an extended visit to Ohio State back in late June. The Buckeyes are currently battling Miami for his services and a decision could be coming at any time. Cam Spence, a 6-foot-5, 285 pound defensive tackle, recently named Penn State as his leader after an unofficial visit to State College, Pa., last month. The Buckeyes and Nittany Lions are also battling it out for 2017 defensive end Joshua Kaindoh and 2017 offensive lineman Robert Hainsey; both of whom have Penn State out in front right now. The staff in Bradenton can expect to see Big Ten coaches roaming their hallways for the foreseeable future.
Other notable players for IMG include 2016 tight end (and recent Florida State decommit) Isaac Nauta, 2016 quarterback and Ole Miss commit Shea Patterson, 2016 cornerback Saivion Smith (LSU commit), 2016 linebacker Rahshaun Smith, and the aforementioned Shavar Manuel.
DESOTO VS MARTIN // 5PM SATURDAY • ESPN2
Last year when these two Lonestar State powers faced off, Desoto defeated Martin (Arlington) by a score of 55-30. Both teams eventually made the playoffs but came up short of capturing the state title. The Eagles of Desoto saw their season end at the hands of fellow powerhouse Allen High School, led by Texas A&M freshman Kyler Murray. One week later, that same Allen squad ended Martin's title hopes after putting up fifty second-half points in what would be a Texas-sized thriller. DeSoto opens the 2015 season ranked seventh in the Super 25.
2016 quarterback commit Tristen Wallace
Ohio State fans will definitely want to keep an eye on Desoto quarterback Tristen Wallace. The 2016 standout committed to the Buckeyes in April and returned to Columbus in June for a camp workout where he showed off some impressive arm strength. Wallace, a 6-foot-3, 228 pound dual-threat, went down with a broken ankle in week two of the 2014 season. After two months of rehabilitation, he made his return in November, leading the Eagles to a first-round playoff victory. Wallace will be looking to get the ball into the hands of playmaker KD Nixon. The 2017 wide receiver has high interest in the Buckeyes and met with quarterback coach Tim Beck back in May. As of now, Nixon is still waiting for Ohio State to extend an offer.
ARCHER VS PEACHTREE RIDGE // 7PM SATURDAY • ESPNU
The 2014 Archer Tigers (Lawrenceville, Ga.) came up just short of capturing the 6A state title, falling to Colquitt County (Moultrie, Ga.) in the state finals. Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Ga.) is coming off their own playoff run. Two years in a row now the Lions have seen their season end at the hands of the Dacula Falcons. In 2014, Archer and Peachtree went head to head in late August, and the Lions came out on top. Archer currently checks in at No. 10 on the Super 25, and they are coming off a victory against North Paulding (Dallas, Ga.). Peachtree Ridge is looking to bounce back after last weekend's loss to Christ Presbyterian Academy (Nashville, Tenn.).
2017 defensive back commit Isaiah Pryor
Archer is especially loaded with talent. 2017 defensive back Isaiah Pryor committed to Ohio State last month, and the 6-foot-2, 190 pounder projects as a safety or outside linebacker at the next level. Fresh off of last weekend's commitment to Duke, 2016 defensive back Dylan Singleton will help to man the secondary for the Tigers. On the other side of the ball, Archer is led by five-star 2016 wide receiver Kyle Davis and 2017 athlete Jamyest Williams. Both players lived up to their billing last weekend; Davis caught a short pass and stiff-armed his way to the endzone while Williams found pay-dirt five times and was named Offensive Player of the Week by Gwinnett Prep Sports. EJ Price, the nation's seventh-ranked 2016 offensive tackle, will be looking to pave the way for the Archer offense.
Peachtree Ridge will also be featuring some current and former Ohio State targets. Nigel Warrior is the country's fourth-ranked safety in the 2016 class, and he has repeatedly stated that an official visit to Columbus will happen this fall. As discussed in Tuesday's Hurry Up, the Buckeyes are in a battle with several SEC programs. Alongside Warrior in the secondary will be former Ohio State target and Georgia commit Chad Clay. Five-star 2017 defensive back Deangelo Gibbs joins Warrior and Clay in one of the nation's most talented secondaries. 2017 athlete Connor Heyward, the younger brother of former Buckeye Cam Heyward, will also be suiting up for the Lions on Saturday.
BISHOP GORMAN VS CHANDLER // 10PM SATURDAY • ESPNU
The Sin City will see a pair of nationally-ranked teams squaring off Saturday night. The Gaels of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) are coming off an undefeated season which ended with them taking home their sixth consecutive Nevada state title. Last year's squad started the 2014 campaign ranked No. 1 by USA Today and finished the season with the same lofty ranking. Chandler (Arizona) is coming off their own state title run and opened the 2015 season last weekend with a 56-10 victory over Pinnacle (Phoenix). The Gaels start their 2015 title defense ranked third in the nation. Chandler checks in at No. 20.
The Bishop Gorman air attack is led by a recent Texas A&M commit, 2017 quarterback Tate Martell. The Gaels' gunslinger will be targeting a wide receiver that Buckeye fans need to become familiar with: 2017 prospect Tyjon Lindsey.
If offered #OhioState would be a strong contender for the best slot WR in America, the TD Maker, Tyjon Lindsey: http://t.co/Cyg8sRxYcb
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) August 14, 2015
Two days after the above tweet, Ohio State did in fact offer the five-star wideout. With an abundance of talented 2017 wide receivers favoring the Buckeyes, it will be interesting to see how things unfold. Lindsey is a true slot receiver and appears to be at the top of Ohio State's board with another 2017 slot, the aforementioned Emmanuel Greene. Lindsey recently discussed the relationship he is building with wide receivers coach Zach Smith as well as how Tate Martell's commitment may influence his own recruitment.
Bishop Gorman's secondary will feature one of 2017's top defensive backs, Arizona State commit Alex Perry. 2017 defensive lineman Haskell Garrett, who already has offers from Texas A&M and USC, will lead the way in the trenches. The Chandler squad will look to get the ball to four-star 2016 wide receiver N'keal Harry and 2016 athlete Chase Lucas.
