The Hurry Up is your nightcap of Ohio State recruiting news, catching you up on the day’s events with an ear on the ground for what’s next.
SETTING UP FOR SPECIAL RUN IN 2017
Last night, the Buckeyes' coaching staff took to social media and began orchestrating their plan for world domination another top recruiting class as it became permissible to contact current high school juniors: the #Select17, as they'll be known moving forward.
As noted, Ohio State currently has the country's top-ranked 2017 class, although it's certainly early in the process. Dozens of kids that have been waiting patiently for Sept. 1 as though it were Christmas got their first full taste of what it means to be a high-priority recruit for the national champions.
For the Buckeyes, the names you know like Trevon Grimes and Richard LeCounte were among the first to be contacted.
The Ohio State staff took a multi-pronged approach, contacting players not just with one coach, but in some cases with two, three and up to four.
LOVE from buckeye nation ! pic.twitter.com/lNVzIFHdcj
— Laont Wade (@Goony_38) September 1, 2015
"They were just telling me how important I am," one four-star 2017 defensive tackle shared with 11W. "They were talking about the game against Virginia Tech, too. One coach even asked me what championship ring he should wear (laughs)."
Who else did the Buckeyes reach out to? Here's some of the names, excluding committed players because they're understood but including three big-time prospects that were contacted by Ohio State before anyone else, wide receiver Tyjon Lindsey, athlete Jamyest Williams and defensive back Jeffrey Okudah.
RB Trey Sermon • Georgia
WR Trevon Grimes • Florida
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones • Michigan
WR Jaylen Harris • Ohio
WR Tyjon Lindsey • Nevada
WR Jerry Jeudy • Florida
WR Emmanuel Greene • Florida
WR Tarik Black • Connecticut
TE Cole Kmet • Illinois
TE Matt Dotson • Ohio
OL Isaiah Wilson • New York
OL Tony Gray • Georgia
OL Jedrick Wills • Kentucky
OL Matt Bockhorst • Ohio
OL Jordan McNair • Maryand
OL Ben Petrula • New Jersey
DE Zachary Carter • Florida
DE Corey Malone-Hatcher • Michigan
DE Eric Crosby • Virginia
DE Luiji Vilain • Virginia
DL Fred Hansard • New Jersey
DL Dalyn Wade-Perry • New Jersey
DL Donovan Jeter • Pennsylvania
DL Corey Bolds • New Jersey
LB Baron Browning • Texas
LB Avery Roberts • Delaware
DB Lamont Wade • Pennsylvania
DB Jeffrey Okudah • Texas
DB William Poole III • Georgia
DB Ambry Thomas • Michigan
DB Jaylen Kelly-Powell • Michigan
ATH Jamyest Williams • Georgia
ATH Devon Hunter • Virginia
ATH Richard LeCounte • Georgia
BOCKHORST HEARS FROM BUCKEYES, EAGER FOR JUNIOR SEASON
One of the folks listed above, Cincinnati St. Xavier's Matt Bockhorst, had been waiting with bated breath for today because he'd seen quite an uptick in his Twitter followers lately.
"I've been getting a lot of follows from coaches from different schools so I think that's a good sign," Bockhorst told 11W. "This date has been marked on my calendar for months. There's no more pissing in the wind trying to reach coaches when you have no idea if they are even out of practice yet."
It was the in-state Buckeyes that caught up with the 6-foot-5, 290-pounder first.
"(Ed) Warinner was the first person to message me," the four-star said. "Kerry Coombs and Mark Pantoni also messaged me. (Kerry) Coombs seemed very excited and told me I was one of his top priorities. Ed Warinner wants me to visit. Pantoni wanted my parents contact info. I'm going to call Coombs tonight."
The Buckeyes have not offered Bockhorst yet, and neither has Notre Dame, but this will ultimately be a two-team race and right now Notre Dame is the leader. Ohio State will work hard to build relationships with Bockhorst, but if/when both schools offer, there isn't likely to be much time taken to decide.
MAXPREPS.COM PICKS THEIR BEST IN EVERY STATE
MaxPreps.com released their list of the "Best high school football player in every state" today and there's a number of guys high on the Buckeyes across the country.
Ohio State commitments Tuf Borland (Illinois) and Kareem Walker (New Jersey) earned the honors in their home states. Plus, 2016 defensive tackle target Rashard Lawrence (Louisiana) and wide receiver Donnie Corley (Michigan) remain atop Ohio State's wish list as well.
A number of other players that Buckeye fans have come to know also earned the distinction, even if they don't really belong in the state they're listed in (Ahem, Shea Patterson):
Shea Patterson • Florida
Dwayne Haskins, Jr. • Maryland
Carter Coughlin • Minnesota
Tate Martell • Nevada
Tommy Kraemer • Ohio
Miles Sanders • Pennsylvania
Levonta Taylor • Virginia
ANOTHER 2016 GUARD SETS UP OFFICIAL VISIT
The Buckeyes are in the thick of it for 2016 five-star point guard Kobi Simmons (who visited Kentucky officially last weekend), who will make his college choice following his official to Ohio State on the weekend of Sept. 11.
Kobi Simmons will announce the week after his Ohio State official on Sept. 11, his dad confirmed to @SNYtv
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) August 28, 2015
If Simmons picks someone other than the Buckeyes, it appears they've already got themselves set for a visit from the next guy on the list: Starkville, Miss., shooting guard Tyson Carter.
@tysoncarter11 has 5 visits set. Sept 11- State Sept 18- Memphis Sept 25- Arizona St Oct 2- Miami Oct 9- Ohio St
— SHS Boys Basketball (@SHSBoysBball1) September 1, 2015
Ohio State has offered Carter, the country's 119th-ranked prospect, and also has offers from Miami, Arizona State, Memphis, Baylor, Indiana, Illinois among others.
