Standing 6-foot-7 and 332 pounds and sporting a bucket hat atop his head, it was pretty tough to miss Darrell Simpson on Saturday afternoon following Ohio State’s first one-day positional camp of the summer. With those measurables, Simpson doesn’t look like your average high school junior-to-be.
Simpson was visiting the Buckeyes for the first time on this day, participated in the camp and, most importantly, got some much-needed face time with Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa.
“The coaching staff was great and just kept pushing people,” Simpson said. “They were there to push people the whole way and it was just a great camp.”
In addition to not looking like every other camper in attendance Saturday, Simpson also had something the majority did not: an offer from Ohio State. The Buckeyes offered the Justin, Texas native on May 12.
Simpson is the No. 58 overall player in the 2018 class and the country’s 11th-rated offensive tackle, according to 247Sports, and he already has offers from the likes of Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and others.
“All the offers I have right now are still sticking because I still have my junior year left,” Simpson said. “At the end of my junior year, I’ll decide.”
Ohio State may not be the favorite at this point in time to land Simpson — that distinction probably goes to one of the Big 12 schools who has offered — but the importance of this first visit — an unofficial one — cannot be understated. Simpson has family in Ohio and after camping Saturday he said he planned to return to campus Monday to learn about Ohio State away from the football field. He toured the weight room and saw the football facilities, but now wants to see the academic side of things and explore the campus, as well.
On this day, though, the meetings with Meyer and Studrawa were what mattered most.
“Coach Meyer told me it was his job to get me to Ohio State and coach Stud told me how much he loved me and everything,” Simpson said. “I feel real comfortable with coach Stud and all the other coaches around. It’s almost like it’s coming back to a family.”
Due to tight scholarship numbers, it's likely the Buckeyes only wind up taking the two offensive linemen they have committed in the 2017 class: Josh Myers and Jake Moretti. That means Ohio State could see a rather large haul of guys up front in 2018.
A potentially elite prospect like Simpson could be a great place to start.
“I think my pass blocking is my biggest strength," Simpson said. "I want to just get a little bit better on the run blocking.”
So while the Buckeyes might be facing an uphill battle against some of the Big 12 schools to land Simpson, it's huge they've already gotten him to come see campus once this summer. He plans to make a decision following his junior season, so getting him back a second time would be huge.
Simpson did say Ohio State felt a little "like coming back to a family" and that seems to be something that is very important when he makes his final decision.
“I’m just going to look for a home and coaches that are really willing to get me there and are loving people," he said.
