The Hurry Up is your nightly dose of updates from the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping tabs on the latest from commits and targets from around the country.
TEXAS TWO STEP
According to his high school coach, Plano, Texas, four-star linebacker Anthony Hines will take an official visit to Ohio State next month.
“He's made official visits to UCLA and Penn State so far,” Joey McCullough told 247Sports ($). “He'll make one to Ohio State. He was planning to go this week [for the Rutgers game], but now it's the Oct. 29 Northwestern game.”
The 6-foot-2, 222-pound Hines is considered the second-best inside linebacker and the No. 85 player overall in the Class of 2017. He is arguably the most-recruited prospect in the cycle with more than 90 scholarship offers.
Hines narrowed that down to 10 schools in July, listing Ohio State alongside Auburn, Florida, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU and UCLA.
Only the beginning....#CALLGOD pic.twitter.com/IcBtld5b96
— (@TheAntHines_Era) September 29, 2016
He is set to announce his college decision on Nov. 29, the same day as fellow Texas linebacker Baron Browning. It's unclear at this time whether the duo will announce together, but it's entirely possible with the departure of quarterback Danny Clark from the current class that both Browning and Hines end up in Columbus.
“I know [Anthony] is very interested [in Ohio State],” McCullough said.
JONESING TO GET BACK
For the first time since he committed to Ohio State in late July, Franklin, Georgia, Heard County five-star quarterback Emory Jones will return to Columbus.
“I've been talking to Ohio State every day,” Jones told Landof10. “I'm visiting there this weekend. Some of my teammates are going up with me.”
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer stopped by Heard County during the Buckeyes' open week to speak with head coach Tim Barron and other members of the staff. He couldn't interact with Jones other than in passing, though, as NCAA rules prevent such contact with high school juniors.
“I was very excited to see [Urban] Meyer at the school,” Jones said. “Everyone was going crazy. It was pretty amazing.”
The second-rated dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2018 has shifted his focus from his own recruitment to helping the Buckeyes lock down other top prospects.
“[Lindenhurst, New York, tight end] Jeremy Ruckert, [IMG Academy wide receiver] Brian Hightower and [Atlanta, Georgia, offensive lineman] Jamaree Salyer. Those are the three guys I'm recruiting the hardest right now. It's pretty cool,” he said.
We'll just see how good Jones' recruiting skills are.
HIDDEN GEM?
Despite growing up a Michigan State fan, Davison, Michigan, running back Tariq Reid is beyond excited to take an unofficial visit to Ohio State this weekend.
“I've always been a [Spartans] fan growing up, but my options are open as far as recruiting,” Reid told Mlive.com.”I'm very ecstatic about the opportunity.”
The 6-foot, 200-pound junior is not rated by any major recruiting websites and does not have any scholarship offers, but is receiving serious interest from top schools having rushed for 929 yards and 20 touchdowns in only five games for the Cardinals this season.
"My goal is 35 touchdowns and 2,500 yards,” Reid said. "My offensive line opening up great holes for me to run through. My vision has also helped me read defenses and make the right cuts. I would describe my game as smart and shifty, also very tough and coachable.”
MIGHT AS WELL BRING JOHN LEGEND, TOO
I mentioned yesterday that Springfield cornerback Moses Douglas will attend Saturday's game against Rutgers, but now it looks as if the whole Wildcats crew is coming. That includes former Michigan commit Leonard Taylor, the fifth-best prospect in the state of Ohio for the Class of 2018.
“I'm going up with my grandmother and grandpa,” Taylor told 247Sports ($). “Coach [Maurice] Douglass, Moses and [three-star inside linebacker] Cameron Hoelscher are going up, too.”
The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Taylor committed to Michigan in April, but had always been considered a soft verbal pledge. He showed up to Ohio State's spring game just two weeks later decked out in Scarlet and Gray, and ultimately decommitted late last month.
Taylor has 14 offers from schools such as Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee, but is keeping his options open for the time being.
“I'm in no hurry [to decide],” he said.
Taylor — whose uncle, Ormonde Ricketts, was a captain for the Buckeyes under legendary coach Woody Hayes — is also set to visit on Nov. 26 when the Buckeyes host the Wolverines.
