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.
A SECOND CHANCE
Though Ohio State awaits decisions first and foremost from Texas linebackers Baron Browning and Anthony Hines III, the Buckeyes remain very much involved with Dodge City, Kansas, Community College linebacker Gary Johnson.
Late Sunday evening, the top-rated junior college linebacker included Ohio State in his Top 10 schools alongside Arizona, Arizona State, Iowa State, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Oklahoma State, TCU and West Virginia.
I would like to say that I am truly blessed for this opportunity but these are my top schools that have my interest and have offered pic.twitter.com/4VuXd54OXv
— I Hate QB's & RB's (@_GaryJohnson) November 14, 2016
“Honestly, it's a great feeling to go from being unknown out of high school to being the top-rated [junior college] player in the nation right now,” Johnson told Eleven Warriors. “To have offers from the big-time programs is a blessing. It's been one hell of an experience, and I'm excited.”
The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder was once committed to Alabama, but was forced to reopen his recruitment for academic reasons.
“The SEC doesn't accept core classes from anywhere else, and I took my math class through Barton [Community College] online and it wouldn't transfer over,” Johnson said. “Every school listed, [the class is] accepted.”
Ohio State offered Johnson, who once said he couldn't see himself playing for anyone but the Crimson Tide, back in May.
“When they offered, I mean, I kind of got surprised because they're also a powerhouse team such as Alabama,” Johnson said. “Me and coach [Luke] Fickell's relationship is like no other. Great coach. He's energetic, and I could see myself being coached by a guy like that. Also, they're known for having several guys make it to the next level.”
Johnson, who is originally from Birmingham, Alabama, holds 18 committable offers. He hopes to make it to Columbus for the Nov. 26 game against Michigan and announce his college decision on National Signing Day.
“I have yet to have that one school that I can just say I'm set on right now,” Johnson said.
GOOD SIGN?
Following a surprise visit to Michigan State over the weekend he reportedly did not clear with the Ohio State staff, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Pioneer four-star linebacker Antjuan Simmons tweeted a graphic of himself hugging head coach Urban Meyer.
#BuckeyeNation pic.twitter.com/MkLTBIMJTv
— Antjuan Simmons (@_antjuan_) November 14, 2016
There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Simmons' pledge in recent months, as Ohio State continues to recruit the aforementioned Browning and Hines.
The concern seems to be whether the Buckeyes would have enough room to fit all three in the current class, thus Simmons was reportedly asked to grayshirt.
He has repeatedly shot down those suggestions, though, and told Eleven Warriors last month he plans to take his official visit in December or January.
It remains to be seen what the staff thinks of his trip to East Lansing, but Simmons' intentions were certainly to show he remains committed to Ohio State.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder played his high school ball in the shadows of Michigan Stadium, but committed to Ohio State in March over offers from the two in-state powers, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas A&M, among others. He is considered the sixth-best player in the state and the No. 19 senior outside linebacker in the country.
PULL THAT PEACH
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has a history of plucking elite talent from Georgia, most notably former safety Vonn Bell and current linebacker Raekwon McMillan.
And while the staff has already secured a commitment from the top-rated junior quarterback in the country — Franklin Heard County's Emory Jones — the Buckeyes continue to scour through the Peach State in hopes of finding another gem.
In addition to hosting a satellite camp at Central Gwinnett this summer, Ohio State has already extended offers to the following underclassmen:
- 2018 Marietta Lassiter five-star cornerback Derrik Allen;
- 2018 Atlanta Pace Academy five-star offensive guard Jamaree Salyer;
- 2018 Snellville Brookwood four-star wide receiver Matthew Hill;
- 2018 Stockbridge Woodland four-star offensive tackle James Ohonba;
- 2018 Tucker four-star offensive guard Dylan Wonnum;
- 2018 Thomson four-star cornerback Christian Tutt;
- 2018 McDonough Eagles Landing Christian three-star cornerback Tre Douglas;
- 2019 Saint Simons Island Frederica Academy five-star wide receiver Ja'Shawn Sheffield;
- 2019 Marietta Walton five-star wide receiver Dominick Blaylock;
- 2019 Loganville Grayson five-star linebacker Owen Pappoe; and
- 2019 Frederica Academy athlete Jaylin Simpson.
Pappoe, the top-rated sophomore linebacker in the country, is set to attend the season finale against Michigan with teammate Kenyatta Watson II. It will be the first trip to Columbus for the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder since the Buckeyes offered in mid-June.
He currently holds more than 30 offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee.
Watson, meanwhile, is not yet ranked by any major recruiting sites and does not have an offer from Ohio State. A 6-foot-1, 172-pound safety, he has eight offers from programs such as Boston College, Nebraska, Syracuse and Tennessee.
MAKING THE BEST OF A SITUATION
Ohio State was the first program to offer San Jose, California, four-star running back Maurice Washington during a three-day visit for a camp in June. But because the 6-foot, 175-pounder was forced to sit out all of this season after transferring schools, Washington's stock has seemingly leveled off.
“I feel like I would have had a blow-up year this year,” Washington told Eleven Warriors. “But my focus is and has always been Ohio State.”
Considered the 10th-best running back and the No. 200 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, Washington also has offers from Missouri and — go figure — Washington.
He was blown away by his trip to Columbus over the summer, and his relationship with the staff has only grown in recent months.
“It's really just blossomed so much because my knowledge for the school expanded as I went through the campus and met the coaches,” Washington said. “How much they develop players, not only in athletics but as a person [stands out].”
He mentioned running backs coach Tony Alford in particular.
“There isn't much I can say that you can't see for yourself in the games every week and how his players are doing in the [National Football] League right now,” Washington said.
Though did not play in a game this season per California Interscholastic Federation rules, Washington explained that he was still able to practice.
"I practiced every day until the season ended with my team just to be there as a leader and to show my dedication to the team," he said. "It was really hard to watch them lost and to even see them happy at times just because I know that I wasn't by their side on the field when they achieved all of that.
Washington hopes to make it to Columbus again for the regular season finale against Michigan.
