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.
LATE ADDITION
It's clear Ohio State wants to add at least one more wide receiver to the current recruiting class, so the staff has been evaluating a number of uncommitted or on-the-fence prospects in hopes of finding the right fit with only two weeks left until signing day.
Yesterday, I mentioned St. Thomas Aquinas three-star Josh Palmer, the teammate of five-star commit Trevon Grimes. Head coach Urban Meyer and wide receivers coach Zach Smith will be in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Wednesday to meet with the pair, but it would be getting ahead of ourselves to say it's a done deal simply because Palmer is good friends with Grimes.
That said, I want to take time today to bring to your attention some other names on Ohio State's radar:
Lakeland, Florida, four-star James Robinson
The 6-foot-3, 196-pound Robinson is considered the 11th-best wide receiver and the No. 79 prospect overall. He's slated to visit Alabama and Ole Miss in the coming weeks, but Florida is the overwhelming favorite to land him on signing day.
Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford stopped by Lakeland on Tuesday afternoon, at which time the two discussed an official visit. If the Buckeyes can convince Robinson to skip one of the aforementioned visits in favor of a trip to Columbus, then he becomes a realistic option.
Iowa City, Iowa, West Senior four-star Oliver Martin
The 6-foot-1, 188-pound Martin is considered the 32nd-best wideout and the No. 234 prospect overall, having finished his career as the state's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.
Iowa and Notre Dame have long been considered the favorites to land the U.S. Army All-American, but Michigan State has made a late push with an official visit this past weekend. Martin does not discuss his recruitment with the media, though, so it's difficult to get a read on where each school truly stands.
Meyer is expected for in-home visit with Martin on Thursday, at which time they'll discuss an official visit. Martin has two official visits left, and it's anticipated UCLA will get the other.
Kemp, Texas, three-star Elijah Gardiner
The 6-foot-5, 185-pound Missouri commit is considered the 169th-best receiver and the No. 1,196 prospect overall, but has shown superior athletic ability as a state qualifier in the long jump and relay.
Gardiner is the least likely of the three to end up in Columbus, considering Ohio State has not offered nor has any plans at the moment for an in-home visit. He's certainly entertaining the idea of playing for the Buckeyes, however, and will be a name to remember if the staff strikes out with Martin, Palmer and Robinson.
PROVEN SALES PITCH
Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano and defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs were in Tampa, Florida, this morning, at which time they offered a scholarship to Hillsborough four-star cornerback Ken Montgomery Jr.
Offered by hio State #Buckeyes pic.twitter.com/8MCwld25vk
— Ken Montgomery Jr (@KenKensmiley5) January 17, 2017
“It means I have the potential to play with some of the best defensive backs in the country,” Montgomery told Eleven Warriors.
The 6-foot-2, 165-pound Montgomery is considered the 32nd-best corner and the No. 308 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He holds more than two dozen offers from programs such as Arkansas, Louisville, Maryland, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee and USC, but said Ohio State stands out because of its ability to put defensive backs into the National Football League.
