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.
THE SLIGHTEST OF CHANCES
Late last week, Arp, Texas, four-star safety Demarvion Overshown included Ohio State among his top schools despite having never been to Columbus. And though he'll most likely land somewhere else, seeing as the Buckeyes already have two safeties in the fold for 2018 in four-stars Josh Proctor and Jaiden Woodbey, I mentioned how it spoke volumes about how the program is viewed by prospects across the country.
The same thing can be said when it comes to Angelton, Texas, five-star safety B.J. Foster, who included Ohio State in his Top 5 back in November alongside LSU, Michigan, Texas and TCU and then announced on Twitter this afternoon he'll decide among the school's on June 5.
June 5th is the date stay tuned
— Thebjfoster (@nofear_2) May 22, 2017
The 6-foot-1, 188-pounder is considered the top-rated safety and the No. 9 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He was limited to five games as a junior due to a knee injury, but showed tremendous range and athleticism at the safety position.
"The coaches are great," Foster told Eleven Warriors, mentioning Ohio State head coach Meyer, offensive line coach Greg Studrawa and defensive coordinator Greg Schiano as the reasoning for his interest in the Buckeyes. "We always talk on the phone, and when I got hurt, they were the first to call and give me a little motivation."
Most assume Foster will land at Texas, and Tom Herman's arrival seemingly cemented the Longhorns as the favorite. It'll be interesting to see if Herman claims this as a victory over Meyer, even though Ohio State never really went all-out for Foster.
NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH MAX WRAY
Though he had some initial interest in Ohio State after the staff offered him a scholarship last May, Katy, Texas, four-star defensive end Max Wright did not include the Buckeyes in his Top 11 on Monday afternoon. He instead listed Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Stanford, Texas, Texas A&M and TCU.
IT'S TIME
— Max Wright (@maxwright2k18) May 22, 2017
thank you to everyone who's supported me,
Here's my TOP 11: @THSmustangfb @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/KXCw5H5ils
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Wright is considered the third-best strong-side defensive end and No. 84 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, as he notched 70 tackles and nine sacks en route to earning first-team all-state honors as a junior. He hoped — at as recently as December — to visit campus for the first time this summer, but Brenton Cox's commitment last month made it apparent Ohio State would not be an option.
The Buckeyes remain among the favorites for Pennsylvania five-star defensive end Micah Parsons and Cleveland Heights four-star Tyreke Smith, so Wright's decision means very little in the grand scheme of things. He'll most likely, like Foster before him, end up at Texas.
AN OFFER IS COMING AROUND THE CORNER, RIGHT?
Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford made a stop in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, this morning to check on Blackman three-star running back Master Teague III and four-star wide receiver Trey Knox. This marks his second visit to the school in a little over three weeks, and comes on the heels of Teague narrowing his list down to Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee last Wednesday.
Always good having The @CoachTonyAlford swing by Blackman! pic.twitter.com/tFPoWDVqv9
— Kit Hartsfield (@khartsfield2) May 22, 2017
“The visit was great as always. He's been to our school as many times as you're allowed to visit,” Blackman coach Kit Hartsfield told Eleven Warriors. “Every time they see Master, he looks different from the time before, which has led him to move way up their running backs board.”
Alford has gotten to know the 5-foot-11, 210-pound Teague quite well in recent months and has been on the verge of offering him a scholarship for quite some time.
Some feel the plan was to see how things go with North Carolina's Zamir White next month and then pull the trigger if five-star running back picks Georgia, but sources close the Ohio State program tell Eleven Warriors that Alford loves everything about Teague — his family, his work ethic and his on-field play would make him a perfect fit in Columbus.
The only issue with that is Teague is ready to make an announcement on his future sooner rather than later, and that puts the Buckeyes in a tough spot.
I've had the chance to speak with Teague on several occasions, but he respectfully declined an interview request until he makes his decision public. Hartsfield, though, feels an offer from Ohio State could certainly change his timeline.
“It's been a long journey [and] it's not like Ohio State just started recruiting him recently. They have been watching him and recruiting him for quite some time,” Hartsfield said. “I think once coach Meyer met the family and saw Master's body change from December to March, something changed.
“[It's] hard to know how Master will react to an Ohio State offer or [one from] Clemson,” he continued. “I will certainly be shocked if Ohio State doesn't offer him. Alford was able to come to spring practice, see his development and I think he saw what he needed to see.”
The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Knox, meanwhile, is considered the 21st-best wideout and No. 137 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he hauled in 54 receptions for 669 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Blaze last season. He recently told me Ohio State and Florida are the leaders in his recruitment, and he's hoping to make it to a camp this summer and the Oklahoma game this fall.
“They have been on Trey from the very beginning,” Hartsfield said.
SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Within the hour, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Bishop Sullivan four-star linebacker Teradja Mitchell announced on Twitter he has some news to share at 8:30 this evening.
Got some news to tell at 8:30 ...
— Teradja Mitchell (@WhosThatNumber7) May 22, 2017
The 6-foot-2, 243-pound Mitchell — as you know quite well by now — is set to choose between Ohio State and Florida State in the next few weeks. It could be something else, maybe an invitation to a high school all-star game or announcing his actual announcement date, but will most likely be a decision on his collegiate future.
Mitchell has been to Columbus twice in the last six months, and the staff was feeling increasingly confident in their chances following the latest visit in April. But a trip to Tallahassee last weekend has things seemingly trending toward the Seminoles.
“[I'm] still torn between Florida State and Ohio State,” Mitchell recently told Eleven Warriors. “Both schools can develop me into the best person I can be. They both are championship contenders and they have great business programs.”
Of course, a similar feeling surrounded Brenton Cox's recruitment before he chose the Buckeyes over Georgia last month. So what ultimately be the deciding factor for the second-best inside linebacker in the Class of 2018?
“Wherever my heart feels is the best place for me,” he said. “I've been praying to God about it and taking my time.”
It looks as if he got an answer.
