It’s fitting that Springfield’s Kay M Glaesner Community Center was filled with smoke when Aaron Scott Jr. pulled off one of the biggest smokescreens in recent Ohio State recruiting history.
Surrounded by family and moments away from announcing his decision in front of nearly 100 spectators from the Springfield community Sunday, the four-star Ohio cornerback looked down at three backpacks laid out on a table in front of him. Each of the three bags resembled a different collegiate brand and Scott’s final three contenders for his commitment: Oregon, Michigan and Ohio State.
Before he started the reveal, a smoke machine provided by Scott’s mother hissed as gray mist slowly filled the room, building the suspense even further. As Scott looked at those gathered in attendance, he started an ominously-worded sentence for Ohio State faithful, uttering “for the next three to four years, I’ll be taking my talents to the University of…”
Scott tossed the Oregon bag aside immediately, which was well representative of the late stages of his recruitment, considering Michigan and Ohio State had battled each other for months to earn the commitment of the prized prospect.
He picked up the backpack resembling the Buckeyes next, and much to the dismay of many in attendance and those watching on his Instagram livestream, tossed it aside as well. Scott picked up the lone bag remaining, which represented the logo of OSU’s archrival.
Holding it in his hand, he began opening the backpack, with commotion still filling the room. Scott acknowledged his supporters, exclaiming “hey, hey, hey,” hinting that there was more than meets the eye to the gesture.
Finally, he pulled a jersey out from the backpack, signaling his final decision. But it wasn’t maize and blue. Scott revealed an Ohio State No. 5 jersey paying tribute to fellow Springfield native and former OSU quarterback Braxton Miller to the jam-packed room, drawing a loud roar from those in attendance and likely one in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center as well.
Aaron Scott had one of the more entertaining Ohio State commitment announcements I can remember, complete with smoke effects and faking out the room he was going to Michigan. pic.twitter.com/Xdg4jRKRnd
— Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) July 30, 2023
“That was the plan, just to throw them off a little bit,” Scott said of the thought process behind his announcement.
After one of the more entertaining commitment announcements in recent memory – made even more amusing after the smoke briefly set off the building’s smoke detectors – Scott became Ohio State’s 19th commitment in the class of 2024.
“I feel like just being from Ohio and just knowing what they could do for me, they made me feel like I’m needed,” Scott told reporters after the ceremony of why he committed to Ohio State. “I just went with that right there.”
While Scott was leaning toward Ohio State throughout the week leading up to his commitment, he said he didn’t officially make the decision in his head until Sunday.
“I was still going back and forth,” Scott said. “But my family loved it, I loved it, it made sense to go there.”
In an effort to keep the suspense built throughout, Scott didn’t let OSU coaches know he was in ahead of his announcement.
“They found out when everybody else found out,” Scott said. “I still hadn’t made my mind up. So I thought they’ll just figure it out when I announce it.”
Scott’s recruitment was every bit as close as it was built up leading up to the decision, as the Springfield product agonized over his choice daily.
“It was hard,” Scott said of finalizing his decision. “I’d just stay up and think about it in the shower, laying down, I’d just think about it 24/7. I had to put social media aside for a little bit, but I felt like I could lock in with the decision.”
In fact, Ohio State was trailing in Scott’s recruitment entering his official visit weekend on June 23. Scott said at that time, he was leaning toward playing for the Wolverines. But a conversation with Ryan Day helped sway him toward his home state team.
“I was fully on Michigan at that time,” Scott admitted. “But coach Day said ‘You forgot you haven’t been here in a while.’ He reminded me how much I loved that school.”
It wasn’t just Day and the rest of Ohio State’s coaches recruiting Scott to be a Buckeye. Scott said offensive line commits Devontae and Deontae Armstrong were in his ear “every day” peer-recruiting him. Even Miller – who has maintained a close relationship with Scott – was in Scott’s ear about OSU in the hours leading up to his commitment, and the new OSU commit said in turn he plans to wear Miller’s No. 5 jersey in college.
But perhaps the biggest influence on Scott was fellow in-state cornerback Bryce West, who Scott has publicly stated for months he’d like to play alongside in college.
“Bryce West, my dog, he played a big factor in my decision,” Scott said. “I was thinking about Michigan heavy, but I wanted to team up with Bryce. He went there (to Ohio State), so we were going to go with it...
“It means a lot to me being from Ohio, so I felt like why not keep it going? Having two Ohio dudes take over and showing them what we can do, I feel like Ohio is slept on a lot,” Scott added of teaming up with West in college. “Two players starting at Ohio State that could win a natty, that’s big.”
congrats my slime love you brudda great choice and now all we can do is just work, prada you family you just lifted a huge wait off my shoulders, like I said we dont just want you you were a main priority in this 2024 class every since you got the OSU offer. @AaronScottJr1 pic.twitter.com/Cg1hPC4t1S
— (@bryvonny) July 30, 2023
With his decision now made, Scott is all scarlet and gray and plans on joining the peer recruitment effort alongside his fellow OSU commits.
“I’m trying to have everybody flipped and be a Buckeye,” Scott said.
Scott said he plans to enroll at OSU in January and participate in spring football, with hopes of seeing the field as early as possible.
“(OSU is) getting a long, athletic, fast competitor that loves the work,” Scott said of his play style. “I’m not going to be happy until I’m on the field.”
