The future stars of Ohio State football officially begin their Buckeye careers as standouts from all over the country put pens to their National Letters of Intent.
Jahsen Wint is always yearning for more, epitomizing the never satisfied attitude that sounds cliché but perfectly characterizes the 5-foot-11, 186-pound menace from Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School.
The Wint File
- Class: 2016
- Size: 5-11/186
- Pos: ATH
- School: Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, NY)
- Composite Rating: ★★★
- Composite Rank: 61 (ATH)
"My only goal is to make people who doubted me respect me," Wint told 11W last month.
Wint didn't receive his first football scholarship offer until his junior season at Erasmus, from Stony Brook University. Temple offered in June 2015 and Wint jumped at the opportunity to play Division I college football not long after, pledging to the Owls two months later.
"After the Temple offer I knew that I was a Division I caliber athlete and after going against the top athletes I knew I could compete at any level, at any school in the country," Wint said.
But he didn't quit trying to become a better player, and his senior season tape caught the eye of former Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Ash. It was in October when the Buckeyes came calling and on Christmas Eve, Wint made the decision to decommit from Temple and vowed to be a Buckeye a week later.
Extremely Blessed & Thankful To Say That I Am Committed To Thee Ohio State University #Showtime pic.twitter.com/mm1d485YXh
— Showtime Wint (@JahsenW) January 2, 2016
Ash tried to keep Wint on the east coast and recruit him to Rutgers after the former took over in Piscataway, New Jersey, following Ohio State's 2015 season, but the player who calls himself "Showtime" was all Buckeye.
"I knew that the opportunity to go to a place like Ohio State was a one in a 100 chance, so I had to do what was best for me and my family," Wint said.
Wint hails from the same high school as Ohio State's multi-talented Curtis Samuel, who is two years older. Meyer plucked Samuel from Brooklyn in 2014 and he contributed right away to Ohio State's College Football Playoff National Championship run as a true freshman.
The day Meyer and Ohio State showed up to speak with Samuel doubled as the same time Wint knew if he wanted something more for himself, it was not only possible but completely up to him.
"I was amazed to see Urban Meyer in Brooklyn," Wint said. "It just made me feel good that he was in my school. He just told me to keep working, to keep it up."
Wint did that, and his hard hits and terrific athleticism forced the Buckeyes to make a return flight to Erasmus and bring him aboard.
"When Ohio State reached out, it made me feel so good because all my hard work paid off," Wint said. "People sometimes just say it, but I swear to God I worked for this. I praised God every good and bad day."
Wint played linebacker, strong safety and even some wide receiver for the Dutchmen, but he projects as a safety at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes lost three players from its secondary—Tyvis Powell, Vonn Bell and Eli Apple—to the NFL following the 2015 season, so Wint's addition in the class is crucial. He is one of five defensive backs in the class, adding depth to the secondary for Kerry Coombs and new co-defensive coordinator Greg Schiano.
"On my official visit, me and the guys clicked," Wint said. "Chemistry is a key thing if you want to win a championship. Without it you just have a bunch athletes running around, we all liked each other."
Brooklyn's reputation serves as a credo for players like Wint, who work their tails off and know nothing different. It is what got him his first scholarship offer from Stony Brook, then from Temple and finally a dream school in Ohio State.
It is also the kind of desire and determination he runs with between the lines as he heads west to Columbus.
"Right now, I'm just trying to get bigger and faster," Wint said. "Once I get that, I should be good. Anyway that I can contribute, that's what I'll do to try and get on the field next year. I will do whatever it takes to win. I'm just Jahsen Wint, a Brooklyn kid, the only thing I know is to work."
