The future stars of Ohio State football officially begin their Buckeye careers today as standouts from all over the country put pens to their National Letters of Intent. Signing Day is here.
Eleven Warriors would like to officially welcome Da'Von Hamilton to the Ohio State football program.
The Hamilton File
- Class 2015
- Position DT
- Size 6-3/285
- School Central (Pickerington, OH)
- Composite ★★★
- Rank 89 (DT)
Hamilton's road to Columbus was, in a word, circuitous. Although he only lists four official scholarship offers, Hamilton was — at one time — committed to each of the four schools.
In June, Hamilton committed to Ohio, a big mid-summer pledge for Frank Solich and the Bobcats. Citing an affinity for the defensive style in Athens and a chance to play early, the commitment to the one school who'd offer the 6-foot-3, 285-pounder was a big early steal for the MAC program.
That commitment lasted three weeks. Pittsburgh came calling and Hamilton moved up the ladder a rung, giving a verbal commitment to the Panthers. He earned a Pitt offer after a solid showing at the Indianapolis Best of the Midwest combine. Summer over, it appeared Hamilton was a solid pickup for the Panthers and would stick.
In October, an offer from the SEC Wildcats came and Hamilton, Ohio's 65th-ranked player, decided to make an official visit to Lexington. Ohio State had reached out Hamilton in November and invited the local defensive tackle to visit for their rivalry game against Michigan. Speculation was an offer would come his way and he'd end up a Buckeye. That offer did not come and Hamilton went back to Pickerington unsure of what the future held.
A week later, the first weekend in December, he flipped from Pittsburgh to Kentucky. It was a decision he said was made because Kentucky was a "great area, great place, great team, great program, (and a) great university."
Done deal, right? Not so fast. Days before Ohio State's national championship celebration, Hamilton heard from the Buckeyes — still searching for another defensive tackle — and this time he visited the hometown school officially. During the visit, Ohio State's head coach, Urban Meyer, made Hamilton an offer he couldn't turn down.
"Coach Meyer told me about my offer on the last day of the of my official," Hamilton told 11W. "He took us in the office and made the offer and I took it."
Four offers, four schools but one lifelong dream for a Columbus native.
