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 Damon Arnette to the Ohio State football program.
The Arnette File
- Class 2015
- Position CB
- Size 6-2/185
- School St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
- Composite ★★★
- Rank 60 (CB)
Ohio State and St. Thomas Aquinas High School are not strangers. The Buckeyes have been there for talent before. Because of that familiarity, Damon Arnette and the Buckeyes were not strangers, either. When Ohio State offered the 6-foot-2 cornerback in June, it was with the knowledge that they'd see him live during their Friday Night Light's camp a month later.
What wasn't known initially was how the Buckeyes regarded the commitment to South Carolina that Arnette would make two weeks later.
"(We think) he only committed to South Carolina to 'reserve a spot', because that's what we were told when it happened," a source at Ohio State shared. "He always liked us. The Ohio State/St. Thomas connections are important."
As the Buckeyes' recruiting class filled up, it appeared the chance for Arnette to get himself into Ohio State's "Elite '15" had started to slip away. Although most associated with Arnette knew he was not altogether finished with his recruitment, the country's 60th-ranked corner had not made any visits elsewhere, but as Michigan offered in early January those plans began to materialize. The Buckeyes were still on Arnette's mind, but it was not until Carlton Davis informed Ohio State he'd be signing with Auburn that the opportunity to really move on Arnette occurred.
Arnette visited Michigan, he visited South Carolina and reaffirmed his commitment, but still planned on visiting Ohio State. He traveled north to Columbus the final weekend of January, a day after Urban Meyer and Kerry Coombs visited Arnette at home.
The visit to Ohio State went exceedingly well and by the time Arnette had left for Florida, three days before signing day, the reports from Columbus were all positive.
"He's leaning towards signing with Ohio State," a source close to the recruitment shared with 11W. "He's as close as a high school player can be."
On Monday, February 2nd, Arnette became the 25th member of Ohio State's 2015 recruiting class and filled the whole left by the departure of Carlton Davis. Why Ohio State for Arnette?
"Ohio State was more than I thought," he said following his visit. "It was a great trip. Everything about it was great."
