Two years ago at this time, it appeared that Ohio State would be the landing spot for a pair of stars from Cleveland's Benedictine High School. Jerome Baker and Justin Layne were teammates on the field and had an even stronger relationship off of it. The duo led Benedictine to the Division IV state title in 2014, defeating Kettering Archbishop Alter 21-14 inside the stadium many thought they both would eventually call home.
For Baker, it was an interesting ride to Columbus with a surprising twist in July of 2014. The four-star linebacker/running back was thought to be a virtual lock to Ohio State. However, Will Muschamp and the Gators made a push following his lone visit to Gainesville. The Buckeyes landed Justin Hilliard – the No. 1 player in the state – during the first week of July, but less than two weeks later, it appeared that Baker could be heading in a different direction.
On July 11, Baker announced his commitment to the Florida Gators in what was one of the more bizarre college announcements you will ever see. The "ceremony" lasted only a couple of minutes and then that was basically it; no follow-up questions, no speaking to the media, and very little chatter after the decision was public. Not long after, it became evident that this one was far from over as Baker was anything but shy about his intentions to continue checking out the Buckeyes.
Baker and Meyer at Friday Night Lights.
Ohio State never gave up on Baker, and he would go on to make a trip to Columbus for the beatdown of the Bearcats. Before the game, he received the red-carpet treatment from the Buckeyes and was seen flanked by both Mark Pantoni and Gene Smith.
The Gators struggled through the early part of the season and it became evident that the university wasn't content with Muschamp at the helm. Thus, the drumbeats of an eventual flip began to grow a bit louder.
In late October, the flip became official when Baker tweeted out that he had switched his pledge to the in-state Buckeyes. Ohio State would go on to sign six of the state's top-ten players in the Class of 2015. Two of the more noteworthy ones that escaped Meyer's grasp included L.J. Scott (Michigan State) and Shaun Crawford (Notre Dame).
It was an entirely different journey for Justin Layne. The former Benedictine receiver/defensive back drew early interest from Ohio State, earning an offer in October of 2014. However, the Spartans were the first team to really get involved in the recruitment, extending an offer eight months prior in February.
The four-star was nationally ranked in the top 200 and checked in as the state's No. 9 prospect for the Class of 2016. Layne would go on to visit Columbus about a half-dozen times leading up to this past February's signing day. Baker would be alongside his teammate during some of the early visits. Layne also held offers from the likes of Notre Dame, Alabama, and Michigan.
"Me and Justin sometimes joke around about it. But I really don't want him to feel any pressure coming from me to attend OSU. He's going to do what is best for himself and his family just like I had to."
The Buckeyes' focus on wideouts Austin Mack, Binjimen Victor, and Donnie Corley likely played a part in the lack of a strong push for Layne. Mack committed to Ohio State in the summer of 2015 while Victor made his pledge this past January. For Layne, it didn't take quite so long to make a decision as the 6-foot-2, 180-pounder committed to Michigan State during an unofficial visit in April of 2015.
He was one of four wideouts Mark Dantonio brought in for the Class of 2016; a group that may have been the country's best at the position. The Buckeyes also had targeted Cameron Chambers and the aforementioned Donnie Corley.
Things have gone quite well thus far for the former teammates. Jerome Baker saw special teams action as a true freshman and has now settled in at one of the outside linebacker spots. So far as a sophomore, he's recorded 58 total tackles, recovered a fumble, and came through with one of the bigger plays of the season on the road at Norman.
After joining the Spartans and the highly-touted group of new wideouts, Layne has somewhat surprisingly made his mark on the other side of the ball. While he did play both positions in high school, most expected him to excel as a wide receiver in college. Alas, the former Benedictine star now finds himself starting at corner for a school with a history of producing NFL talent at the position.
When starting cornerback Vayante Copeland fractured his foot earlier this month, it was Layne that the coaching staff turned to. He got the start last week against Rutgers and is listed atop the depth chart for Saturday night's matchup in East Lansing.
Mark Dantonio hasn't been shy about his potential.
"He's got special skills, very special skills," Dantonio said of Layne on Sunday. "He's got deep-ball judgement, can tackle in space, can change direction. He's big, he's long. Reminds you a little bit of Trae Waynes in a lot of respects. A young Trae Waynes." Via
Not to be outdone by his former teammate, the Spartan defender has also managed to find the endzone this season. Last month against Northwestern, Layne jumped a Clayton Thorson pass and took it back 43 yards for the score.
This week the true freshman will have the task of going up against J.T. Barrett and the Buckeyes' passing game. At 6-foot-2, he does possess better size than the typical cornerback, which could prove beneficial when squaring off against some of Ohio State's smaller receivers. A matchup with Noah Brown could prove difficult, though, as the Buckeye wideout has about a 40-pound edge on the newcomer.
For Jerome Baker and the Buckeye defense, they will look to stymie L.J. Scott and a Spartan ground game that amassed 277 yards and three scores last week.
