For most recruiting classes, there's a good chance that a player like Isaiah Pryor – ranked No. 47 nationally – would be the crown jewel of the defense or possibly even the entire class. As it stands, Pryor is the third-highest rated defensive back that the Buckeyes are bringing in.
And that's not a knock on the Georgia native at all. It's more of a testament to just how good this recruiting class is.
The Pryor File
CLASS: 2017
SIZE: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds
POS: Safety
SCHOOL: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
COMPOSITE RANKING: ★★★★
COMPOSITE RANK: 5 (Safety)
The early stages of Pryor's recruitment saw the Lawrenceville (Archer) star making a name for himself on the camp circuit. In 2015, he received a number of underclassmen honors during the various spring and summer camps.
Some of the first programs to extend offered included Ohio State, Tennessee, Georgia, and Oklahoma. Michigan offered in February of 2015 and schools like Florida State and Clemson followed suit the following month. Pryor actually took a pair of visits to Ann Arbor that spring and also trekked to Florida, Florida State, Michigan State, Clemson, and others throughout the summer, competing in camps all over the country.
During this time, he would also make his third trip to Columbus. Pryor had developed quite the relationship with Urban Meyer and Kerry Coombs, and the Ohio State chatter really started to gain steam. The Archer High School School star was planning to return to Columbus for a game, but it didn't take that long for his recruitment to reach its culmination.
In July of 2015, Pryor joined Shaun Wade and Marcus Williamson in the future Buckeye secondary. He was rumored to be a silent commit for some time, but held off until July 27th before making things official. Pryor became the third star from the Peach State to side with Meyer in Columbus, joining Vonn Bell and Raekwon McMillan.
Ohio State's defensive back class was already shaping up to be one of the best of all time, and the addition of one of the country's top safeties was a huge piece of the puzzle.
At 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Pryor certainly has the measurables to play safety at the next level. He's a physical player and more than capable of coming up and stopping the run as well. Due to his size, many wondered if he could ultimately end up playing linebacker for the Buckeyes. Given that he's the lone true safety commit in the class, it seems likely that he will stay in the backfield for the foreseeable future.
Pryor and his family took two more trips to Columbus that fall, checking out games again Michigan State and Penn State. In January of 2016, he announced a pretty big change in his high school plans.
Pryor's decision to move to Bradenton's IMG Academy was newsworthy, but likely not a total surprise considering how many of the country's top prospects pursue a similar path. A few days after the announcement, fellow commit Marcus Williamson announced that he would be transferring from Westerville South High School to the Florida boarding school as well.
The Pryor family explained why this was the best decision for them, and it's hard to argue with their rationale. From 247Sports:
“We made the decision to better things for Isaiah,” said the elder Pryor. “He will get better every day and it will prepare him for the next level. The play a national schedule and it will allow him to improve as a football player. More importantly, it’s a great fit academically. They have Ivy League academics and he will fit in well with his 3.7 grade point average.”
Most of the Pryor recruitment went by without much suspense, but in March of 2016, there was a little bit of concern when the four-star visited Alabama. Coming off a spring break trip to Columbus, Pryor and his family did check out the Crimson Tide. The visit came and went without much news, but Alabama did continue its pursuit throughout the rest of the year.
Pryor competed in Nike's The Opening last summer and went on to take part in the Under Armour All-American Game festivities earlier this month. He did experiment a little bit at linebacker while practicing in Orlando, but his future still likely remains in the secondary.
Welcome to The Bus @D1Zay13! pic.twitter.com/bj12P5tn6K
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) January 8, 2017
Pryor arrived in Columbus last week as one of nine early enrollees. The Buckeyes have already lost three starters to the NFL, so there will be plenty of opportunities for early playing time in the secondary.
It is expected that Jordan Fuller or Erick Smith will take over one of the safety spots. However, Pryor is certainly ahead of the game thanks to his early arrival, and we expect him to see the field in some capacity as a true freshman.
