Friday Night Lights, Ohio State's largest and most important recruiting camp is nearly upon us. It is Christmas in July and Eleven Warriors has you covered.
Nearly 40 of the country's top athletes from the next four recruiting cycles are scheduled to be in Ohio Stadium for the program's fifth annual showcase event. A running list of expected visitors can be found on our recruiting board, but let's take a look at some of the key storylines from prospects on the defensive side of the ball.
ONE LAST VISIT FOR RIEP
Cincinnati Colerain cornerback Amir Riep is set to announce his college decision on Saturday at 1 p.m. It's widely assumed that he's going to pick the Buckeyes, considering he canceled a visit to Michigan State earlier in the week; the Spartans seemed to be only other legitimate contender for his services.
If Ohio State ultimately lands the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder, some wonder what it means for their scholarship-strapped 2017 class. One player, in particular, it could affect is Clairton (Pennsylvania) High School's Lamont Wade. The five-star defensive back will also be in Columbus Friday, but many national pundits have cooled on the Buckeyes' chances after Wade shared concerns he may not be able to enroll early due to the scholarship numbers.
247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong recently changed his Crystal Ball prediction for Wade from Ohio State to Penn State, who hosted the country's seventh-best corner prospect last month.
STACKING UP ALONG THE DEFENSIVE LINE
It's been quite the week for 2017 defensive end Chase Young.
The five-star prospect from Hyattsville (Maryland) DeMatha Catholic High School took a nearly four-day trip to Alabama and touted the program's facilities as the nation's best.
The Crimson Tide likely used the fact the Buckeyes recently signed a pair of the nation's best defensive ends in 2016 — five-star Nick Bosa and four-star Jonathon Cooper — as reason for Young to not bring his talents to Columbus. However, that hasn't dissuaded the nation's No. 22 overall prospect thus far.
Young owns more than 40 scholarship offers, but more than 70 percent of Crystal Ball prognosticators believe he'll end up in Columbus.
KEEPING THE PIPELINE FLOWING FROM STATE UP NORTH
Despite the fact his high school sits right in the shadows of Michigan Stadium, three-star Antjuan Simmons remains a solid Buckeye pledge.
Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh, defensive coordinator Don Brown and linebackers coach Chris Partridge won't rest until he reconsiders his options, but Simmons will instead take the opportunity at Friday Night Lights to recruit other top prospects to Ohio State.
Simmons has been in the ear of other top in-state prospects since he committed in March, such as Detroit Cass Tech's Jaylen Kelly-Powell.
"I talk real heavy to all the Michigan guys, help Coach [Kerry] Coombs out with that," Simmons said.
Coombs is the ringleader in the state of Michigan for Ohio State's recruiting efforts, establishing a pipeline of sorts from Cass Tech, from which current Buckeyes Damon Webb, Joshua Alabi and Mike Weber hail.
Simmons goes to Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, but his situation is the exact same, so I'm sure the defensive backs coach will roam over the linebacker drills to have a word or two with Simmons.
THAT NAME SOUNDS FAMILIAR
I hadn't come across a prospect that made me feel like I was starting to get up there in age until I glanced over the aforementioned list of those expected to attend Friday Night Lights.
Asante Samuel Jr., son of the somewhat recently retired, two-time Super Bowl champion Asante Samuel, changed that, however.
A sophomore at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), Asante Jr. - or A.J. - has been making quite the name for himself, fielding offers from nearly 40 of the top programs in the country thus far. Ohio State made the cut in Samuel's top 10, which he revealed back in April.
Blessed pic.twitter.com/nc3jjB27jn
— Asante Samuel (@godschild3_) April 11, 2016
The 5-foot-10, 160-pounder is currently ranked as the 25th best cornerback prospect in the country for the Class of 2018. He picked off five passes last season in helping the Raiders to their second consecutive Florida 7A state titles.
