Yesterday we recapped the week that was on the Ohio State football recruiting front. Today we tackle the week ahead.
Raekwon McMillan will make another trip to Ohio StateAn elite group of visitors make their way to Columbus in the coming days and some are traveling long distances on their own dime. Being able to and willing to make the trek to OSU before September from afar is almost always a solid indication of serious interest.
One thing is certain: the Ohio State staff has hosted more top athletes on unofficial visits over the winter and spring months than in past years. The aggression and emphasis on recruitment by the staff has never been more evident.
The likes of DB Todd Kelly Jr, RB Jalen Hurd, WR Demarre Kitt, LB Raekwon McMillan, OL Mason Cole, OL K.C. McDermott, OL Braden Smith, CB Quincy Wilson, OL/DL Sam Mustipher, OT Demetrius Knox, LB Clifton Garrett, OT Jamarco Jones, DL Da'Shawn Hand, DB Damon Webb, RB Elijah Hood, DB Parrker Westphal, QB Drew Barker, QB Caleb Henderson, and DL Lawrence Marshall have already been on campus at least once.
That is an unprecedented list of unofficial visitors at this point in the recruiting cycle, with top talents such as OL Quenton Nelson, DL Malik McDowell, WR Trevion Thompson, DB Jabrill Peppers, and DB Tony Brown also planning visits to the Ohio State campus.
Some more big names get added to that list this week. Jump in to see which premier recruits will be visiting the campus along the banks of the Olentangy.
Red Bank (NJ) Catholic OL Quenton Nelson began his visit to Ohio State today. Already holding a Buckeye offer, the 6-5/285 mammoth picked up his newest offer yesterday from the Crimson Tide. It is safe to say the New Jersey product has arrived on the scene, being sought after by the nation's best programs.
With Kyle Trout and Marcelys Jones giving the Buckeyes two commits along the offensive line, two or three spots at the position still remain available. Nelson is a prime candidate for one of those vacancies, and a sensational visit to campus could be just what the doctor ordered.
Manahawkin (NJ) Southern Regional WR Mike Gesicki is a prospect on the rise and will be joining Nelson as New Jersey natives beginning visits to Ohio State today. Notre Dame and Penn State are two other programs that have shown increased interest in the talented receiver.
It remains to be seen but an offer could be in the cards. The OSU staff has already issued out offers to handful of prospects in the Garden State and Gesicki could be next in line.
Could Derek Kief be the next Buckeye commit? Fellow wide receiver Derek Kief will embark on his first trip to Ohio State this weekend. The Cincinnati (OH) La Salle prospect now holds 18 offers from the likes of the Buckeyes, Alabama, Louisville, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The Cincinnati standout recently took a visit down south to see what the Crimson Tide had to offer. It will be the OSU coaching staff's turn this time around.
Kief was notably excited about the offer from Urban Meyer's crew and a verbal commitment to the home-state Scarlet and Gray would not surprise me. It is something to pay attention to as the weekend progresses.
A third wide receiver will have the chance to check out the campus and spring practice, and it will be his second time on the path from Georgia to Ohio. Tyrone (GA) Sandy Creek WR Demarre Kitt was in Columbus in January and already has another visit scheduled to begin April 4.
The talents of Kitt are no secret and he is being pursued by the who's who of college football. A return visit being made so soon has to bode well for Ohio State's chances.
The bonus attached to the Peach State star is the benefit it could have on another recruit that he is rather close to. and Kitt and QB Deshaun Watson wish to play for the same school and Clemson appears to be in the best spot thus far. Recently, Urban Meyer and his staff are making a push and continuing to impress Kitt, which could motivate Watson to check out what all the chatter is about at OSU.
The month of April starts out with a bang on the recruiting front in Columbus as LB Raekwon McMillan and ATH Myles Autry will be spending a couple days in the capital city.
McMillan has long been a target for the Buckeyes and the serious mutual interest between the two is well known. The upcoming visit will give the coaches a chance to strengthen their grip on one of the best linebackers in the country.
Having Autry in town with McMillan is the cherry on top. The Norcross, GA recruit holds offers from just about everyone, including Ohio State, and has been on record stating that OSU was his dream school.
A spectacular visit could leave the Bucks sitting pretty with some of the best players in the state of Georgia in the 2014 class.
