Jake Pickard, a three-star athlete from New Jersey, visited Ohio State on Wednesday. By reading his twitter, it's safe to say that he left Columbus impressed with Urban Meyer and Ohio State. Eleven Warriors was able to speak with him regarding his mid-week visit.
"I toured the stadium, indoor facility, weight room, locker rooms and met with academic advisors," said the six-foot-six prospect. "There was no practice, but I talked to all of the coaches, including Coach Meyer."
Meeting Urban Meyer is always something that prospects rave about. Pickard came away very impressed by Meyer after only their first meeting.
"He was real down to earth and an upfront and honest guy," Pickard told 11W. "We even got to talk about his family. I was early impressed by the type of coach and person he is."
After missing out on Mike Gesicki at tight end in 2014, the Buckeyes are potentially looking for a pair in 2015. Some schools are recruiting Pickard at defensive end while some are as a tight end. What position are the Buckeyes recruiting him at?
"As a tight end. They love the way I play and how I can block," the junior prospect said. "They just need to see me run routes and catch the ball."
The Buckeyes are already arranging to check out the three-star prospect in-person.
"Ohio State will be visiting during the evaluation period and they want me at one of their one-day camps," he continued. "They want to keep in touch and stay updated with my recruiting."
He already holds offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Louisville, Purdue, Rutgers, Temple and Virginia. Interest is coming in from Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and others. It's early in his recruitment, but things are already beginning to take some shape.
"I really like Virginia, Rutgers, Boston College, Penn State and Purdue but I'm not choosing definite favorites yet," he told 11W before his Ohio State visit.
Would an Ohio State offer move the Buckeyes near the top of his list?
"Absolutely, they would definitely be up at the top," Pickard said noting the high caliber of Ohio State's program and coach.
The recruiting process has been a whirlwind for the New Jersey native, who plans to visit Virginia over his spring break. After that visit, he plans to take some time off of college visits.
