Welcome to The Hurry Up, which runs Sunday through Thursday, serving as your last stop for recruiting news and notes nightly. We'll recap the day as it happened and preview the days ahead while keeping our ear to the ground on the Ohio State recruiting scene.
ANOTHER BIG VISIT WEEKEND EMERGING
Last night in the The Hurry Up we mentioned that Fort Wayne's Austin Mack is expected back on campus in Columbus this weekend. The Buckeyes have been working hard to secure Mack, who will make his college choice on June 7th, but there's another big-time wide receiver prospect they hope they'll see on campus this weekend: Detroit Martin Luther King's Donnie Corley, Jr.
While Corley, the country's 20th-ranked wide receiver, has not confirmed the visit, he and his parents are at this point expected by the Buckeyes. The visit would be the first to Columbus for Corley since January 25th, and his father was unable to make that trip due to a work conflict. Corley and Mack are the two of the higher targets on Ohio State's wide receiver recruiting board.
This afternoon, 247Sports.com analyst Steve Wiltfong broke news that another top-ranked player was going to be in Columbus. A 6-foot-7, 230-pound tight end from Pennsylvania.
Blue-chip TE Cary Angeline has scheduled a visit to #OhioState: http://t.co/aFrW3GyWFF via @247Sports #Buckeyes #OSU
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) April 8, 2015
Cary Angeline is the country's ninth-ranked tight end and has a Buckeye offer and confirmed the visit with 11W. The Buckeyes already have a commitment from Jake Hausmann and are hot on the trail of Perry, Ohio's Luke Farrell, but Angeline is a player they've been fond of for months. Were Angeline to express legitimate interest in the Buckeyes, a difficult decision would need to be made by Tim Hinton and the Ohio State staff.
The Buckeyes are also expected to see Westerville South 2017 cornerback Marcus Williamson. Williamson is the sixth-ranked cornerback in his class and a player that could potentially commit to Ohio State at any given moment.
WALLACE ON TAP?
Late last night, hours after Jarrett Guarantano's Ohio State visited ended, the Buckeyes – led by Urban Meyer – were on the horn with Tristen Wallace, the DeSoto, Texas standout quarterback thought by many to be the "next" guy if Guarantano chooses Tennessee or Rutgers. After talking with a few people close to Ohio State yesterday, I did reiterate my belief that Guarantano will choose Tennessee next Wednesday, meaning that Wallace is likely to get the full-court press from Ohio State coaches and soon.
As outsiders looking in, we're often led to believe the most negative aspect of any recruiting situation, so it's natural to think that Wallace – or any other quarterback – would be "put off" by the knowledge that Guarantano was/is the preference. I think, truly, that is almost never the case. These kids do understand the business of football and recruiting and while everyone wants to be everyone's first priority, that's simply not possible. If the lottery commission wanted to give you a million dollars, but asked someone else first who declined, would you be upset or gladly accept that million dollars?
Wallace could make a decision at any time, and he's a great fit for the Buckeye offensive system, so it's worth paying attention to what happens down with him. Could the Buckeyes still be holding out a smidge of hope re: Guarantano and next Wednesday? Of course, but if Wallace wants in before that decision is made, Ohio State will welcome him with open arms.
JUDSON IMPACTED BY DEAN DECISION?
Last month I earned a bit of scorn when I flipped my crystal ball on Buckeye commitment Bruce Judson from Ohio State to Florida, where he had just recently visited. Naturally, people assumed that the reason for my flip was the visit to Gainesville, but that was not the case on any level. Rather, I flipped Judson from Ohio State to Florida because I felt that the impending (now public) news about Jamel Dean would have a likely – and unfortunate – negative side-effect for the Buckeyes and Judson, who lined up with Dean at Cocoa High School in Florida.
After talking with sources close to the Florida pair, I'm still confident that is eventually going to be the case, although the Buckeyes do have a good length of time to try and smooth things over. Ohio State will undoubtedly spend a good portion of time trying to salvage the relationship with the Cocoa staff, much like they did with the Cass Tech staff in February after the Mike Weber/Stan Drayton situation.
DIGGS WANTS TO VISIT OHIO STATE
Urban Meyer missed on Maryland star Stefon Diggs in the 2012 recruiting class, but that doesn't mean the Buckeyes are out of that living room. Trevon Diggs, the younger brother of the Terrapins' wide receiver listed the Buckeyes as one of the schools he's hoping to make a visit to.
I need to visit.. AriZona, Auburn, Tennessee, LSU, South Carolina, North Carolina, Miami, Florida State, Rutgers, Ohio State, & Ucla
— Mr.DIGGS (@TrevonDiggs) April 8, 2015
The country's 86th-ranked player overall, Diggs does not have an offer from Ohio State, but that's likely because the Buckeyes haven't felt he was a legitimate possibility. If he decides to make a visit, the offer will most certainly come his way. Alabama, Maryland, Florida and Penn State are the teams standing out in his recruitment at the moment.
WALKER FOR HEISMAN? EARLY HYPERBOLE NEVER A BAD THING
Kareem Walker, who was planning on attending Ohio State's spring game, will not be able to. He, like Brendan Ferns and a handful of other prospects, have ACT testing that day which is more important to get out of the way, especially for prospects who plan to enroll early. Whether or not Walker's absence impacts the plans of Rashan Gary is yet to be determined, but chances are it doesn't help Ohio State in getting the country's top overall prospect back on campus next week.
"I'll be fine (missing the game,)" Walker told 11W. "I'll record it. I have to get the test scores right so I can enroll early."
Today, 247Sports.com had a little story talking about what players from the 2016 recruiting class could be Heisman Trophy winners, and Walker's name is on the list.
Walker is 6-foot-1, 210 pounds and is committed to Ohio State. After watching what Ezekial Elliott did to opposing defenses down the stretch in the Buckeyes offense, it is a certainty that another ultra-talented back like Walker could do the same. Ohio State (isn't) going anywhere on the national stage and in fact, the Buckeyes are going to be even more talented in the years to come. Walker is the type of star back that can be a major factor in the national spotlight, something that is critical in Heisman voting.
High expectations and dreams of big things? Yeah, Walker is used to hearing that. Judging by this tweet today, I'd says he's used to hearing a lot of things.
These recruiters will tell you anything to get you to there school. It's all a business
— AlightyReem (@_KareemWalker) April 8, 2015
