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.
JACKSON WANTS TO MAKE TWO SUMMER VISITS
Antwuan Jackson is one of the country's best defensive tackles and a top target for Ohio State at the position, which happens to be one of their biggest needs in 2016. The Buckeyes added their first defensive tackle commitment two weeks ago with Florida's Malik Barrow, but Jackson or New Jersey's Rashan Gary are the ideal complements to round out that part of the class. Jackson has not yet visited Ohio State, but he said he and the Buckeyes have been in regular contact and there's plans for not one, but two trips to Columbus this summer.
"I talk to Ohio State a lot," Jackson told Eleven Warriors. "I talk to Urban Meyer, Larry Johnson, Kerry Coombs and Mark Pantoni. Right now we're talking about one visit in June and one visit in July."
Yes, cautious optimism is always necessary when discussing even one out of state visit, and more so when considering multiple trips. Still, Ohio State has done well in Georgia recently and it's clear from the sheer number of coaches talking to Jackson that he's a high-value target for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.
DEON JONES LATEST 2017 CORNERBACK OFFER
2016 defensive back recruiting could get a shot in the arm in the near future with a Sunday commitment from Baltimore's Kareem Felder looming and the possibility of a decision from Georgia's Chad Clay in the near future as well. As topsy-turvy a position as any in 2016, the Buckeyes have two of the country's top five cornerbacks in the 2017 class (Shaun Wade and Marcus Williamson) already committed, but they're not done offering talented players. Yesterday Ohio State extended an offer to Washington, D.C. four-star Deon Jones, becoming the 13th offer for the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder, joining Florida State, Auburn, Clemson, and Maryland among his opportunities.
Received An Offer From The University Of Ohio State pic.twitter.com/SWlw9OzX2z
— Deon Jones (@DreamChasin_2) April 28, 2015
Whether or not Jones gives the Buckeyes legitimate consideration will be up to him, but it's clear that in this age of recruiting Ohio State is not going to just assume that they've done enough at any position for their future. It's an arms race, and Urban Meyer is king, and Jones' talent is obviously high caliber, as his offer list should attest.
COOMBS LEADS STAFF ON THE ROAD
Kerry Coombs and his prodigious hashtag game started off another day of Ohio State coaches traveling around the country, looking to plant flags.
Flags officially planted in Nashville! Today getting the flags out in Baltimore and Virginia! #Nostoneunturned #Buckeyesareeverywhere
— Kerry Coombs (@OsuCoachCoombs) April 29, 2015
Nashville is the home of defensive back Joejuan Willams, among others, that Ohio State is still working hard to see more of. Today, in Baltimore and Virginia it's Kareem Felder, Wayne Davis and Patrice Rene as well getting visits from the Buckeyes' energetic defensive backs' coach.
One of today's more pertinent visits was in Illinois, as defensive coordinator Chris Ash stopped in to check on Fremd's Kenney Lyke. Lyke is in the same group as potential offers Tony Butler, Austin Andrews, and AJ Rose, very talented players that the Buckeyes are watching closely but would really like to see at camp in early June.
TUCKY WILL CAMP AT OHIO STATE
One player who says he will definitely camp in Columbus this summer is Delaware, Ohio linebacker/defensive Ethan Tucky, who added a Big Ten offer to his list today.
Blessed, honored, and humbled to have received an offer from the University of Iowa today! #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/H9PgNYYEEd
— Ethan Tucky (@akaEthanTucky) April 29, 2015
Tucky said that recently things have been slowing down a bit in his recruitment, and that's likely because he's focused on track right now. The Hawkeyes are his tenth offer, and Tucky – in explaining why he knows he'll camp at Ohio State – says he's in no hurry to find a college.
"Anything good takes time," Tucky told 11W. "I'm glad it's not been crazy lately."
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker said he was recently hand-timed in the 100 meter-dash at 10.89, a blistering time for a kid his size. An impressive camp at Ohio State could definitely vault him back into the conversation for the Buckeyes at linebacker, especially if Brendan Ferns decides to matriculate somewhere other than Columbus.
