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.
PANASIUK CONTINUES TO BLOW UP, HOPES FOR BUCKEYE OFFER
One of the country's fastest-rising defensive tackle prospects is Roselle, Illinois' Mike Panasiuk. A 6-foot-3, 285-pounder, Panasiuk visited Ohio State during the April 18th weekend and has been hearing semi-regularly from Chris Ash, the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator.
"(Ash) was at my school last week," Panasiuk told Eleven Warriors. "I shoot him a message sometimes. Hopefully they offer, that'd be awesome and they would be one of the teams at the top of my list."
The Buckeyes have been trying to get a commitment from Panasiuk for a camp this summer, but it seems unlikely to happen.
"Ohio State has been mentioning (wanting me to camp)," he said. "I'd rather not miss my senior year of football camp though because I'm a team leader which I want to be around. I'll already be missing days for The Opening."
After adding an offer from Missouri today, Panasiuk has 18 scholarships on the table, including opportunities from Penn State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Baylor, North Carolina and others. He says he'd like narrow down his list soon, but there's no "timeline" necessarily. He realizes that new schools and new opportunities could be added daily. He doesn't want to keep those who've already offered waiting, but he doesn't want to be closed to new possibilities either.
"I hope to find the right place before the first day of school," he said when asked about a decision. "But I don't know if I'll be able to decide between my options by then. Not being able to visit every school is also a struggle, plus more and more schools have started talking."
If the Buckeyes don't sense things are moving in the right direction with other defensive line targets like Rashan Gary or Antwuan Jackson, Panasiuk is a player who could get more attention soon.
TRAYVON MULLEN RELEASES TOP TEN
Ohio State has tried to make regular appearances at Coconut Creek High School in South Florida over the last year, and with talents like Binjimen Victor and Trayvon Mullen there, it makes sense. This morning, Mullen, the country's 38th-ranked overall player and 5th-ranked cornerback, released his top ten schools and the Buckeyes made the list.
Still open minded these are just the schools I feel are very high with me right now. Not excluding anyone pic.twitter.com/WAUeBtTu23
— Mantis.tm1 (@Mullen_1era) May 11, 2015
Whether or not Ohio State gets a chance to move up the list depends on whether or not Mullen – and likely Victor – get a chance to visit Columbus this summer as they did last year. Mullen is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound corner who runs a sub 4.45-40 yard dash, reportedly. One thing is clear from his list, he's not afraid to leave Florida, and that could give the Buckeyes a little push as they continue to recruit him and his teammate.
WHAT DOES JORDAN MEAN FOR OHIO OFFENSIVE LINEMAN?
Last Sunday, we had a story on new names that could be in the mix along the offensive line for the Buckeyes in 2016. That list was a bit of a contingency list, guys to pay close attention to if the Buckeyes didn't land the offensive lineman on this list of the Buckeyes' most important remaining targets. When Canton, Michigan's Michael Jordan surprised everyone by committing to the Buckeyes on Thursday, that list of in-state names went from contingency to nothing more than potential gravy. In fact, it's now very unlikely that the Buckeyes – if they do they add another offensive line man in 2016 - do so from that group.
Instead, they're more likely to focus on trying to add a bigger, national name like Ben Bredeson, Greg Little or Jauan Williams, each of whom are longshots, but with Jordan in the fold, it's less of a need and more of a luxury.
Of the Ohio group, if there's one name that I'd continue to watch it would Dublin's Alex Gellerstedt. His frame and feet, if he makes a camp appearance in front of Ed Warinner this summer, might still warrant a Buckeye offer even with a less-than-pressing need along the offensive line.
MEET TYLER HAMILTON
Ohio State took a good long look at Hilton Head, South Carolina defensive lineman Poona Ford in the 2014 recruiting class but he ended up at Texas, where he was just named the Longhorns' spring football defensive MVP. Hilton Head Island High School head coach BJ Payne, an Ohio native, has another big-time prospect coming down the pike, 2017 wide receiver/athlete Tyler Hamilton. Hamilton is a 5-foot-9, 160-pound junior-to-be, but his highlight film shows a player that plays much bigger.
With offers from Tennessee, Missouri, Texas, West Virginia, Ohio, and Toledo, the secret is getting out: Hamilton's got some major talent. According to Payne, that shouldn't be a surprise.
"His pedigree is ridiculous," Payne said of his budding star. "He has five immediate family members who played at least five years in the (NFL). His dad, three uncles and his first cousin is Michael Jenkins."
At 5-foot-9 and 160-pounds, could some overlook Hamilton based on his frame? Maybe, but that would be a mistake in Payne's eyes.
"Yeah he's 5-foot-9 and a half now legit, barefoot," he added. "He's the same height as Tavon Austin and Deanthony Thomas; they weren't too bad."
