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.
WATTS UP?
I don't want to get into the habit of talking about every pro-Buckeye crystal ball that gets placed on 247Sports.com, but today's predictions on Craig Watts are worth talking about. Steve Wiltfong is about as good as it gets in the recruiting business, so anytime he makes a decisive and against-the-grain prediction, it at least requires a little further inspection.
We talked about Watts here in a Hurry Up last week, and really, not much has changed regarding his status since then. He's one of a number of potential options at defensive back that continue to be evaluated by Ohio State, and the Buckeyes plan to see him in person later this month. He does, however, have a big supporter on the Ohio State staff in Tony Alford, who is working hard to make sure the rest of the Buckeye staff sees Watts as he does. Watts is the country's 15th-ranked safety and a player that a number of coaching staffs are evaluating. If the Buckeyes want Watts, they'll have to reach a consensus by his July 14th decision date.
2018 LINEBACKER GETS BUCKEYE OFFER
While it's very early in the process for Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach) linebacker Teradja Mitchell, he's off to a pretty darn good start in the race to be 2018's most offered linebacker.
Mitchell is 6-foot-2 and 205-pounds and today was offered by the Buckeyes, who join Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, NC State, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech on his offer list. Mitchell is close to John Harris, who served as mentor and helped Matt Burrell in his recruitment, so there is a pre-established Buckeye connection. Understandably, with three years left of high school there's a lot of time for things to happen, but Mitchell – along with fellow 2018 Virginia standout Ricky Slade, Jr. – are a pair to watch when it comes to the Buckeyes.
JUDSON REHAB BEGINS, CLASS BUILDING CONTINUES
Ohio State 2017 commitment Bruce Judson received some good news regarding his recently torn and subsequently surgically-repaired hamstring.
"I was cleared yesterday to start rehab today," Judson told Eleven Warriors about his recovery. "I don't know when I'll be back to 100-percent though."
The hamstring injury happened days after Judson's last visit to Columbus, where he and fellow Floridian Shaun Wade spent most of their visit getting to know Danny Clark, the de facto leader of the 2017 Buckeye haul. Judson says that he is slowly but surely starting to try and do some work to recruit other players into the mix.
"We (the 2017 commitments) have been getting to all know each other better," Judson said. "I try to reach out to other kids too a bit."
Miami and Georgia each offered the Ohio State verbal today.
RENE NARROWING DOWN CHOICES?
Per an interview with NJ.com sportswriter Todderick Hunt, the Buckeyes could be in a head-to-head battle with Rutgers for Alexandria, Virginia's Patrice Rene.
"I think that's a good possibility," Rene, the 6-1, 180-pounder told NJ Advance Media. "I like both schools a lot but I'm also looking at Virginia Tech and North Carolina and other schools. But those two schools are still schools that recruited me early. I have built a really fond relationship with both schools, so I could definitely see it being between those two."
Ohio State offered Rene when he was playing prep football in Canada, and have been keeping tabs on his development since his transfer to the US. With spots limited, Rene's opportunities to become a Buckeye could hinge on what happens with another Virginia cornerback, Wayne Davis.
Davis hopes to get back to Columbus soon for a visit to Ohio State, and it seems that the May 31st weekend could make sense as a convenient time to arrange that since that weekend is Nike's The Opening regional camp on the Buckeyes' campus. As for now, nothing has been cemented, but that weekend could be a big one in deciding how the Buckeyes proceed at defensive back this summer.
