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.
CRYSTAL BALL EXPLANATION: NATE CRAIG-MYERS
Sooo...about last night.
I decided, after a few weeks of debating, to enter a "crystal ball" in the Buckeyes' favor for Nate Craig-Myers, the nation's top-ranked wide receiver prospect in the 2016 class. I did not receive any new information about NCM and the Buckeyes, but made the decision on a few factors, some of which was just a gut feeling. What prompted the pick? Here's the basic reasoning.
- NCM, prior to his commitment to Auburn, was viewed by many as a legitimate option for the Buckeyes, as far back as last summer.
- He's an admitted "big fan" of Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes' offense.
- The Buckeyes wide receiver situation sets up nicely for a player of his caliber. Michael Thomas is likely to depart following the 2015 season and there's a need for bigger, outside-type wide receivers.
- Since re-opening his recruitment, NCM has said the Buckeyes are one of the teams recruiting him the hardest and Ohio State is a school he definitely wants to visit this summer.
- He has said he won't make another decision until January, which gives the Buckeyes plenty of time to re-establish their relationship with Craig-Myers, and by the Buckeyes I mean Urban Meyer, Zach Smith and Tony Alford.
This weekend, NCM will travel to Auburn, where he'll spend the night Friday. Florida State, USC, Auburn and basically everyone is recruiting him, but if he makes it up to Columbus this summer, I think the Buckeyes become the team to beat. There's a lot of similarities, as I see it, in NCM's recruitment and that of Torrance Gibson last year. Will it end the same way? I don't know, but there's enough working in Ohio State's favor to make this pick not as outlandish as it seems.
GREG LITTLE TALKS BUCKEYES WITH SCOUT.COM
Another big-time national prospect that has talked repeatedly about visiting Ohio State appears to be closer to finalizing a date. Allen, Texas 2016 offensive lineman Greg Little, the country's second-ranked overall prospect and top-ranked offensive lineman, told Scout.com he's close to visiting Columbus.
"Visits coming up I have Ole Miss, Alabama at the beginning of June," Little explained. "Also Ohio State, LSU and Texas A&M."
Committed to Texas A&M since June of 2014, Little also had an interesting read on the status of his pledge.
He is still committed, but there is not any doubt that he is still looking at all of his options as well.
"Right now I am about 50% committed," Little reported. "I have a couple of visits coming up and that is about it right now."
Can the Buckeyes make a run at the big (6-foot-6, 305-pound) Little? Absolutely they can, but a visit has to happen first. Until the airline ticket is purchased, I'm still preaching cautious optimism here.
TUCKY WOWS AT REGIONAL TRACK MEET
One of my favorite players in Ohio's 2016 recruiting class is Delaware's Ethan Tucky, who I've likened in the past to Ohio State freshman Nick Conner. With "only" 11 scholarship offers, Tucky is one of the most under-appreciated athletes in the region and he proved that again during Wednesday's regional track finals.
Running the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash, Tucky ripped off a pair of incredible times for someone his size.
11.1 in the 100 and 22.29 in the 200 at the regional track finals for Delawares Ethan Tucky (@akaEthanTucky) - 63 and 215? Crazy.
— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) May 28, 2015
A few seconds after that tweet, Tucky sent me a message to correct me on one small fact.
Ive been corrected - Tucky is actually up to 225 pounds.
— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) May 28, 2015
The Rutherford B. Hayes defensive end/linebacker went on to tell me that he will camp at Ohio State soon, hopefully June 16, and that Luke Fickell stopped by his school last week.
What will it take for Tucky to earn a Buckeye offer? He's going to have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he can be a linebacker, because the Buckeyes are not going to take another defensive end that doesn't have the last name Bosa and aren't in a position numbers-wise where they can take a 'tweener.
HAMLIN COULD HIGHLIGHT BIG SATURDAY IN COLUMBUS
With Nike's The Opening regional camp coming to town Sunday, it's expected that Ohio State will host a fair number of prospects on Saturday; guys who arrive in town a day early to take advantage of the convenient camp locale. We've already told you that Lexington, Kentucky offensive lineman Landon Young and Pittsburgh's Paris Ford will be in town; but who else is expected? Here are a few names that could be in town Saturday.
Westerville South's Jaelen Gill, a standout athlete from Columbus will visit Ohio State, and Demario McCall is tentatively scheduled to as well, but that's about it from inside of Ohio. 2016 offensive lineman Michael Jordan, a Buckeye commitment, is also expected.
Beyond that group, it's a handful of Pennsylvanians, highlighted by Pittsburgh's Damar Hamlin, that really make the afternoon important. Joining Hamlin is Clairton, Pennsylvania 2017 cornerback Lamont Wade, the aforementioned Paris Ford and Gateway High School's (Monroeville, Pennsylvania) 2017 offensive lineman Robert Hainsey. Ford and Hainsey don't have Buckeye offers, but Monroeville has been good to Ohio State in the past: 2009 five-stars Dorian Bell and Corey "Pittsburgh" Brown were teammates there.
Hamlin is the top cornerback on Ohio State's board in 2016 and has been for some time. Yesterday, he announced via Twitter that he'd be cutting his list down to ten schools sometime next week.
Releasing a top 10 list some time next week
— DAMAR HAMLIN (@HamlinIsland) May 27, 2015
You should expect the Buckeyes to be on that list, and fairly high on it if it's released in an order of preference.
THE OPENING REGIONALS: PLAYERS I'LL BE WATCHING
Today's installment of "Who I'll be Watching This Weekend" focuses on Jake Hausmann, Damar Hamlin and Jaelin Gill.
Hausmann, the country's 3rd-ranked tight end, has been almost radio silent since his commitment to the Buckeyes in January. He likes it that way. He's not that interested in the hullabaloo around recruiting, so him making his way to Columbus for this camp is unique in just that way.
On the field, I'm interested to see if Hausmann has increased his speed since the last time I saw him (last summer). He's got the perfect frame for a college tight end and I want to see him be a bit more aggressive in his route-running and pass-catching.
Hamlin, as noted, is a player Ohio State has been watching closely for a while now and I've not seen him live. He's got prototype size and speed to succeed in the Buckeyes' defensive system and I'm really excited to see him against the region's top offensive threats, including a guy like McCall. The country's 140th-ranked overall prospect is top contender for an invite to The Opening and I want to see him dominate like Damon Webb did at this event two summers ago.
Gill, a 6-foot, 165-pound running back/wide receiver, is going to be one of a few – if not the only – 2018 prospect in attendance, and I'm extremely interested to see how he stacks up physically. This summer is likely to be as long as Gill will have to wait for a Buckeye offer, but I know the Ohio State staff is interested to see how he performs against the best of the best. This is not your typical 15-year-old, so don't be surprised to see people commenting in awe on Sunday about the Westerville South star.
