The Hurry Up is your nightcap of Ohio State recruiting news, catching you up on the day’s event with an ear on the ground for what’s next.
PRYTS CONTINUES TRAVELS, REMAINS HIGH ON OHIO STATE BOARD
Yesterday, Steve Wiltfong, the big cheese of the 247Sports.com network, made a crystal ball pick that could have major implications for the Buckeyes 2016 recruiting class. Wiltfong tabbed Hermitage, Penn., defensive back Andrew Pryts as a Buckeye and that prompted me to do a bit of digging to see what exactly he was hearing that I was not.
Pryts recently visited Notre Dame, and right now is out west where he's been checking out Stanford, and – as we've mentioned before – is a Penn State legacy so the prediction for Ohio State was interesting. Here's what I have been able to figure out.
First, Pryts is a player the Buckeyes have valued far higher on their board than recruiting services do. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound safety is a three-star prospect nationally but has been a priority for Ohio State since early in this calendar year. He's been to Columbus twice, including visits with his parent and his grandmother.
The vibe from Happy Valley is that Penn State, long thought to be the frontrunner, may not be as confident as they once were and Notre Dame's staff doesn't appear to be feeling great about where they stand, either. Stanford, with their unique blend of academics, athletics and location could throw a wrench into things but the Buckeyes feel confident that they've got the lead and feel a decision could come as soon as the next few weeks. Pryts isn't a big talker, so don't expect much in the way of dramatics prior to any decision being made.
Bottom line? It'd be foolish to count Penn State out of this race, but Tuf Borland was a "lock" for Wisconsin at one point as well. The parents of these kids are not pushing them towards any school other than the one that is the best fit for their son. It remains to be seen if Ohio State will land Pryts, but after talking to people today, I'm following Wiltfong's lead and have predicted they do.
ISAIAH PRYOR DISCUSSION
While we're on the topic of Buckeye crystal balls with Wiltfong's name attached to them, let's take a look at one he made last week for 2017 five-star Isaiah Pryor. Pryor, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound safety from Archer High School in Lawrenceville, Ga., has visited Ohio State three separate times and the Buckeyes feel very good about where they stand with the five-star.
Pryor has family in Ohio, his father played at Iowa, his brother plays at Iowa, so he's clearly not your stereotypical "southern kid" who is unlikely to leave the region. Ohio State has two cornerbacks already committed in 2017 and while Pryor is a defensive back all the way in high school, it'd not be a total surprise if his eventual position was at outside linebacker. He's got the frame and athleticism to be a difference maker at any position.
I'm not going to argue the selection by Wiltfong or anyone who has the Buckeyes pegged as the destination here, but I've not not yet spoken to Pryor himself so I'm not really able to speak too confidently on what I think. I know the Buckeyes are comfortable with their positioning and a summer decision wouldn't be a surprise.
TERRANCE DAVIS GETS BUCKEYE OFFER
Although the odds of adding another offensive lineman to the 2016 recruiting class remains small, that's not stopping the Buckeyes from getting themselves in the mix for talented players. On Saturday they offered Georgia's Willie Allen, who we talked about briefly on Sunday, but they also offered Maryland's Terrance Davis.
Davis, from DeMatha Catholic, is the country's 77th-ranked player and right now is a big-time "lean" for Michigan and Jim Harbaugh. Still, the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder says he's hoping to get to Ohio State for a Friday Night Lights' visit and that he's excited about the offer. He's been recruited recently by Larry Johnson, Sr. He told me he intends to make a decision late in the recruiting process and that means the Buckeyes have at least a little time to develop the relationship from this point moving forward.
GREENE VISIT BEGINS TOMORROW
One of the country's best 2017 wide receivers will begin his week-long visit to Columbus tomorrow. IMG Academy standout Emmanuel Greene arrives at Ohio State and will stay in town until the first of July. Greene, who recently visited Miami, said he plans to make a college decision shortly after he leaves Ohio.
The country's 12th-ranked 2017 wide receiver and 77th-ranked overall prospect is expected to commit to the Buckeyes, but his hometown Miami has continued to push and are doing whatever they can to keep this talent in South Florida.
MARCO WILSON ADDS OHIO STATE OFFER
Another 2017 defensive back earned a Buckeye offer this week and it's a name that could be familiar to you if you're a fan of SportsCenter or other shows that focus on videos of athletes doing amazing things. Marco Wilson, a 2017 cornerback from American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale) added the Buckeyes to his growing offer list.
Wilson is the younger brother of former Buckeye target Quincy Wilson, now at Florida, and earned himself a lot of publicity in the late spring because of a few remarkable, highlight reel catches like this one.
