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.
HALL TALKS MARYLAND VISIT
Yesterday, I talked briefly about the recent visit to Maryland from Ohio State 2016 defensive end commitment Terrell Hall. The decision to visit Maryland, whom Hall has had a few negative things to say about on social media, immediately prompted the rumor mill to start grinding out "Hall to Flip?" stories. He told Eleven Warriors that isn't something to spend too much time considering.
"No," Hall said when asked if there's anything for Ohio State to worry about. "Fans will get hype about anything."
So why the visit?
"They kept asking me to come and I live like five minutes away," he added. "So I drove over and had some food and hung out."
Hall will participate in this week's 11W Community Interview and he's also got another project set to be released this week. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end, ranked 10th-nationally at his position, is the subject of a documentary being released by his trainer about the development of Hall between his freshman season and now.
NOTRE DAME IMPACTING TIGHT END RECRUITING
Over the weekend Notre Dame landed a commitment from their top 2017 tight end target, Brock Wright, who is ranked as the country's best in that class.
So?
Well, the commitment of Wright meant that Cincinnati Moeller 2017 tight end Matt Dotson, who many people felt could end up at Notre Dame, dropped the Irish from his list. Dotson dropping the Irish helps Ohio State's pursuit of him immensely, obviously, since his family (grandfather) played at Notre Dame. What makes that more interesting? There was, at least temporarily, the train of thought that the Irish would be set at tight end in 2017, right? Well, no. Today, they offered Illinois' Cole Kmet, who also has a Buckeye offer. There was at least a smidgen of speculation that Wright would be the only tight end for Notre Dame in 2017 but that offer to Kmet suggests something totally different. What?
Well, it could mean that Brian Kelly's Leprechauns have ended their thoughts of taking a tight end in 2016, which could mean they feel they have little to no shot with Perry, Ohio's Luke Farrell. That would be another positive sign for the Buckeyes as it pertains to the in-state tight end recruiting for 2016 and 2017.
CROWELL HAS TOP THREE
It's been about a month since Mississippi 2016 wide receiver Daniel Crowell visited Columbus for Nike's The Opening regional camp. The visit to Ohio State's campus had one goal (to get invited to The Opening) but it ended up with him receiving an even bigger opportunity; a scholarship from the Buckeyes during a visit with the coaching staff the next morning at the request of Austin Mack. Today Crowell took to Twitter and said he's got a list of three schools that are still standing out to him.
Got my top three colleges
— Daniel Crowell (@crowell3daniel) June 29, 2015
Crowell has continued to stay in contact with Ohio State and today the Ole Miss commit shared that he's got the Buckeyes still on his mind.
"Ole Miss, Ohio State and Mississippi State," Crowell told 11W. "I will try to get (to Ohio State) for Friday Night Lights."
The country's 96th-ranked wide receiver has been staying pretty off-the-radar since his trip north.
"Summer has been busy, I haven't been talking to many coaches," he said. "I'm going to talk to Ohio State today, though."
FUNDERBURK PUTS ON A SHOW
I realize I don't talk much basketball here and I'm sorry if this has been seen elsewhere, but I came across this video of Ohio State's 2016 hoops commitment Derek Funderburk and felt it was worth sharing.
Funderburk is the country's 42nd-ranked player in his class and this video gives a pretty good idea why. At 6-foot-9 and 210 pounds, the Lakewood St. Edward center shows off his athleticism, his handle and his shot during last week's NBA Top 100 camp in Virginia.
Have to be impressed by continued progressions out of Derek Funderburk. Big man has reworked jumper and faceup game a great deal
— Corey Evans (@coreyevans_10) June 20, 2015
Solid spurt out of Derek Funderburk. Always intense but never realized how good of a passer the big man is facing the rim #NBPATop100
— Corey Evans (@coreyevans_10) June 19, 2015
This week Funderburk is Los Angeles for Nike's Skills Academy where he will continue his busy summer. Ohio State's 2016 recruiting class is likely to consist of only Funderburk and Micah Potter.
