The Hurry Up is your nightcap of Ohio State recruiting news, catching you up on the day’s events with an ear on the ground for what’s next.
HASKELL GARRETT TELLS SCOUT.COM HE'S ALL BUCKEYE
After his five-day visit to Ohio State at the end of March, four star Buckeye commitment Haskell Garrett's recruitment went from "still need to see" to "I'm done completely" in no time at all.
From Scout.com:
Garrett had initially had planned trips to Notre Dame, Penn State and others–he did make the Notre Dame trip two days before coming to Columbus–but it appears that moving forward, it's nothing but Ohio State for the 6-foot-2, 300-pounder.
The Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) standout told Scout's Greg Biggins his first trip to see the Buckeyes answered all his questions.
With an increasing presence in Las Vegas, having a firm commitment from one of the Gaels' biggest stars can do nothing but help for the remainder of this cycle and beyond.
HOLMES, RADLEY-HILES WILL NOT BE AT OHIO STATE SPRING GAME
We mentioned last night a few of the big names that will be in Columbus this weekend, but one of the biggest–Calabasas, California's Darnay Holmes–will not be making his way to Ohio State for the Buckeyes' spring game. Neither will his 2018 teammate and cornerback partner Brendan Radley-Hiles, who had planned to travel with Holmes.
"(Urban) Meyer asked me and Darnay to just come to Friday Night Lights," Radley-Hiles told Eleven Warriors.
That's good news, kind of, though Holmes, the five-star 2017 prospect will make a college commitment on June 23rd and Friday Night Lights won't be until a month later. Holmes will take official visits this fall and it's likely he'll keep a relatively open mind, even after he issues a pledge in June.
This weekend, Radley-Hiles will instead be at…Nebraska, where two Calabasas stars are committed, and it's uncertain if Holmes will be with him or not.
MENTOR QUARTERBACK PREPARING FOR BUCKEYE VISIT
One of Ohio's top 2018 quarterbacks, Mentor's Tadas Tatarunas, is preparing for his first visit to Ohio State as a recruit and he's pretty excited about it.
"I was super excited when I found out they wanted me to come down," Tatarunas said of the visit. "I've been a big fan ever since I started watching college football."
Though the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Tatarunas does not yet have any scholarship offers, he knows this spring will be a big one for him. He needs to show up and show out at college camps and prove that the nearly 3000 yards he threw for as a sophomore was just the beginning.
"Most schools need to see me throw in person," Tatarunas said when asked what the schools he's hearing from the most say about a potential offer. "I will be going to camps at Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State for sure, and then to the Nike The Opening camp in May."
Tadarunas will arrive on campus with the Buckeyes on Friday and get a first look at Ohio State up close. He says there's a chance he'll stay through Saturday for the Scarlet and Gray's spring game and try to take advantage of the chance to actually get to know the Buckeyes' coaches. Recruiting regulations for players entering their senior seasons may have been deregulated, but that's not the case for those entering their junior years.
"The (contact rules) are really strict, like they can't talk to me, or text email, or call me until September 1st, but I'm allowed to contact them," he said of the challenge of building relationships with staffs at this point. "(I'll be there for the spring game) depending on how Friday goes and if they invite me to stay."
JOHNSON'S RECLASSIFICATION MAY BE OFF THE TABLE, 2016 FINISHED FOR BUCKEYES?
In case your missed it, Westerville South 2016 wing Andre Wesson committed to Ohio State today, where he'll continue a family legacy that started over thirty years ago.
So proud of my family right now. God has blessed us. Thank eveyone for their support and well wishes today. pic.twitter.com/M2A1iLOsdz
— Stephanie Wesson (@WessonBoyzMom) April 13, 2016
Wesson is the second 2016 addition this week for Thad Matta's Buckeyes, joining JUCO guard CJ Jackson, who picked Ohio State yesterday afternoon.
There had been a number of potential players in line to fill in the roster holes caused by four freshmen transfers, including the two new signees, but two other players that had been discussed here now seem to be off the radar, at least for a bit.
Former New Mexico guard Cullen Neal, who averaged 12 points a game for the Lobos last season, chose Ole Miss over Ohio State for his transfer destination. Neal was one of two options, but the preferred addition for the Buckeyes in 2016 would have been Cleveland East Technical point guard Markell Johnson, who had been working to reclassify from the 2017 class to be able to sign in the 2016 class.
It does not appear that will happen, according to sources, and the Buckeyes will have to shift their recruiting focus with Johnson back to 2017, where it started.
