We've spent much of this week discussing who's in and who's out for this weekend's spring scrimmage, and while a lot can still change in the next 48 hours, it's time to dig a little deeper and identify some things we should be on the lookout for.
- Note: A more lengthy list can be found right HERE on the recruiting forum and said thread will be updated throughout the weekend.
First of all, several current commitments from the top-ranked 2017 class are expected to be in attendance. While guys like Josh Myers, Danny Clark, Todd Sibley, and Brendon White are scheduled to be in town, Jacksonville's Shaun Wade will not be able to make the trip. Wade's father pointed out that the five-star will be in New York for a basketball event. The Buckeyes will look to get the talented defender back on campus at a later date in what should be an extremely important visit.
For the 2017 visitors, there is a handful of names to definitely keep an eye on. The nation's top-ranked player, Antioch, California's Najee Harris, is set to arrive on Thursday and scope things out over the weekend. The five-star tailback has been committed to Alabama for just about a year now, but that hasn't stopped him from checking out other schools. He's been to Cal, UCLA, and Washington in recent weeks and is also considering a trip to Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes have a pair of tailbacks in the fold already, but they are still actively pursuing Harris and former Bama commit and newly minted five-star Cam Akers.
The nation's top wideout will be back in Columbus for a second consecutive weekend as Detroit's Donovan Peoples-Jones (Cass Tech) is set to be in attendance. The Buckeyes are in a battle with the Wolverines, Gators, and several other of the nation's top programs, so getting the five-star on campus twice within a week is a pretty big coup even if he appears to be nowhere close to deciding.
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY !! #BuckeyeNation pic.twitter.com/WNsry5us2w
— Donovan P. Jones (@dpeoplesjones) April 9, 2016
Cleveland's Jaylen Harris will be making another trip to Columbus as well – his second of the last few weeks. The four-star wideout hasn't really discussed a decision timeline, but the Buckeyes are still presumed to be the leader in the clubhouse. Harris, Tyjon Lindsey, and Fort Lauderdale's Trevon Grimes continue to sit atop the wide receiver board.
When it comes to potential offers, the biggest name to watch may be Baylor commit Kellen Mond. The IMG Academy signal-caller is the nation's No. 5 dual-threat quarterback and, while it remains to be seen if the Buckeyes are looking to add another to the class, he could be in line for an offer. If Ohio State does elect to extend an offer his way, things could get increasingly interesting for the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder who originally hails from San Antonio.
Joel Honigford was last on campus in January.
Sugarcreek's Joel Honigford (Garaway) will be in town on Friday as he continues to look for that Buckeye offer. The three-star lineman has recently checked out Oklahoma, Michigan State, and Auburn – all three of whom have offered. For the Buckeyes, with Josh Myers and Jake Moretti already in the fold at tackle, they are likely to add at least one more interior lineman. Honigford is listed as a tackle but could get a long look from the staff, especially if they feel he is a candidate to move around the line a bit.
Some noteworthy absences from the 2017 class include Lamont Wade, Jeffrey Okudah, Darnay Holmes, and Trevon Grimes. Wade was in Columbus last week and is hoping to make a trip back this summer. Okudah still has the Buckeyes on top but they'll need to get him back on campus if they want to stay in the driver's seat. Holmes recently changed his plans and is now looking to make a return trip for Friday Night Lights. Grimes, who still lists Ohio State as his leader, hasn't been back to Columbus in nearly two years and his relationship with both the Gators and Noles appears to be strengthening.
Amir Riep (Colerain) was initially planning on being in Columbus again this weekend, but after stopping by just two weeks ago, it looks as though he may be checking out Baton Rouge for LSU's spring game instead. The four-star defensive back's travels have been well documented, but it's tough to see this one escaping the grasp of Urban Meyer and Kerry Coombs. Riep is planning on narrowing down his list this summer and making a decision before his senior season kicks off.
Looking ahead to the 2018 class, the state's top player will once again make the short trip to Ohio State's campus as all-purpose Westerville athlete Jaelen Gill is expected to be in attendance. Gill was on campus twice in March and since that time has taken a West Coast trip to check out the USC and UCLA and has ventured north to see what the Wolverines have to offer.
Cincinnati (Moeller) defensive tackle Aeneas Hawkins is coming off a slew of visits that helped him to earn some major offers. The 6-foot-3, 260-pounder checked out Clemson, Florida, and Notre Dame recently with the latter two both extending offers. Considering the success the Irish have had in the Queen City's Catholic schools, their offer may push the Buckeyes to make a move sooner rather than later.
Jackson Carman currently checks in at No. 20 in the 247Sports national rankings and the nation's second-rated offensive tackle will be on hand this Saturday. This will be his second trip to Columbus this month after previously checking out both the Wolverines and Spartans.
Pickerington's Trenton Gillison was in Ann Arbor two weeks ago for the Wolverines' spring game and the early four-star will be back in familiar territory this weekend. Gillison, 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, was on campus in late March and currently holds offers from Indiana, Kentucky, and others. He plays tight end and defensive end at Pickerington's Central High, but the Buckeyes are looking at him on the offensive side of the ball.
COMMIT WATCH?
Last year's spring game certainly had a little bit of pop to it, at least on the recruiting side of things. The Buckeyes landed five commitments during the weekend, starting with the surprise pledge from supposed Badger lock Tuf Borland.
Should we expect anything close to that in 2016? Probably not.
Sure, there's always a chance that one of the "leans" like Jaylen Harris or Jaelen Gill decide to make it official, but look for this weekend to be more about getting caught up in the Najee Harris sweepstakes and maintaining the lead for the aforementioned Ohioans. The Kellen Mond situation could get very interesting if the Buckeyes decide to throw their hat in the ring, especially considering the heavy Ohio State presence at the IMG Academy.
An offer to someone like Joel Honigford or Trenton Gillison could potentially result in a quick commitment turnaround, but it remains to be seen if the Buckeyes are ready to make a move yet.
Anything can happen at these big weekend events, but right now there doesn't appear to be anything imminent on the horizon.
