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.
BUCKEYES VISIT LAMONT WADE
For months, it had been expected that Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class would eventually add four-star cornerback Lamont Wade. In recent weeks, as numbers have tightened and early-enrollee concerns have popped up, Wade and the Buckeyes seem to have drifted apart, at least at little bit.
It doesn't appear that either side is giving up the pursuit just yet.
OSU & Duke swung past
— SavaGGe (@Goony_38) May 4, 2016
The country's seventh-ranked cornerback has been to Ohio State nearly a dozen times in the last year-plus and will return to Columbus this Friday as he prepares for Nike's The Opening regional camp, which takes place in town on Saturday.
With a decision planned for the end of his senior season, Ohio State and Wade have a bit of time to get things straightened out in respect to his enrollment plans, but this Friday's visit will be key in that regard.
QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL COULD HAVE OHIO STATE IMPACT
As spring turns to summer, one of recruiting's finest traditions begins anew: quarterbacks from all over the country start committing. The game's most important position is also the most important part of any successful recruiting class and in the last few days, we've seen a few decisions made around the country, one of which may have some impact on Ohio State's own search for an another quarterback in the 2017 class.
Alabama added a verbal from Hawai'i's Tua Tagovailoa, the country's second-ranked dual-threat quarterback, giving them another versatile weapon as they reload in Tuscaloosa. It's LSU's addition of Lowell Narcisse, from St. James, Louisiana, that may have shape how things go for Ohio State from this point. Narcisse was previously committed to Auburn, and with him off the board, the Tigers (the Auburn variety) are likely to turn up the heat on another quarterback they've been recruiting: IMG's Kellen Mond.
Mond recently visited Auburn, following his trip to Ohio State in April, and they're one of four schools that are really standing out to the Baylor commitment. Gus Malzahn's offense is very quarterback friendly and there's no doubt that Mond is paying attention to that.
Earlier Wednesday, we had an update on Mond and the Buckeyes where he says it's currently the Buckeyes who are recruiting him the hardest.
"(Tim) Beck was at the school," Mond told Eleven Warriors. "Auburn, Ohio State and Texas A&M are recruiting me the hardest right now — Ohio State the hardest though."
Baylor, Ohio State, Auburn and Texas A&M will all keep fighting for their chance at Mond until the summer.
IS JERRY JEUDY THE BEST WIDE RECEIVER IN FLORIDA?
The Buckeyes have been in Florida in this week, trekking all over the southern part of the state looking for potential program fits. They stopped at St. Thomas Aquinas to see 2017 five-star Trevon Grimes and offered his 2018 four-star prospect counterpart Elijah Moore as well.
Ohio State also stopped at Deerfield Beach High School to see 2017 four-star Jerry Jeudy, the country's 46th-ranked prospect and seventh-ranked wide receiver. Jeudy is a big Alabama lean, according to most sources in Florida but the Buckeyes aren't giving up their chase, despite the fact that they know he's a long-shot at best.
Why?
One source I've talked to feels that Jeudy, 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, may be the best wide receiver in Florida.
"I like him more than Trevon Grimes," the source familiar with Florida's recruiting scene said. "He has a different drive and mentality."
Jeudy is a big fan of both Amari Cooper and Calvin Ridley, and that's one of the reasons the Crimson Tide have been so far out in front. Nick Saban's program has had success in Florida and they're likely to continue it if someone doesn't make a big impression soon.
As of now, according to the same source, there is a plan for Jeudy to visit Ohio State this summer, as he did last year, but there's nothing concrete.
2017 TIGHT END ALEXANDER MARSHALL GETS BUCKEYE OFFER
Tuesday, Ohio State offered Alexander Marshall, one of the country's fastest-rising 2017 tight end prospects.
Honored to receive an offer from THE Ohio State University! #Buckeyes pic.twitter.com/1jXSjhLROS
— Alexander Marshall (@A_marshall80) May 3, 2016
A three-star prospect with offers from Bama, Florida State, Florida and many others, Marshall was visited by Ohio State tight end coach Ed Warinner, who watched him workout and offered the 6-foot-7, 240-pounder from Andover, Massachusetts following that in-person observation.
Ohio State has offered five tight ends in 2017, including Cincinnati Moeller's Matt Dotson, but questions about whether or not the position is a priority for this year's class persist. In recent weeks, sources have indicated that Dotson is actually preferring Michigan State and Michigan and that things between he and the Buckeyes have fizzled somewhat.
The Buckeyes will enter the 2016 season with four tight ends, including three freshmen, on their roster. If Marcus Baugh, who had a big spring, considers an early departure for the NFL (which has been lobbed around a bit, to be clear) Ohio State will need to consider adding one in 2017.
