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.
MORE ON SITKOWSKI OFFER
As we reported last night, Ohio State pulled the trigger on another 2018 quarterback offer, extending an opportunity in the direction of New Jersey's Arthur Sitkowski.
The offer came at the conclusion of a visit to Old Bridge High School for Tim Beck and Ed Warinner and made the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder the second 2018 quarterback to get an offer this week. I talked to one source about the offer to the country's fourth-ranked pro-style quarterback.
"He really surprised them," the source said. "There was some thought that he may be a bit more 'raw' than he ended up being. He really opened their eyes."
With Phil Jurkovec off the board, Sitkowski may be moving up the list for Beck and the Buckeyes. There's no doubt that Franklin, Georgia's Emory Jones is right at the top (Jones added offers from Michigan State and Penn State today), but Sitkowski could provide something different to 2018 — depending on what happens in the 2017 quarterback class.
"Let's say that (Tate) Martell or Kellen (Mond) end up in 2017," the source continued. "Adding a guy that's a bit more 'traditional' may have some value but the truth is that what matters is a guy that can run the offense is a guy who can run the offense, there's no secret formula or magic forty (yard-dash) number."
Sitkowski visited Ohio State this spring and if he's going to take a real look at the Buckeyes, he'll likely need to get back to campus this summer because a decision from Emory Jones could come by the start of the football season.
LAMONT WADE SHOWS OFF ATHLETICISM
According to Rivals.com, Clairton, Pennsylvania's Lamont Wade is the country's top 2017 cornerback.
He's got quick hips, turns and runs well and has above-average ball skills and because of that, the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder from Western Pa. has offers from a who's who of college football's elite programs, including Ohio State. When you're a special athlete, you get special opportunities – like the chance to play Division One college football – but to get an idea of just how unique some of these highly-regarded players are, consider Wade's performance yesterday in the WPIAL AA Track and Field Championships.
While participating in dozens of football recruiting combines and camps over the last few weeks, tweaking a knee in the process, Wade hasn't exactly had time to prepare for track. Still, he went out and represented the Bears and showed off.
Wade finished second in the 100 meters dash (11.13) and then went out and won the long jump with a 22 foot, 5 inch performance. What makes that more impressive? Wade had never done that event before.
"This was my first year, never really practiced either," Wade told 11W. "I watched a bunch of videos on YouTube and tried to apply it to practice on Tuesday."
Rare athletes can do rare things.
BUCKEYES OFFER ANOTHER 2017 DEFENSIVE TACKLE
The push for another defensive tackle in 2017 continues and the Buckeyes offered another one today. Fayetteville, Arkansas' Akial Byers, a 6-foot-4, 275-pounder at Fayetteville High School.
Very blessed to receive my 16th offer from The Ohio state! #buckeyes pic.twitter.com/sJw0kW9dnL
— The name is AKIAL (@akial_byers) May 20, 2016
Byers has offers from Arkansas, Alabama, and Florida State among his 16. It's not likely that he'll leave the south, but the Buckeyes are going to try and get him up for a camp this summer in an attempt to sway the country's 15th-ranked defensive tackle away from home.
"I'd bet he stays at Arkansas," one source close the Fayetteville shared. "But you never know if you get a guy to come visit. Look what happened with K.J. Hill, right?"
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS PROGRAM HAS RELOADED
The country's premier high school football program is back and will be as good as ever and yesterday, Ohio State's Zach Smith and Greg Schiano got to see it first-hand in Fort Lauderdale.
From USATodayHSS.com:
After all, no high school in the nation has sent more players to the NFL recently. According to USA Football, Aquinas had 15 players on NFL rosters to start the 2015 season. The next-best schools in terms of NFL alumni were way back, with six each.
For Aquinas, its count of 15 doesn’t even include the next wave, which began with the third pick in the 2016 NFL Draft – defensive end Joey Bosa.
St. Thomas is led Trevon Grimes on offense but it's a defensive line group – that has a pair of Buckeye offers (Bennett, Bonitto) on it – that's still leading the way even after losing five-star Nick Bosa to Ohio State.
And then there’s the defensive line that White said is the strength of the unit. He mentioned Dunning, Lashawn Paulino (6-4, 235, senior), Nik Bonitto (6-4, 205, junior) and Kivon Bennett (6-3, 260, senior) as the key figures.
The Buckeyes have long been a major presence at St. Thomas Aquinas and it doesn't seem that's slowing down anytime soon.
