The Hurry Up is your nightly dose of updates from the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping tabs on the latest from commits and targets from around the country.
CROWN THEM
For at least one night, Tate Martell, Tyjon Lindsey and Haskell Garrett will have to set aside their friendship with fellow Ohio State commit Trevon Grimes as top-ranked Bishop Gorman plays host to St. Thomas Aquinas tonight at 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
This game decides what legacy we leave at Gorman...
— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) September 29, 2016
This is arguably the most anticipated high school matchup of all time, as St. Thomas Aquinas is the two-time defending Florida state champion while Bishop Gorman has won seven-consecutive Nevada state titles, back-to-back USA TODAY Sports Super 25 mythical national championships and 44-straight games.
Ohio State fans have had this game circled on the calendar since Grimes and Lindsey announced their pledge together in a video in which they played on opposing dogdgeball teams. Once all of their teammates were eliminated, the recievers came together to reveal Scarlet and Gray gear.
The pair have both missed time this season for their respective teams, but had no lingering effects in last week's games. Grimes caught a touchdown in a win over Hallandale, Florida, after sitting for two games with a bruised patella tendon, while Lindsey scored twice in his season debut against Bonanza, Nevada, after injuring his collarbone in the preseason.
Martell, meanwhile, has shown the country why he's considered the top dual-threat quarterback in the county for the Class of 2017. He's thrown for 816 yards, 13 touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing for 406 yards and six scores.
The Gales have not lost a game with Martell under center, but the Raiders hope to change that tonight. Interestingly enough, the last team to beat the Bishop Gorman was Booker T. Washington, the same program that knocked off Aquinas to open the season.
MILE HIGH CONNECTION
Though Denver linebacker Adrian Jackson won't be able to make it to Columbus for this weekend's game against Rutgers as he has originally planned, the top overall player in the state of Colorado for the Class of 2018 has already seen everything he needs to call Ohio State his leader.
“They approached me the strongest out of all schools,” Jackson told Eleven Warriors. “I could tell, when I went down there [for a one-day camp in June] they are all about business and they want the best. So them being a top team in NCAA football and wanting me is showing me they think I'm one of the best.
“If I'm one of the best, I think I should go to the best place,” he continued, “and I think that's Ohio State.”
So what's stopping the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder from becoming the third pledge in the 2018 class? It's certainly not the distance between Columbus and Denver.
“I'm trying to get out of Colorado anyways,” Jackson said, noting he has been thinking about making an announcement following his junior season at Mullen.
Tossing aside offers from the in-state Colorado Buffaloes and Colorado State Rams, that leaves Michigan State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Utah to try and pry Jackson away from the Buckeyes.
It's unlikely, though, given Ohio State is the only visit Jackson eyes this fall.
“[I'm] not [sure which game] right now, but I will definitely make it to one,” Jackson said.
NEW EXPERIENCE
Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller defensive tackle Aeneas Hawkins announced on Twitter Thursday night that he'll take an unofficial visit to Ohio State this weekend, marking the first time he'll be on campus since the Buckeyes offered a scholarship earlier this month.
I'll be visiting Ohio State on Saturday for their game! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/X2qBChsMOw
— | Aeneas Hawkins | (@King_Hawk92) September 30, 2016
“[I] can't wait, man,” Hawkins told Eleven Warriors. “I've never been to Ohio State for a game, so I'm excited to get on campus and see the atmosphere.”
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Hawkins is considered the 16th-best player in the state for the Class of 2018. He currently holds 13 offers from programs such as Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pitt and Tennessee.
But like many Ohio kids, it's the offer from the Buckeyes that means the most.
“It's a big deal man,” he said. “It's been a big goal of mine to try and earn an offer from them, and to be blessed with this opportunity means a lot.”
NAME TO LOOK OUT FOR
Springfield three-star linebacker Cameron Hoelscher will take an unofficial visit to Ohio State this weekend with teammates Leonard Taylor and Moses Douglass.
“[I want to] just get a feel for how Ohio State is on game days,” Hoelscher told Eleven Warriors.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder is considered the 22nd-best player in the state for the Class of 2018. He has only an offer from Kentucky, but schools such as Cincinnati, Indiana, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Penn State and Purdue have shown interest.
“I don't have a favorite [at this time, but] if Ohio State did offer, it would be up there,” Hoelscher said.
