With so much focus on the remaining spots in the Class of 2017, we haven't spent a lot of time talking about the next cycle. Ohio State's 2018 class currently has two commitments in five-star quarterback Emory Jones and four-star tailback Brian Snead.
It's way too early to start talking about the potential class size, but there are a number of Ohioans who are already on the radar and a few who are on the Buckeyes' short list of top targets. In-state offers are typically handled differently from those that are thrown out across the country. The staff has to consider what offering early means – specifically the chance of a short turnaround time to commit – and the potential repercussions of slow-playing an Ohio prospect.
Ohio State's matchup with Indiana isn't exactly one of the weekend's headliners, but the Buckeyes are still set to host a pair of the state's top 2018 prospects. Tyreke Smith (Cleveland Heights) is set to make the trip with 2017 teammate Jaylen Harris. Smith – who checks in at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds – is the state's No. 10 prospect and the sixth-rated weak-side defensive end in the country.
Smith is in a unique spot and it's quite different than a few of the 2017 Ohioans who have yet to be offered. Last year around this time, we talked about players such as Springfield's Danny Davis and Mansfield's Tyrell Ajian and the challenges they faced in terms of earning an offer. For Davis, it was especially tough since Trevon Grimes had already been locked in as the Buckeyes' top receiver target and guys like Donovan Peoples-Jones and the aforementioned Jaylen Harris were (and still are) also on the radar. The same can be said for Ajian and the loaded 2017 secondary.
Tyreke Smith, on the other hand, plays a position that – at this point – doesn't look to be loaded with future Buckeyes. Ohio State has not offered yet, but it looks like it may come eventually, even if it does take a little bit of time. Smith excels at basketball and this fall he is playing organized football for the first time since seventh grade. He's extremely raw, but Penn State and Michigan State (and of course Kentucky) have already offered.
Cincinnati's Christopher Oats (Winton Woods) will also be in town this weekend. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound outside linebacker was set to be in Columbus last month but was unable to make the trip due to inclement weather. A scheduling conflict with one of his high school games also forced him to miss out on the trip to Norman.
Oats earned his Buckeye offer back in June and has consistently listed Ohio State as his top school, followed by the likes of Oklahoma and Michigan State. His recruitment seems like a matter of when rather than if, but right now he hasn't indicated that he's rushing into a decision. Oats is the state's ninth-ranked player and No. 12 outside linebacker in America.
The Buckeye State has a pair of five-stars for 2018 and right now it's mostly status quo for the both of them. Fairfield's Jackson Carman made an appearance in Columbus last weekend and there's no reason to think the 6-foot-6, 290-pounder will end elsewhere. He was in South Bend in late September, so don't be surprised if a Notre Dame analyst decides to throw in a crystal ball pick for the Fighting Irish at some point.
Jaelen Gill – the country's No. 2 all-purpose back – is out for the rest of his junior season due to a fractured fibula. Ohio State has made it clear how they feel about the electric Westerville South athlete who could probably play four or five positions at the next level. Michigan State and Notre Dame also remain in the hunt. Like most other 2018 prospects, no timeframe for a decision has been set.
Ohio State is going to need at least one tight end in the 2018 class, and so far five players at the position have earned offers. One player who has not earned that distinction is Pickerington's Trenton Gillison. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder was in attendance for Friday Night Lights and has checked out both Pittsburgh and Michigan State this fall.
The Spartans appear to be making Gillison a priority and the Buckeyes may need to get a feel for whether or not that interest is reciprocated. If the state's top tight end begins to get enamored with Michigan State, Urban Meyer and Co. may need to move a little more quickly. Though it looks like Jeremy Ruckert (Lindenhurst, NY) is the top priority at the moment.
Leonard Taylor backed off of his Michigan pledge in August, but right now it's uncertain where things stand with him and the Buckeyes. Taylor has played defensive end, defensive tackle, and tight end. However, there is some uncertainty surrounding where he best projects at the next level. He could end up being someone that is brought in and then just see where things go from there.
The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder has also experimented at quarterback.
It got called back because of a flag, but watch what Springfield's @Lenny_T_20 did to the Dunbar defense. pic.twitter.com/h2aE8xsc2a
— Erik Elken (@ErikFOX45Now) August 14, 2016
#BREAKING: He will not play quarterback in college.
Toledo's Dallas Gant (St. John's Jesuit) is likely going to come down to the trio of Midwestern powers. Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame have all been frequently mentioned and the state's No. 4 prospect was in South Bend for their early-season loss to Michigan State. The Buckeyes are the crystal ball leader but Gant's father is a fan of the Maize and Blue.
L'Christian "Blue" Smith is not only one of the state's top athletes, he's one of tops in the entire country. When it comes to football, he has offers from schools like Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, and Tennessee. On the hardwood, the 6-foot-6, 205-pounder holds offers from Ohio State, Kansas, Indiana, Syracuse, and UCLA.
The biggest question mark continues to revolve around what sport he ultimately decides to pursue. The Dayton, Ohio (Wayne) star is the state's No. 3 prospect and the third-rated athlete in the country. Michigan State is pushing hard and could be the likely destination if he ends up focusing on basketball. Messiah deWeaver, Smith's former quarterback at Wayne, is a true freshman in East Lansing.
