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.
THE INEVITABLE
Clairton, Pennsylvania, four-star cornerback Lamont Wade announced on Twitter Thursday afternoon a Top 5 list of Penn State, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, UCLA and West Virginia, thus eliminating Ohio State in the process.
The 5-foot-9, 190-pounder is set to make his final decision known one month from today.
One month away, December 17th is decision day pic.twitter.com/lom92qlvp6
— TreOcho (@Goony_38) November 17, 2016
Wade, the fifth-best cornerback and the No. 50 prospect overall in the Class of 2017, included the Buckeyes in his Top 10 back in May, but things quickly began to trend in a different direction because of his desire to enroll early at his college of choice.
With its current scholarship crunch and at least eight commits having already expressed interest in enrolling early, the writing had been on the wall for some time.
Not to mentioned Ohio State already has pledges from five defensive backs — Jacksonville, Florida, Trinity Christian cornerback Shaun Wade; Bradenton, Florida, IMG Academy safety Isaiah Pryor and cornerback Marcus Williamson; Cincinnati Colerain cornerback Amir Riep; and Olentangy Liberty safety Brendon White — and remain in the hunt for Grand Prairie, Texas, cornerback Jeffrey Okudah and Las Vegas, Nevada, Bishop Gorman safety Bubba Bolden.
GEORGIA ON URBAN'S MIND
We mentioned earlier this week how Ohio State has increased its recruiting presence in Georgia under head coach Urban Meyer, most notably locking down a commitment from the top junior dual-threat quarterback in the country in Franklin Heard County's Emory Jones.
The Buckeyes have also extended offers to 11 other underclassmen in the Peach State, including Loganville Grayson five-star linebacker Owen Pappoe, who will take an unofficial visit to Ohio State on Nov. 26 with teammate Kenyatta Watson II.
It will be their first trip to Columbus since April 2015.
“It's been a while since I've been there, so I can't wait to see how things have changed,” Pappoe told Eleven Warriors.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder is considered the top-rated linebacker and the No. 2 prospect overall in the Class of 2019. He currently more than 30 offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State and Tennessee.
“They're a very successful program and that catches my eye,” Pappoe said.
Watson, meanwhile, is a 6-foot-1, 172-pound safety not yet ranked by any major recruiting sites. He currently holds eight offers from programs such as Boston College, Nebraska, Syracuse and Tennessee, but hope Ohio State follows suit soon.
“It would mean a lot,” Watson told Eleven Warriors. “I really like Columbus. My uncle [Todd Dutch] ran track there. I loved [my last trip] and my dad loved it.”
Watson spoke very highly of defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs, who coached him during a satellite camp at Central Gwinnett this summer.
“I love him,” he said. “I love his intensity and how he teaches.”
HAULING IN CHRISTOPHER OATS
Cincinnati Winton Woods four-star linebacker Christopher Oats has had a difficult time with unofficial visits this season, as the threat of inclement weather kept him home for Ohio State's game against Tulsa and the Warriors' schedule forced him to call of his trip to Oklahoma the following week.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder was also set to travel to Kentucky on Nov. 5, but told Eleven Warriors he was unable to make that trip, too.
“I didn't go,” Oats said. “Mom had to work.”
It was somewhat surprising Oats, the 16th-ranked outside linebacker in the Class of 2018, opted to go to Lexington that weekend instead of joining teammates Jerron Cage — an Ohio State commit — and Mi'Quan Grace in Columbus.
Though the Wildcats have made a concerted effort to land him, Oats said Ohio State maintains a lead in his recruitment.
“Everything is going great [with them],” Oats said, noting he hopes to trim down his list of potential suitors following trips to Ann Arbor and Columbus to end the season.
CREATING ANOTHER PIPELINE?
Bellflower, California, St. John Bosco five-star safety Jaiden Woodbey has eyed a visit to Ohio State since the staff offered a scholarship in June.
And though he has ultimately been unsuccessful in making the trip east — he certainly tried on numerous occasions — expect the Buckeyes to make the cut when he narrows down his list of 18 scholarships to 10 next month.
ALERT :TOP schools drop December 20th
— TheJaidenWoodbey (@Jaidenwoodbey) November 17, 2016
The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder is the third-best safety and the No. 26 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He holds offers from schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Tennessee, but Arizona, Ohio State, UCLA, USC and Washington are considered the front runners.
Woodbey is the teammate of Ohio State offensive guard commit Wyatt Davis, so the Buckeyes have that working in their favor. But he attends every USC home game — his uncle played for the Trojans — and his official visit next year seems likely to be the only trip he makes to Columbus before making a decision.
