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.
COPIOUS AMOUNT OF CORNERBACK OPTIONS
Four-star cornerback Kendall Sheffield was an integral part of Alabama's top-rated 2015 recruiting class, but abruptly transferred to Blinn College over the summer because of a reported lack of playing time.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Sheffield is now back on the market and will have three years of eligibility remaining after being redshirted in Tuscaloosa. The top-rated junior college cornerback in the country, he earned scholarship offers from Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU and USC after recording 31 tackles and two interceptions for the Buccaneers this season.
Sheffield took an official visit to Columbus for the Nov. 26 double-overtime win over Michigan, but his desire to run track in college has things trending toward Texas A&M. The Aggies were the runners-up in Sheffield's recruitment originally and have laid out a plan for how he could participate in both sports.
With Shaun Wade reaffirming his commitment and Darnay Holmes looking like a realistic possibility for Ohio State, it's hard to see how Sheffield would fit in the class.
Wednesday marked the first day mid-year junior college prospects can sign with a school, and Sheffield is expected to make a final decision following his graduation from Blinn on Thursday.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Just one week after he included Ohio State in his Top 7, Xavier Thomas — the top-rated defensive end and the No. 2 prospect overall in the Class of 2018 — eliminated the Buckeyes from his recruitment.
... ... pic.twitter.com/Vf6FUNS9VT
— Xavier Thomas 19 (@atxlete) December 14, 2016
The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder recently transferred to IMG Academy after recording 131 tackles and seven sacks at Florence, South Carolina, Wilson this season. Thomas cited family issues as the reason for his move to IMG, but he said he wants to return home for college.
It was always going to be an uphill battle for Ohio State, the only school in Thomas' Top 7 north of the Mason-Dixon Line; Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Georgia were the others list. Though some believed the Buckeyes would be able to make up some ground with his transfer, it appears the move made Thomas miss the Palmetto State that much more.
DAYS GONE BY
Olney, Maryland, Our Lady of Good Counsel four-star defensive end Joshua Paschal committed to Kentucky on Tuesday night over offers from Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oklahoma, among others.
Bringing back the old school YAHTZEE!
— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops) December 13, 2016
Ohio State was the first program to offer the 6-foot-4, 255-pounder in 2014, but interest waned on both sides during his junior year. Paschal's recruitment began to pick up once again when his good friend and fellow Maryland standout Chase Young committed to the Buckeyes, so much so the 11th-best strong side defensive end in the Class of 2017 became a trendy name to sneak into the class if scholarship numbers worked out.
Set to take an official visit for the Nov. 5 game against Nebraska, Paschal traveled to Lexington instead. His brother, TraVaughn, played at Kentucky from 2011-15 and is currently a graduate assistant with the program, which ultimately influenced his decision to pick the Wildcats.
FULL OF CONFIDENCE
Hialeah, Florida, Mater Academy Charter four-star outside linebacker Mikel Jones may only be a sophomore, but he has started to capture the attention of some of the top programs in the country. Schools like Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and South Carolina have begun to show major interest.
“I was told that the coaching staff likes my film a lot,” Jones told Eleven Warriors. “I feel very fortunate knowing that the coaches even know about me.”
Considered the third-best linebacker and the No. 53 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, the 6-foot-2, 208-pound Jones currently holds six offers.
“My biggest offer at the moment is actually Clemson, so I can't wait to see this game [PlayStation Fiesta Bowl] on the 31st,” Jones said.
As for an offer from Ohio State?
“I know it'll come sooner or later, but it's very unimaginable,” Jones said. “One of my favorite defensive ends played there, which is Joey Bosa. My head coach [Rocco Casullo] coached Bosa throughout high school [at St. Thomas Aquinas], and I told him this summer that I want him to teach me everything that he taught him, so an Ohio State offer would mean a lot.”
Jones plans to attend a camp in Columbus next year.
“I'm going to make sure they don't forget my name,” he said.
