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 FINISH LINE IN SIGHT
Cleveland Heights four-star wide receiver Jaylen Harris has finally set his official visit to Ohio State.
"[I'll be there] Jan. 20," Harris told Eleven Warriors.
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Harris is considered the top-rated wideout in the state and the No. 178 prospect overall in the Class of 2017. He narrowed down his list of 20 offers to Alabama, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee in July and has repeatedly said the Buckeyes would make room for him in the class if he wanted to play in Columbus.
Limited scholarship numbers and his apathy toward the recruiting process have kept Harris idle in the last few months — he took only one official visit during the season — but things are beginning to pick up.
Harris will also visit Tennessee at the end of January before he makes a decision.
UNDER THE KNIFE
Westerville South five-star running back Jaelen Gill fractured his fibula in early September and had surgery shortly thereafter. He'll have surgery remove the screw on Tuesday.
Surgery tomorrow morning! Gotta take this hardware out
— Raaaaaad Chaaaaad (@jaelengill21) December 26, 2016
"He is healed up very good right now and doing some jogging," Gill's father, Rod, told Eleven Warriors. "Taking the screw out and he will be in a boot for two to three weeks. Then he will be able to go full workouts and spring baseball."
The 6-foot-1, 182-pound Gill, who accounted for more than 1,700 yards and 22 touchdowns during his sophomore season, is considered he third-best all-purpose back and the No. 31 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He holds two dozen offers from programs such as Arizona State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, UCLA, USC and Virginia Tech.
Westerville South struggled to a 1-9 record without Gill this season, but he showed potential for a breakout year when he scored three times on only five touches in a preseason scrimmage.
LOADING UP
A third Ohio State target has transferred to IMG Academy in the last month, as West Hills, California, four-star running back T.J. Pledger will join defensive end Xavier Thomas and offensive guard Verdis Brown in Bradenton, Florida.
Thank God for this opportunity.. @IMGAcademy pic.twitter.com/5sxEtcLKvQ
— TJ Pledger (@uno_tj) December 25, 2016
The 5-foot-9, 188-pound Pledger is considered the second-best all-purpose running back and the No. 25 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He's rushed for 4,034 yards and 69 touchdowns in three seasons with the Eagles.
Pledger holds 19 offers from programs such as Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC. The Buckeyes offered in January and he visited campus twice this summer.
The Ascenders, meanwhile, just completed their second consecutive undefeated season.
CROWN THEM
USA TODAY Sports named Las Vegas, Nevada, Bishop Gorman the top-ranked team in the country on Monday, officially giving the Gaels their third-consecutive mythical national championship. Only Concord, California, De La Salle has won four-straight.
No lights were too bright for No. 1 @BishopGormanFB who finish the year as National Champions!
— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) December 26, 2016
Final X25: https://t.co/yA9P5QbMeF pic.twitter.com/0cLTZNXcKJ
Bishop Gorman has won 54-consecutive games, 43 of which came under the leadership of Ohio State quarterback commit Tate Martell. The Gaels knocked off five nationally ranked opponents this season, including state champions Fort Lauderdale, Florida, St. Thomas Aquinas and Bellflower, California, St. John Bosco.
