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 LAST WORD
Despite reports of Ohio State jumping into the lead for Roswell, Georgia, safety Xavier McKinney, a source close to the four-star prospect told Eleven Warriors on Friday that's not the case.
"It's always been Alabama or Clemson," the source said.
The 6-foot-1, 192-pound McKinney is a one-time Crimson Tide commit, but reopened his recruitment last fall to make sure he was making the right decision. Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State all offered a scholarship shortly thereafter, and all signs point toward McKinney picking the Tigers during the Under Armour All-American Game on Sunday.
His relationship with Clemson commits Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers will ultimately play a major role in his decision. But don't fret for Alabama, which will likely pick up a commitment from four-star safety DeAngelo Gibbs on Sunday anyway.
Ohio State, meanwhile, already holds commitments from defensive backs Shaun Wade, Isaiah Pryor, Amir Riep and Marcus Williamson and is hoping to add five-stars Jeffrey Okudah and Darnay Holmes at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl next week.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Brenham, Texas, Blinn College cornerback Kendall Sheffield was expected to choose between Ohio State and Texas A&M following graduation in mid-December, but sources close to Sheffield tells Eleven Warriors a late surge by Texas in the last few weeks has him reassessing his options.
The Longhorns have obviously become an attractive option with head coach Tom Herman, which means a signing day announcement becomes increasingly likely with each passing day.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Sheffield — the top-rated junior college cornerback in the country — was an integral part of Alabama's top-rated 2015 recruiting class, but abruptly transferred to Blinn over the summer because of a reported lack of playing time.
He recorded 31 tackles and two interceptions for the Buccaneers this season and will have three years of eligibility remaining.
Sheffield — a native Texan — took an official visit to Columbus for the Nov. 26 double-overtime win over Michigan, but the proximity and 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, while the Buckeyes have not discussed such a possibility.
As mentioned above, Ohio State already has four defensive back commits and is hoping to add two more at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl next week, so it's hard to see how Sheffield would fit in the class anyway.
NEVER TOO EARLY TO NARROW THINGS DOWN
Marietta, Georgia, Walton four-star wide receiver Dominick Blaylock included Ohio State in his Top 5 on Thursday alongside Auburn, Clemson, Georgia and UCLA.
Star Walton High Blaylock receiver cuts list down to five https://t.co/fc3QHLJbEn
— Walton(GA)Recruiting (@WaltonRecruits) December 29, 2016
The 6-foot, 175-pound Blaylock is considered the third-best receiver and the No. 11 prospect overall in the Class of 2019. He holds more than 30 offers after hauling in 108 receptions for 1,699 yards and 16 touchdowns in his high school career.
Blaylock is the son of former NBA All-Star Mookie Blaylock. He hopes to make a final decision on his future following his junior season.
