The Hurry Up: Running Back Makes Highly Anticipated Visit, Five-Star Linebacker Commits to USC and Targets Punch Tickets to The Opening Finals

By Andrew Lind on February 19, 2017 at 7:15 pm
Tavion Thomas
Tavion Thomas
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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.

BLOWING UP

Dayton Dunbar three-star running back Tavion Thomas made his highly anticipated unofficial visit to Ohio State on Saturday, and — as expected — the Buckeyes offered him a scholarship.

“It was really great,” Thomas told Eleven Warriors. “The talked about everything, not just me at all. We talked most about the school and really learning about the game.”

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Thomas is arguably the hottest recruit in the country at the moment, having earned offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi State, Nebraska and Ohio State in a three-day period. The Buckeyes ordinarily wouldn't offer a three-star, in-state prospect this early in the process, but the Crimson Tide certainly forced their hand a bit.

Thomas doesn't expect to make a decision until after his senior year, but said Ohio State currently sits atop his list.

PIPELINE RUNNING DRY?

Though many believed he'd end up at Ohio State, Las Vegas, Nevada, Bishop Gorman five-star linebacker Palaie Gaoteote committed to USC on Sunday evening.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Gaoteote is the cousin of Ohio State defensive tackle signee Haskell Garrett, so most assumed their relationship — and the program's recent success at Bishop Gorman — gave the Buckeyes the leg up in his recruitment. I've long said the Trojans' resurgence and his Polynesian heritage would make it an uphill battle, however.

There's obviously still a lot of time before signing day, but Gaoteote choosing to commit this early speaks volumes. I expect him to take an official visit to Ohio State this fall, but don't think it'll change his mind.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER OFFER

Ohio State offered a scholarship on Saturday afternoon to Cary, North Carolina, Green Hope four-star athlete Jordyn Adams.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Adams is considered the 15th-best athlete and No. 220 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He holds more than a dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Clemson, North Carolina, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.

Adams threw for 2,350 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for 793 yards and 11 touchdowns last season for Blythewood, South Carolina. He transferred to Green Hope in January to be closer to his father, who is the defensive line coach at East Carolina.

STN MTN

Stone Mountain, Georgia, Stephenson four-star offensive guard and former Michigan commit Jalil Irvin also visited Ohio State this weekend.

“It was great,” Irvin told Eleven Warriors. “I talked to coach Meyer and all the coaches, saw all the facilities and [got to] try on my jersey.”

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Irvin is considered the 16th-best offensive guard and No. 315 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He was committed to the Wolverines for nearly two months but reopened his recruitment last August due to a lack of communication with the staff.

The Buckeyes did not offer Irvin this weekend, but he wants to continue to build a relationship with the staff in the coming months.

“It would mean a lot [if Ohio State offered],” Irvin said. “I truly enjoyed myself today.”

GOT OPEN

More than 300 of the top players from Florida converged upon Davenport's Northeast Regional Park on Sunday for Nike's The Opening Regional camp. Several Ohio State targets were among the 12 athletes invited to July's national finals, including:

The players were measured and competed in the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle relay and the vertical jump.

“It means a lot to me,” Joshua Moore told Eleven Warriors. “I've watched this event on TV for the past eight years, and I remember telling myself I will be there one day. It's such a surreal moment right now because I made that happen.”

The Opening Finals in Beaverton, Oregon, will take place in late June or early July.

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