A strong group of in-state prospects should mean a greater focus on Ohio for the class of 2018.
Urban Meyer's national approach is already evident for the current cycle. Ohio State has three commitments and thus far none of them hail from the Buckeye State. The staff has made their mark in Georgia, Florida, and California with the commitments of Emory Jones, Brian Snead, and Jaiden Woodbey.
That will all change next week as the state's top playmaker will come off the board on Wednesday, and several more will of course follow suit over the next 11 months leading up to February's national signing day.
The Buckeyes have extended offers to six of the state's top-10 players. Three of those without offers have already bought into what Mark Dantonio is selling in East Lansing as the Spartans' class consists entirely of Ohio products.
There's a long way to go until February of 2018, and don't be surprised if the Buckeyes take a long, hard look throughout the evaluation process and eventually make their move.
| Prosect | Position | Hometown | Rating | State | National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Scates | Wide Receiver | Dayton | ★★★★ | No. 7 | No. 145 |
| Xavier Henderson | Athlete | Pickerington | ★★★★ | No. 9 | No. 215 |
| Trenton Gillison | Tight End | Pickerington | ★★★★ | No. 10 | No. 218 |
Dayton's Dunbar High School has been the center of a recruiting whirlwind over the last couple weeks as powerhouse programs have extended offers to 2018 tailback Tavion Thomas. While Thomas has quickly become a national name, teammate Joseph Scates continues to be the most highly rated prospect on the Wolverine squad.
Scates currently checks in as the No. 24 wideout in America, and the 6-foot-3, 175-pounder has been a Spartan commit for a little over two months now. Despite his pledge, he appears to be anything but locked in with Michigan State.
The four-star spoke with Rivals.com recruiting analyst Marc Givler during last Monday's "Best of the Midwest" combine. Scates was asked if he can foresee himself rethinking his commitment, and his response probably wasn't what Spartan fans were hoping for.
"To be honest, I really do," he said. "I'm cool with Michigan State, but I do have a few other teams on my radar." Via
Scates is in a much different situation than Springfield's Danny Davis was a year ago. At that time, Ohio State was the leader for Trevon Grimes and Jaylen Harris and was also in a good spot for Tyjon Lindsey. Davis – who was the state's No. 2 pass-catcher – never did receive that offer and ultimately signed with Wisconsin. This time around, the receiver board is a bit more friendly for an in-state wideout who is definitely on the Buckeyes' radar.
On the defensive side of the ball, the needs in the secondary were clearly addressed for the Class of 2017, and the unit isn't expected to be such a priority for the current cycle. Pickerington's Xavier Henderson is listed as an athlete but is expected to play in the defensive backfield. The four-star has been a Michigan State commit since last September when he became the first member of their 2018 class.
Very excited to announce my commitment as a student athlete to Michigan State University! #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/Yx9eIjmJrU
— Xavier Henderson (@Xhenn5) September 9, 2016
The Buckeyes will continue to fight off USC as they hope to keep Jaiden Woodbey in the fold at safety, and at least two other defensive backs seems like a reasonable guess to round out the class. Guys like Houston Griffith and Anthony Cook are at the top of the board, but Henderson remains a candidate for an offer.
Dantonio and the Spartan staff got in the mix early with Henderson while Ohio State elected to wait around and see a bit more from the 6-foot, 189-pounder who also plays wide receiver and returns kicks.
Interestingly enough, the Spartan commit who plays in the Buckeyes' backyard actually grew up rooting for the Wolverines. That's not something you hear everyday.
Another Pickerington Central product appears to be headed to East Lansing, but the commitment from four-star tight end Trenton Gillison came as a bit more of a surprise than that of Henderson. Coming off of a recruiting class that didn't see a single signee at tight end, many had slated the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder as a near lock to get an offer.
The state's top tight end waited around a bit and visited for a number of camp events, but the offer never came as the Buckeyes continued their focus on Lindenhurst, New York's Jeremy Ruckert. While it's been known that Ruckert is the top target at the position, an offer to the Pickerington star still seemed (and perhaps still seems) inevitable.
Jake Hausmann, Luke Farrell, and Kierre Hawkins were all brought in for the 2016 class, so Ohio State can likely get away with just one tight end for the Class of 2018. To further complicate things, in-state 2018 athlete L'Christian Smith could ultimately grow into more of a flex tight end than a true wide receiver.
It's no doubt that the coaching staff prefers to see the state's top talent up close and personal before putting an offer on the table. The camp circuit is absolutely going to be one to watch this spring and summer. If in-state prospects like the aforementioned Spartan commitments show up at Ohio State's campus, they could be looking to put on a show for the staff and bring home that coveted offer.
If the Michigan State commits do make their way to campus and the rest of the recruiting pieces fall into place, then the likelihood of some in-state flips will be on the rise.
