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.
LESS THAN A WEEK UNTIL DETONATION
Westerville South four-star running back Jaelen Gill, fresh off a visit to Ohio State on Monday, announced last night he'll make his college decision March 1 during a ceremony at his high school.
I am announcing my commitment on March 1st at Westerville South High School, in the auditorium at 2:45 p.m. Thank you for the support!!
— Raaaaaad Chaaaaad (@jaelengill21) February 24, 2017
The 6-foot-1, 182-pound Gill is considered the third-best all-purpose running back in the country and No. 30 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He holds more than 30 offers from programs such as LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA, USC and Virginia Tech.
Simply put, it would be a huge surprise if Gill — who missed all of his junior season with a fractured fibula — picked anyone other than the Buckeyes. He is once again healthy and likely making his decision early so he can focus on baseball and his senior year without distraction.
READ BETWEEN THE HEDGES
Though Ohio State is absolutely stacked at the quarterback position for the foreseeable future, five-star Emory Jones doesn't appear to be wavering in his commitment to the Buckeyes.
“My mom and dad love Ohio State,” Jones told UGASports. “They love the way they make me feel at home. I just feel like I’ll have more success playing at Ohio State, and I really kinda wanna get out of Georgia.”
And that certainly isn't good news for Georgia, which continues to recruit Jones heavily. The Bulldogs also have an abundance of talented quarterbacks on the roster — including sophomore starter Jacob Eason and incoming four-star Jake Fromm — so head coach Kirby Smart has to find other ways to make his program stand out.
“They’re changing their offense to me,” Jones said. It’d be more of a no huddle, and that’s what I like. They said they see how I run it in high school system, and they believe I could be successful playing at UGA.”
All that said, Jones has taken on a leadership role for Ohio State's Supreme '18 recruiting class. He may take an official visit to Georgia this fall, but Urban Meyer won't let him slip away.
MISSING OUT
St. Francis De Sales three-star linebacker Brian Asamoah revealed a Top 6 on Friday morning of Cincinnati, Michigan, Penn State, Pittsburgh, UCLA and West Virginia. He also set his commitment date for April 21.
"Over time, I've built a great relationship with these programs," Asamoah told Eleven Warriors.
The 6-foot, 205-pound Asamoah is considered the 44th-best outside linebacker and No. 578 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He recently visited Ohio State for Junior Day, but the Buckeyes will remain on the outside looking in unless they extend an offer.
"As you know, anything can change in this process. Scholarships can fill up, schools can lose interest in you," Asamoah said. "This group of six are the ones that have shown me the most interest and I could fit in their schemes."
Asamoah added two schools are certain to say on his board until the end, my guess being Cincinnati and Penn State thanks to his relationship with Luke Fickell and James Franklin, respectively.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PLAY OF THE GAME
With Liam McCullough having three years of eligibility left, Ohio State doesn't need to add a long snapper in the next recruiting cycle. But that hasn't stopped McCullough and former Buckeye Bryce Haynes from giving a few pointers to Lewis Center Olentangy's James Rosenberry Jr.
Great workout with Liam McCullough today from Ohio State. Getting ready for June college camps! pic.twitter.com/4fgoygPxlz
— James Rosenberry Jr (@JRosenberry51) February 19, 2017
“I try to work with them every week,” Rosenberry Jr. told Eleven Warriors.
The 6-foot, 210-pounder is considered the 15th-best long snapper in the Class of 2018, according to Chris Sailer Kicking, an official partner of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He lists a Top 5 of Cincinnati, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Penn and Pittsburgh.
Rosenberry Jr. visited Ohio State last fall last October for the win over Northwestern, and like most in-state kids, grew up wishing he could play for the Buckeyes. While that's unlikely to happen, he said getting help from some current and former players is the next best thing.
JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Ohio State announced the dates of its various one-day youth and high school football camps on Friday afternoon, all of which are scheduled to take place at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Can't wait for camp in June! pic.twitter.com/UjR8dO5BkH
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) February 24, 2017
The dates are as follows:
- Monday, June 5, and Tuesday, June 6, for kids entering grades 5-8
- Friday, June 9; Tuesday, June 13; and Saturday, June 17, for kids entering grades 9-12
- Saturday, June 17, for all kickers and long snappers entering grades 5-12
Of course we'll have a list of attendees as the dates get closer, but the one-day positional camps will be especially important for the staff, as they allow for coaches to evaluate hundreds of potential recruits in their own backyard.
New offers will be extended, and we'll get our first look at which prospects the staff are truly really paying attention to.
