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.
MAKING HIM A PRIORITY
While several former Ohio State players ran through drills for more than 115 NFL personnel on Thursday afternoon, the staff was also looking toward the future by hosting Bradenton, Florida, IMG Academy four-star cornerback Houston Griffith and his parents for an unofficial visit.
I will be visiting Ohio State Thursday #GoBucks
— Houston Griffith (@___HG3) March 22, 2017
“It went well. I got a chance to watch practice and sit down with coach [Urban] Meyer, [Kerry] Coombs and [Greg] Schiano,” Griffith told Eleven Warriors. “With coach Meyer, we just talked life after football. Coach Coombs, we just talked football. Coach Meyer said he wants me to be a Buckeye when it's all said and done.”
The 6-foot-1, 192-pound Griffith — son of former Illinois fullback and current Big Ten Network analyst Howard Griffith — is considered the seventh-best corner and No. 47 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He holds nearly three dozen offers from programs such as Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, UCLA and USC. Yet Ohio State is undoubtedly one of, if not the team to beat.
“The tradition the university has in general [stands out],” Griffith said. “Just the fact that you would compete against the best in practice and play the best. And to compete for a national championship.”
Griffith will head to Penn State on Friday but has no other visits scheduled. He plans to make his college announcement sometime before his senior season.
CAN THE QUARTERBACK ROOM GET ANY FULLER?
Eugene, Oregon, Sheldon four-star quarterback Michael Johnson Jr., the top-rated dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2019, began a two-day trip to Ohio State on Thursday.
"[I'm] excited for whatever Ohio State has to offer," Johnson told Eleven Warriors.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Johnson holds offers from Arizona, California, Colorado State, Florida State, Louisville, Mississippi State, Oregon, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
Johnson's father, you may recall, was reportedly going to be hired by Michigan as an analyst, a move that was viewed as giving the Wolverines a leg-up in his son's recruitment. About two weeks later, the elder Johnson was officially named the wide receivers coach at Oregon after a three-year stint as the head man at The King's Academy in Sunnyvale, California.
Johnson threw for 2,099 yards and 23 touchdowns and rushed for 775 yards and 12 more scores for the Knights last season.
ON THE GRIND IN GEORGIA
Atlanta, Georgia, Hapeville Charter three-star cornerback Chris Smith told Eleven Warriors he'll attend Ohio State's practice on Thursday, March 30.
"I'm just ready to see what the school is all about," he said. "I've always heard great things about Ohio State."
The 6-foot, 165-pound Smith is considered the 36th-best corner and No. 434 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, having recorded 17 tackles and five interceptions for the Hornets last season. He holds more than two dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, USC and Virginia Tech.
Smith has been in frequent contact with Ohio State defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs and hopes to earn an offer from the Buckeyes while on campus.
"I think he's great. He always speaks highly of me, and I love that," Smith said. "It'll be big if I could reel that one in."
MIGHT AS WELL PUT A SATELLITE CAMPUS IN THE PEACH STATE
Ohio State offered a scholarship on Wednesday evening to Covington, Georgia, Newton three-star defensive tackle Darnell Jefferies.
Blessed to have been offered by
— darnelljeffries41@gm (@darnelljeffrie1) March 22, 2017
Ohio State University to play football on the next level! #GoBucks#BlessedBeyondMeasure#Humbled pic.twitter.com/uxvDxon0GX
The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Jefferies is considered the 30th-best defensive tackle and No. 397 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He holds 20 offers from programs such as Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon and Tennessee.
Jefferies recorded 76 tackles, 42 quarterback hurries and two sacks for the Rams last season.
WAITING [FOR AN OFFER] IN THE DMV
Baltimore, Maryland, St. Frances Academy defensive tackle Calvin Carroll also told Eleven Warriors he'll visit Ohio State during his spring break in two weeks.
"I heard the campus is huge and they have a very good athletic center," he said. "I definitely want to check that out."
The 6-foot, 280-pound Carroll was invited to campus by defensive line coach Larry Johnson, as the two have been in contact since Carroll's junior season ended. While he doesn't currently hold any offers, schools such as Maryland, North Carolina, Penn State and Virginia Tech have also shown interest.
Carroll is a long-shot to earn an offer from the Buckeyes but is certainly talented enough to have a big-time senior season and jump on the recruiting scene late in the process.
