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.
TRENDING AWAY?
We've mentioned on numerous occasions over the last month how it's coming down to Ohio State and Florida State for Virginia Beach, Virginia, Bishop Sullivan linebacker Teradja Mitchell.
The five-star prospect doubled down on that during Sunday's The Opening Regional in Charlotte, North Carolina, adding that he's torn between the two schools.
5-star LB Teradja Mitchell says he's torn 50-50 between FSU and Ohio State. Looking to commit later this month/early June. FSU visit on deck
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) May 7, 2017
That's not exactly the best news for Ohio State, as Mitchell will take a trip to Tallahassee before he announces his college destination in late May or early June. The Seminoles will have the last chance to sway his decision, while the Buckeyes will have to hope his visit in early April made a lasting impression.
Ohio State already has one win over Florida State this offseason in IMG Academy five-star defensive tackle Taron Vincent, and I believe Mitchell would make it two if his decision were this evening. But, then again, the Seminoles have always recruited Hampton Roads well and were considered the favorite in his recruitment in the first place.
The looming visit could go one of two ways:
1.) Head coach Jimbo Fisher and defensive line coach Odell Haggins can show Mitchell that he can accomplish everything Tallahassee that he could in Columbus, but alongside good friends like Levonta Taylor and Khalan Laborn, or 2.) Mitchell follows in Brenton Cox's footsteps and goes against the long-time favorite.
We'll find out which one he chooses sooner rather than later.
GOT OPEN
Ohio State had more representatives at last year's edition of Nike Football's The Opening Finals than any other school in the country, with 11 prospects invited to the prestigious camp.
Cox and Vincent, as well as commits Jaelen Gill and Jaiden Woodbey, have already punched their tickets to this summer's event, and several more targets followed suit during Sunday's Charlotte Regional.
Charlotte #TheOpening Finals pic.twitter.com/PmJO2Aikkf
— The Opening (@TheOpening) May 7, 2017
The event, which will take place in Beaverton, Oregon, June 28-July 3, will also include the following targets:
- Five-star offensive tackle Jackson Carman
- Five-star cornerback Anthony Cook
- Five-star linebacker Palaie Gaoteote
- Five-star wide receiver Jalen Hall
- Five-star defensive end K.J. Henry
- Five-star linebacker Teradja Mitchell
- Five-star defensive end Micah Parsons
- Five-star offensive guard Jamaree Salyer
- Five-star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown
- Four-star cornerback Amari Burney
- Four-star cornerback Tyson Campbell
- Four-star wide receiver Brennan Eagles
- Four-star defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher
- Four-star linebacker Xavier Peters
- Four-star athlete K'Vaughan Pope
- Four-star wide receiver Justyn Ross
- Four-star tight end Jeremy Ruckert
- Four-star defensive tackle Rick Sandidge
- Four-star defensive end Tyreke Smith
- Four-star cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart
- Four-star linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu
Every single one won't end up at Ohio State, of course, but the Buckeyes are well on their way to taking over the event once again. And that's not even including five-star dual-threat quarterback commit Emory Jones, who will state his case for the event at next month's Elite 11 Finals.
I DIDN'T LIKE EVERYONE I WENT TO CAMP WITH, EITHER
Ohio State and Michigan will be among the more than 40 programs to participate in the inaugural Champions Elite Football Camp on June 8-9 at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia.
Just got bigger! It's a reason why the State of Ga had the most players drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. College Coaches don't get left out! pic.twitter.com/iw0YAQFGLe
— Champions Elite Camp (@Champions_Elite) May 8, 2017
The event runs concurrently with the already scheduled satellite camp at Texas Southern University in Houston and the Buckeyes' one-day positional camp in Columbus, but that just means the staff will have to split up to attend all three.
Ohio State hosted a satellite camp in Georgia last summer and continues to make waves on the recruiting trail in the Peach State, landing commitments from Jones and Cox in the meantime.
They, as well as targets such as the above-mentioned Salyer, four-star athlete Marquez Ezzard, three-star cornerback Jaycee Horn and linebacker Michael Harris, may even be among the 300 prospects in attendance.
