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.
GIVING BACK (IN A SENSE)
Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade was named Florida's Gatorade Player of the Year after leading Jacksonville's Trinity Christian to its fourth-consecutive state title last December. An early enrollee, he was honored by the sports beverage company on Monday during an event at his former school.
To celebrate Wade's accomplishment, each of the Conquerors' athletic teams will receive Gatorade products before and after practice for the remainder of the week.
“Them getting to experience it so they could strive to be just like me and be better than me to get Gatorade Player of the Year. It's like giving back to the team,” Wade said. “It's a blessing.”
Ohio State quarterback Tate Martell and 2018 five-star running back target Zamir White were also named the players of the year in Nevada and North Carolina, respectively. Their schools will also receive Gatorade products later this spring.
HALL OF FAME POTENTIAL
Lakota West four-star linebacker Xavier Peters was one of 12 prospect to punch his ticket to Nike Football's The Opening Finals at Sunday's Charlotte Regional. It comes as no surprise, either, considering he looks every bit the part of an elite prospect.
Ohio State has not yet offered the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Peters, but the general consensus is that the Buckeyes would become the favorite when that eventually happens. If he does end up in Columbus, what type of prospect would the staff get?
“I feel like I’ve got that motor like Ray Lewis,” Peters told SB Nation. “I’m glad that I’m out here, because I know that I’m gonna be aggressive and hard, because that’s how I play in the game. I’m a leader on the field. I call out plays and stuff, so I’m really efficient with the game.”
Peters has been to Ohio State numerous times this offseason, but it looks as if the staff is holding off on extending an offer at least until he camps there this summer. By then, the Buckeyes could potentially already hold commitments from Virginia Beach five-star Teradja Mitchell and Toledo four-star Dallas Gant, and Peters' commitment could seemingly be the cherry on top.
NEVER TOO LATE
Though he's committed to Arkansas, Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was in Illinois on Monday afternoon to check in on Carterville four-star tight end Luke Ford. He confirmed the visit to Eleven Warriors later than evening.
The 6-foot-7, 250-pound Ford is considered the ninth-best tight end and No. 183 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He committed to the Razorbacks in March over nearly two dozen other offers from programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, LSU and Oklahoma.
The staff was just starting to get to know Ford at the time of his pledge, with eyes on an unofficial visit sometime this spring. He remains firmly committed to Arkansas, though an offer from Ohio State could certainly put the Buckeyes in the conversation if he were to waver.
If nothing progresses on that front, fear not as Ohio State remains among the favorites for four-star tight ends Jeremy Ruckert and Mustapha Muhammad and three-star Zach Sheffer.
THE TRAIN KEEPS ROLLING
With four-stars Jaiden Woodbey and Josh Proctor already in the fold, Ohio State is conceivably done with the safety position in 2018.
With that said, defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs is already working on the position for the following recruiting class by offering a scholarship on Tuesday afternoon to Powder Springs, Georgia, Hillgrove four-star safety Jaylen McCollough.
Blessed To Receive An Offer From The Ohio State University pic.twitter.com/enjt1R7Cui
— Jaylen McCollough (@Jay_Mccollough2) May 9, 2017
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound McCollough is considered the third-best safety and No. 32 prospect in the Class of 2019. He holds more than a dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan and Notre Dame.
The Seminoles are considered the favorite in his recruitment at this point, but if the Buckeyes continue to send defensive backs to the NFL at a record pace, there's no reason to think they won't be in the thick of things down the stretch.
