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.
CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT HE'S GOING THROUGH
Thomson, Georgia, four-star cornerback Christian Tutt was supposed to make his college decision on May 30 to honor his late brother, Chris, who died in a single-car accident last June. But he told SEC Country on Monday he'll push it back because the day — which would have been Chris' 21st birthday — will already be hard enough for his family.
“I'm just not ready yet,” Tutt said.
The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Tutt is considered the 20th-best cornerback and No. 174 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He recently narrowed his nearly three dozen offers to Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Nebraska, Ohio State and Texas.
Though the Crimson Tide or Seminoles would have most likely been the choice had he made his decision next week, the Buckeyes have ramped up their pursuit of Tutt considerably in recent weeks. Defensive coordinator Greg Schiano and defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs stopped by Thomson earlier this month to watch Tutt practice, and invited him to campus for an unofficial visit in June.
Ohio State's chances to land Tutt jump significantly if he does make it to Columbus next month. Though with no new timetable for a decision, we'll have take a wait-and-see approach with his recruitment for the time being.
ATHLETES GROW ON PALM TREES
Coombs is also expected to pay a visit to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, American Heritage teammates Patrick Surtain Jr. and Tyson Campbell, as the Patriots hold their spring scrimmage this evening. Coaches from Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Miami will also be on the sidelines.
The 6-foot-2, 181-pound Surtain is considered the top-rated cornerback and No. 4 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, as he recorded 20 tackles and two interceptions for American Heritage last season. I would wager Alabama, Clemson, Florida State and LSU all sit ahead of Ohio State at this stage in his recruitment, but a trip to Columbus last month put the Buckeyes right in the thick of things.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Campbell, meanwhile, is considered the fourth-best cornerback and No. 28 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, having added 29 tackles and two interceptions of his own for the Patriots last season. A flurry of 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions came in for Ohio State following the aforementioned trip to Columbus, but Miami remains the biggest threat in his recruitment.
NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL A BALANCED ATTACK
Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith was in South Florida for much of last week, at which time he extended a scholarship offer to West Palm Beach Wellington four-star athlete Mark-Antony Richards.
Blessed to recieve my 5th offer from THE Ohio State University #GoBucks #Buckeyes @RyanBartow @CoachAbes @GridironATH pic.twitter.com/NrrgQOQ24h
— 21 (@mark21richards) May 18, 2017
“I was blown away. I mean, it's Ohio State,” Richards enthusiastically told Eleven Warriors.
The 6-foot-1, 184-pound Richards is considered the 22nd-best athlete and No. 187 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he finished his sophomore season with 44 carries for 250 yards and 10 catches for 250 yards and three touchdowns. He also recorded 22 tackles, four forced fumbles and one interception on defense, which has also earned him offers from Auburn, Florida, Louisville and Miami.
THE NAME ALONE MAKES HIM WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION
The Buckeyes also recently offered a scholarship to Hogansville, Georgia, Callaway athlete Cartavious "Tank" Bigsby.
Truly blessed to receive my 16th offer from Ohio State #GoBucks #BuckeyeNation pic.twitter.com/AxNtZSAwN7
— Cartavious Bigsby (@Tank5_21) May 19, 2017
"I was excited. [It] felt good, and I just thanked God," Bigsby told Eleven Warriors.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Bigsby is not yet ranked by any major recruiting sites, but he's on his way to being one of the top-rated prospects in the Class of 2020 after starting for the Cavaliers as a freshman. He already holds 15 offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Michigan and Tennessee.
Bigsby is the teammate of Keiondre Jones, cousin of Ohio State five-star quarterback commit Emory Jones. He was recently named the most valuable running back at Nike Football's The Opening Atlanta Regional.
DON'T BE THAT GUY
Two weeks ago, someone claiming to be Globe Institute of Technology wide receiver Unique Brissett II messaged me on Twitter to let me know he'd received an offer from Ohio State. I did a bit of research, hoping to find more information on him before sharing the news of an offer as I typically do, but there was nothing to be found.
#AGTG!! Blessed to say I have received an offer from THE Ohio State University pic.twitter.com/7NI43Skxqd
— . (@niqniq_2) May 9, 2017
Now I've seen a few fake offers reported in the past — typically by kids just hoping to get some quick fame on the internet — and I paid them no mind. I wasn't going to write about it, either. But none had ever gone to the same lengths as Brissett, who continued to narrow down his list of fake offers to a Top 8 this weekend.
A few outlets wrote about Brissett's top schools, but somebody along the way noticed his tweets from a supposed visit to Michigan State looked identical to those offensive tackle Cody Carone tweeted after his trip to East Lansing last month. To make matters worse, his highlight film is actually of another prospect and Globe Institute of Technology — though once a real school — closed last September.
Brissett's story reminds me of the time when an offensive lineman named Kevin Hart — not the comedian — held a signing day press conference announcing his decision to sign with California over Oregon, only it turned out neither school was actually recruiting him. Hart eventually signed with a junior college and ended up playing for a Division II school.
Either way, there's a lesson for any recruits reading this: Don't report fake offers. The truth will eventually come to light, and you'll damage your reputation in the process.
