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.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES
With Ohio State already holding a commitment from four-star quarterback Emory Jones, it should come as no surprise that his cousin — Hogansville, Georgia, Callaway four-star offensive guard Keiondre Jones — would be high on the Buckeyes as well.
But wait ......there's more pic.twitter.com/rGURcPNGq3
— (@keiondrejones) August 18, 2017
As you can see, the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Jones listed Ohio State in his Top 11 on Friday night alongside Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee. He hasn't been to Columbus since the Buckeyes offered in mid-January, but he continues to hear great things about the program from afar.
“Emory has told me about the atmosphere up there,” Jones told Eleven Warriors. "I can't wait to get up.”
Quarterbacks coach and area recruiter Ryan Day stopped by Callaway to watch Jones practice during the spring evaluation period, so a relationship has been established. However, things are trending toward Clemson at the moment, and it'll be paramount for the staff to get him on campus for a game this fall to have a realistic shot.
THAT'S A NEW ONE
Shortly after Ohio State landed a commitment from Fort Lauderdale American Heritage four-star defensive end Andrew Chatfield in early June, a flood of 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions were placed in favor of the Buckeyes for his teammate, four-star defensive tackle Nesta Silvera.
The two earned an offer from defensive line coach Larry Johnson during the same spring scrimmage, and the Buckeyes' desire to pair a massive prospect alongside five-star Taron Vincent on the interior made a flip from the Miami commit seem like only a matter of time.
A lot has changed in the nearly three months since, though, namely Chatfield reopening his recruitment earlier this month. Silvera has remained mum about his interest in Ohio State and any potential visits to Columbus, too, which he previously planned to take with his teammate this fall.
Silvera then took it a step further on Saturday afternoon by announcing he remains 1,000 percent committed to the Hurricanes. That's a new one.
1000% Committed. #Broward2Dade pic.twitter.com/dvKI9lTY0R
— Nesta (Jade) Silvera (@NJS_ERA) August 19, 2017
"I committed the day after I got the offer, so I was very excited to be able to represent my hometown," Silvera told Eleven Warriors. "I'm still exited to do that."
Of course, things change on the recruiting trail almost daily and Silvera and his mother talk with Johnson almost weekly, so it's not as if the interest has dwindled on either side. We'll have to reassess the situation if he makes the trek to Ohio this fall.
Until then, a few names to keep in mind at the other defensive tackle position are Idaho four-star Tommy Togiai and Blinn College's Antwuan Jackson Jr., a former four-star prospect who picked Auburn over Ohio State in Dec. 2015. Neither is committed anywhere, and both plan to take an official visit this fall.
DAWGS ON THE RISE
For the second time in under a week, Georgia landed a commitment from a highly touted wide receiver who included Ohio State among his top schools.
First, it was Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas four-star Elijah Moore. This time, it was Fort Valley Peach County four-star Kearis Jackson who picked the in-state Bulldogs over the Buckeyes and a host of other schools, including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU and Michigan.
I am Kearis Jackson and I've made my decision..... To GOD be the glory . https://t.co/Eu8IrsADav
— ~~ (@king_kearis) August 19, 2017
"I committed to Georgia because it felt like home," Jackson told Dawgs247. "I know all of the coaches, all of the players — it just really felt like home to me. Everytime I visit, I know everyone and everyone knows me. I am comfortable. I am excited. I just cannot wait to put on the pads and show what I can do."
The 6-foot, 203-pound Jackson is considered the 26th-best receiver and No. 127 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, as he hauled in 52 passes for 739 yards and nine scores for the Trojans last season.
Ohio State offered Jackson a scholarship in early February, and the above-mentioned Day and wide receivers coach Zach Smith forged a relationship with him by stopping by his school for a practice during the spring evaluation period. He never made a trip to Columbus, though, and remained high on the Buckeyes based on the good things he was hearing from the Emory Jones.
The Buckeyes remain the favorite to land both St. Louis four-star Kamryn Babb and Huber Heights Wayne four-star L'Christian "Blue" Smith, so Jackson's decision doesn't really have an impact on the current recruiting cycle. Georgia, meanwhile, is now ranked in Top 25 of the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
