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.
READY THE CANNONS
Ohio State welcomed Westerville Central three-star defensive end Dontay Hunter II to campus for practice on Wednesday morning.
“It was tremendous,” Hunter told Eleven Warriors. “I absolutely loved it. I watched them practice, got a tour of their beautiful facilities and talked to the coaching staff and players.”
The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Hunter is considered the 36th-best weak-side defensive end and No. 509 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he recorded 45 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, six sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one interception for the Warhawks last season. He holds more than a dozen offers from programs such as Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota and Virginia, while schools like Clemson, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Penn State, USC and Wisconsin have show significant interest, too.
The Buckeyes really rolled out the red carpet for Hunter as he spoke with head coach Urban Meyer; defensive line coach Larry Johnson; co-defensive coordinator Alex Grinch; offensive coordinator and area recruiter Kevin Wilson; and cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson.
“They said that I’m ‘a hell of a player’ and want to coach me one day,” Hunter said. “They love my film and how well I handle myself off the field, along with my grades.”
Hunter is set to travel to Ann Arbor for an unofficial visit tomorrow, but he’s also expecting a phone call from Ohio State in the next few days. If it’s an offer, he’d commit on the spot.
“I would mean the absolute world,” Hunter said. “I was born at the Ohio State hospital [Wexner Medical Center] and grew up a fan all my life.”
Hunter hopes to make a decision on his future something this spring or summer, so the Buckeyes will have to decide soon themselves.
MAN OF STEELE
The doors at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center will only continue to revolve over the next few weeks as we head toward the Spring Game, as the staff has invited prospects from all over the country to attend a practice.
Roswell, Georgia, Blessed Trinity Catholic four-star athlete Steele Chambers will soon be among them, as he told Eleven Warriors he’ll be on campus with his parents on Friday.
“[I’m] gonna have a heart-to-heart with coach [Urban Meyer] about where he sees me fitting into the program,” Chambers said.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Steele is considered the 31st-best athlete and No. 340 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he rushed for 1,301 yards and 23 touchdowns and recorded 70 tackles, six tackles for a loss, two sacks and one interception while leading the Titans to the state championship last season. He holds more than two dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State and Stanford, but programs seem to be torn on whether or not he’s a running back or outside linebacker at the next level.
Chambers is a bit indecisive, too.
“It depends on the program,” he said when asked which position he’d rather play.
The Buckeyes offered Chambers a scholarship last October, and he made his first and only trip to campus for the 39-38 win over the Nittany Lions just a few weeks later. He also attended The Game as a guest of the Wolverines.
Chambers has maintained contact with Meyer, Grinch and running backs coach Tony Alford ever since. If everything goes well, he’ll probably make it back for an official visit this fall.
I’LL BE SURPRISED WHEN THEY DON’T MAKE THE CUT
With spring official visits right around the corner, prospects are trimming down their list of scholarship offers left and right. Some are down to only a handful of schools, all vying for one of five official visits.
Others — like Amite, Louisiana, four-star wide receiver Devontae Lee — are still in the beginning phases of their recruitment. That’s why he included Ohio State in his Top 12 on Wednesday afternoon alongside Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Tennessee, Texas and Texas A&M.
Top 12 pic.twitter.com/yg1CfqmFQm
— Devonta Lee (@DevontaleeLee) March 28, 2018
The 6-foot-2, 212-pound Lee is considered the 13th-best wide receiver and No. 66 prospect overall in the Class of 2019. He was named honorable mention all-state last season after leading the Warriors to the state quarterfinals.
Though he’s never been to campus, Lee called Ohio State his “dream school” upon receiving an offer from Meyer last June. But unless they get him to Columbus something this spring or fall, the Buckeyes have no chance to land his pledge.
I have a hard time envisioning Lee leaving the SEC West, as is.
