Heat Check: The 2019 Recruiting Board Gets a Major Overhaul After a Number of Targets Come Off the Board in April

When the Class of 2019 is finalized next February, we may very well look back to April as the most important month of the entire cycle. The annual spring game and the start of official visits brought six new commitments into the fold, pushing the Buckeyes' total up to nine for the class. 

Former board members Cade Stover, Garrett Wilson, and Ronnie Hickman have come off the list as they are all now a part of Ohio State's class. Noah Potter, Steele Chambers, and Bryson Shaw weren't on the board, but they also made the call. The commit list is surging up the national team rankings and almost certainly will finish in the top-five yet again. 

Four-star defensive back Sheridan Jones has been scratched due to his pledge to Clemson. The Buckeyes appear to be done at running back – thanks to the Chambers pledge – so both Devyn Ford and Noah Cain have also been removed. 

Six names are off the board and there are six new ones to watch closely as we reshuffle the deck for the Class of 2019:

*Last month's version can be found HERE.

Zach Harrison is forever on top (until committing), and his recruitment continues to be a Big Ten battle with the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions leading the way. Penn State already got an official visit while Ohio State and Michigan are expected to get theirs in June.

The five-star isn't a huge fan of the recruiting process, and a decision should come before the start of his senior season. His crystal ball still reads 100 percent in favor of the Buckeyes.

Switching to the most important position on the field, it has become abundantly clear that Houston (St. Pius X) quarterback Grant Gunnell is the priority target at the position. The Texan was in Columbus this past weekend for an official, and it wouldn't have surprised me at all if he elected to pull the trigger shortly thereafter.

As things stand, Gunnell seems to be going into decision mode with an announcement expected to come this summer. It's looking like the Ohio State official may be the last one for him, and I'd say LSU is the school worth watching until a decision is made. 

Gunnell checks in at 6-foot-6 and 222 pounds, and some people are naturally questioning whether or not he has the mobility to lead an Urban Meyer offense. 

Fun fact #1: Dwayne Haskins rushed for –22 yards (negative 22) and just four touchdowns in four years of high school. He had 24 rushing yards —including a 22-yarder— last November in Ann Arbor. 

Fun fact #2: In three seasons at St. Pius, Grant Gunnell has rushed for 1,088 yards and 20 touchdowns. 

You don't have to run a 4.4 to play quarterback at Ohio State, folks. Gunnell is plenty mobile and that much is evidenced in his highlights. Overall, 2019 may be a weak year for quarterback prospects, but he's one of the best in America.

We've flip-flopped the top two offensive line targets on the board. Harry Miller remains the staff's top target at center, and his recruitment is coming down to Ohio State and Stanford. Center may not be the team's biggest need, but the Buckeyes are going all in on Miller. So much so that a guy like Cincinnati's Zeke Correll could be on the outside looking in.

A potential valedictorian at Georgia's Buford High School, academics are obviously a big factor with this one. Dawg Nation's Jeff Sentell had a nice piece on the four-star and noted that he hasn't received a "B" in the classroom since fourth grade. He plans to study engineering while in college.

A decision could come while Miller is on a mission trip in Nicaragua this summer. He spoke to 11W about his top schools a few weeks back:

“I think Ohio State and Stanford are my two favorite right now,” Miller said. “It’s really just weighing the doorways that each university opens. At Stanford, the degree is very prestigious and will open lots of doors. We’ve also talked with coach Meyer about the connections Ohio State has, not only with the football program, but with the doctors, professors and CEOs I’ve talked with already. [It] proves to be very promising and exciting.” 

Five-star tackle Darnell Wright moves from No. 2 down to No. 4 on our board, and it has absolutely nothing to do with his talent or the positional need for Ohio State. The reason for the drop is simply because the Buckeyes seem to be fading fast for the country's top tackle. Tennessee and Alabama look to be out in front, but a decision is not expected anytime soon, so there could be time to get back into this one.

Five-star offensive lineman Devontae Dobbs moves up the board a bit, though his recruitment has been pretty quiet of late. The Spartans look like the favorites still, but the Buckeyes are still near the top of his list and have time to make up ground. 

I'm not totally sure what to do with Trevor Keegan at this point, but the country's No. 15 tackle is certainly high on the Buckeyes and plays a position of great need. He was in Columbus back in March and came away raving about Meyer and Studrawa. Michigan and Wisconsin remain firmly in the mix, but you gotta think Ohio State will push if things continue to look bleak for Wright. 

The tackle situation is tricky, but a lot of this is going to depend on where Doug Nester best projects. The Buckeye commit now checks in at 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds. He has a tackle body, but his ultimate position is going to depend on the footwork and athleticism. 

When it comes to the pass-catchers, Ohio State's board is tough to get a read on. With Garrett Wilson now in the fold, it's reasonable to assume the staff will look to add two or three more wideouts. There are a handful of prospects who are being targeted, but right now a few may be standing out above the rest.

The Buckeyes may head back to the Lone Star State for another talented wideout. Four-star Elijah Higgins is close friends with the aforementioned Wilson, and the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder was in town last weekend for an unofficial. Texas and Stanford are the other ones to watch, but he and Wilson have discussed playing together at the next level. 

Buckeye Nation... if you think i aint bringing some Texas boys with me, youre wrong. So happy to be apart of the family, Go Bucks!

— Garrett Wilson (@GarrettWilson_V) April 30, 2018

Marcus Washington isn't a name we've talked about much, but the four-star really doesn't have a whole lot to say about his recruiting process. The St. Louis product has visited the in-state Tigers multiple times, but he has offers from all over the country and the Buckeyes have had some success in Missouri recently.

Ohio State offered last April and the country's No. 9 wideout has been to Columbus twice since that time. Sometimes we tend to forget about the guys who fly a bit under the radar, but Washington is definitely one to keep a close eye on. He makes his debut at No. 9 on the board.

The Buckeyes should plan taking a tight end as well, but the outlook there is also a tad cloudy. Three-star Brayden Liebrock may be the best bet, but he's set to head to Austin this weekend for an official visit. It will be his second trip to Texas this spring.

Liebrock seems on track to decide by the start of his senior year, so Ohio State will likely need to get him back in town for an official. He was in Columbus last March and came away very high on what Urban Meyer had to offer. This isn't exactly a priority position for the class, but there really aren't too many targets out there just yet.

The defensive secondary got a surprise commitment when three-star safety Bryson Shaw flipped from Wisconsin. It will be interesting to see how this position group comes together, but Shaw brings some serious speed to the table. Ohio State will likely end up with 4-5 in the secondary; including recent athlete commit Ronnie Hickman.

The Buckeyes are the team to beat for Jordan Battle, and the St. Thomas Aquinas four-star checks in at No. 5 on our board. Battle is someone who can play anywhere in the secondary, but the way things look now, the 2019 need will likely be at corner. He's made multiple trips to Miami and still came away listing Ohio State as his leader.

Had an awesome time with @OSUCoachMeyer and the rest of the staff at THE Ohio State University! #GoBucks #SilverBullets @youngchase907 pic.twitter.com/UAkaQsQ2rK

— Nick Cross (@Nick_Cross26) April 2, 2018

DeMatha Catholic's Nick Cross is likely going to be the name to watch from here on out when it comes to the safety spot, and 247 Sports lists the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder as the country's top player at the position. Ohio State struck gold at DeMatha in 2017 when Chase Young sided with the Buckeyes.

Cross has already taken an official to Florida. He was in Columbus for an unofficial in early April and plans on making a decision by the end of summer.

So, April was a whirlwind of a month. The early official visits really are a game-changer in the recruiting landscape, and the Ohio State staff seems to be handling things perfectly thus far. Things should quiet down a bit in May, but it's worth noting that that these officials can take place up until late June.

Switching gears to a totally different and unrelated topic....

I watched A Quiet Place last weekend and would give it a solid 8.2 out of 10. Interesting concept and they executed it to near perfection. John Krasinski will always be Jim Halpert to me, but Jim's directorial talents may be on par with his paper-selling expertise. 

I finally get to see Infinity War on Thursday night. I've successfully avoided spoilers for about a week now, so hopefully that can last another 48 hours or so.

Until next time.