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.
ALL-BIG TEN
Somewhat reminiscent of Toledo linebacker Dallas Gant’s all-Midwest list one year ago, West Bloomfield, Michigan, four-star linebacker Lance Dixon included Ohio State in his Top 5 on Friday night alongside Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and Wisconsin.
Top 5.. AGTG pic.twitter.com/CUCHozFO78
— (@Lance__Dixon) June 1, 2018
"I like Big Ten football, it's hard-nosed football," Dixon told MLive. "I like the idea of Big Ten football. I didn't really want to go too far from home, so I think that was the best list for me."
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Dixon is considered the 16th-best outside linebacker and No. 251 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he recorded more than 100 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss to help the Lakers to the state title game last season.
Head coach Urban Meyer offered Dixon a scholarship in January and he visited campus a few months later with a large contingency of teammates. He also attended Grand Valley State’s Best of the Midwest camp on Sunday, during which Meyer notably discussed winning rivalry games with Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh within earshot.
That said, it’s the Spartans who are considered the favorite in Dixon’s recruitment at this point in time. He admittedly grew up a fan of the program and has a strong relationship with head coach Mark Dantonio and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Mike Tressel.
Dixon visited the Nittany Lions this past weekend and has a trip to Madison to see the Badgers on the docket for June 9-10. He plans to use his remaining official visits on the three other finalists and make a decision before the start of his senior season.
THE DEEPEST POSITION IN THE COUNTRY
Hollywood, Florida, Chaminade-Madonna Prep four-star wide receiver John Dunmore trimmed his list of offers that same evening and listed Ohio State in his Top 7 alongside Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan and Penn State.
Official Top 7 .... pic.twitter.com/wEkzACf556
— Jdsunn__ (@JohnDunmore2) June 1, 2018
The 6-foot-2, 172-pound Dunmore is considered the 18th-best wide receiver and No. 107 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he hauled in 26 receptions for 272 yards and six touchdowns for Delray Beach American Heritage last season. He transferred schools over winter break.
As is often the case with prospects from South Florida, wide receivers coach Zach Smith extended a scholarship offer to Dunmore — a one-time Gators commit — in early February. He made his first and only trip to Columbus for a spring practice in April, where he spent time with Smith and his good friend and fellow Broward County native Binjimen Victor.
The Buckeyes have positioned themselves for an official visit this fall, but the Seminoles are the heavy favorite in Dunmore’s recruitment following a pair of spring unofficial visits. He has four officials left following an official with the Wolverines in mid-April.
BACK AGAIN
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Oak Park, Michigan, four-star offensive tackle Justin Rogers was back at Ohio State for an unofficial visit on Saturday afternoon.
nice visit today pic.twitter.com/d5tjAco5YM
— Justin Rogers (@AllAmerican52JR) June 3, 2018
The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Rogers has been to campus nearly a dozen times in the last eight months, since Columbus isn’t too much of a detour when he visits family in Dayton. This particular trip has been planned for nearly a month, as he first mentioned the visit during The Opening Canton Regional in early May.
“Just go and visit, talk to everybody and the players,” Rogers told reporters gathered at the event. “It’s good to experience it.”
Rogers — who holds three dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and Tennessee — has a strong relationship with Meyer and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa. Saturday’s visit allowed for some additional one-on-one time with the latter, as well as members of the current offensive line.
“I’m really looking for academics and building relationships with the players,” Rogers said. “Now in days, coaches get fired or get a new job, so I really want to build a relationship with the players.”
Rogers also took to Twitter this weekend to tease an announcement of some sort for Tuesday. While Ohio State is considered the overwhelming favorite in his recruitment, I don’t anticipate he’ll announce a commitment. Instead, it will likely be a list of top schools.
Rogers is in the process of planning a massive nationwide trip this summer and hopes to make a decision on Sept. 12 (his birthday) of his senior year.
RESHUFFLING THE DECK
After three days of competition at the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles, 12 quarterbacks have punched their ticket to The Opening Finals. That includes Wisconsin four-star commit Graham Mertz and South Carolina four-star pledge Ryan Hilinski— both of which are major Ohio State targets.
247Sports’ Barton Simmons was in attendance and offered the following evaluation of Mertz:
There may not be a higher upside thrower in this class than Mertz and college coaches have signed off on that by making him a priority despite his pledge to Wisconsin. Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State are among the others chasing.
Simmons also shared his thoughts on Hilinski:
He’s tall, has arm upside, has strong leadership qualities and was outstanding over the course of the weekend in California. The California native is committed to South Carolina.
Sources close to the Buckeyes have indicated Mertz remains the staff’s top target at the position and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ryan Day continues to push for him, Hilinski and Michigan State four-star commit Dwan Mathis to visit again.
Another notable prospect who was invited to The Opening Finals — which will take place at the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility June 30-July 3 — was Florida three-star quarterback Brian Maurer. Day dropped by his high school earlier this spring and has maintained contact since, but hasn’t offered yet.
Also from Simmons:
A bit of a revelation of the camp circuit, Maurer has the frame at 6-4 and the arm talent to emerge as one of the elite quarterbacks in this class. West Virginia is the current Crystal Ball favorite.
Maurer hopes to visit Ohio State for the first time this summer.
