Recruiting is all about momentum. Sometimes you're gaining it, sometimes you're losing it. What prospects are trending up with Ohio State? Let's take a look.
After a busy month of April that featured six new commitments, things slowed down quite a bit in May. The biggest saga of the past month focused on Ohio State's pursuit of a 2019 quarterback, and right now there are more questions than answers as it pertains to the most important position on the field.
#SpoilerAlert: There's no longer a quarterback on our board. It feels like the staff is comfortable waiting things out and a) trying to flip a player like Wisconsin commit Graham Mertz and/or b) seeing what players make a big jump during their senior seasons.
The good news is that there's a lot to look forward to in June. It's the last month of the early official visit period and the Buckeyes have a loaded slate expected to head to Columbus; including several of the names on our latest and greatest 2019 recruiting board.
| NAME | POSITION | RANK | PREV. | RATING | OTHERS IN THE MIX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZACH HARRISON | DE | 1 | 1 | ★★★★★ | Penn State•Michigan |
| HARRY MILLER | OL | 2 | 3 | ★★★★ | Stanford |
| DEVONTAE DOBBS | OL | 3 | 6 | ★★★★★ | Michigan State•Georgia•Michigan |
| JORDAN BATTLE | DB | 4 | 5 | ★★★★ | Miami•Clemson•Georgia |
| DARNELL WRIGHT | OT | 5 | 4 | ★★★★★ | Alabama•Tennessee•Virginia Tech |
| MARCUS WASHINGTON | WR | 6 | 9 | ★★★★ | Alabama•Missouri•Oklahoma |
| JAMESON WILLIAMS | WR | 7 | NA | ★★★★ | Alabama•Oregon•UCLA |
| TREVOR KEEGAN | OT | 8 | 10 | ★★★★ | Michigan•Iowa•Wisconsin•PSU |
| JONATHAN ALLEN | OT | 9 | NA | ★★★ | Wisconsin•West Virginia•Michigan |
| TYLER DAVIS | DT | 10 | NA | ★★★★ | Clemson•Miami |
| DAVID BELL | WR | 11 | NA | ★★★★ | Purdue•Penn State•Michigan |
*Last month's edition can be found HERE.
Ohio's top prospect and one of the best in the country will head to Ann Arbor and then make the short trip to Columbus in late June. Five-star defensive end Zach Harrison is expected to announce sometime before the start of his senior season, and the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions continue to lead the charge with the Wolverines more of a dark horse.
Ohio State continues to be the crystal ball favorite, but James Franklin and Penn State certainly can't be ruled out for this one. Harrison has been at the top of our board ever since its inception and that won't change until his intentions are known.
Nearly half of the list is comprised of offensive linemen, and given the need for the class, that shouldn't come as a total surprise. Yes, the Buckeyes already have a pair in the fold in four-stars Doug Nester and Mentor's Ryan Jacoby, but the class as a whole should end up numbering around five or six in the trenches.
While tackle remains a need, four-star center Harry Miller has to be one of the players the staff is working the hardest to land. A decision is expected in July, and Ohio State or Stanford should be getting some good news. Miller is up to No. 2 on our board; a spot that was briefly occupied by quarterback Grant Gunnell.
Five-star Darnell Wright continues to descend a bit, and the Buckeyes are going to have to get him back on campus to even have a shot. It seems like Ohio State is barely even being mentioned anymore when the Huntington, West Virginia product speaks on his recruitment. We're keeping him on the board for now given the positional need and since a decision doesn't seem imminent.
Devontae Dobbs' crystal ball is heavily in favor of the Spartans, but it sounds like there's still time for Ohio State to get back in this one. The five-star narrowed his list down to eight schools and is scheduled to officially visit Auburn and USC this month. He's been to Columbus plenty of times, but the Buckeyes will certainly shoot for a fall official.
Trevor Keegan is very likely to end up in the Big Ten, and it may come down to how hard of a push Ohio State elects to make for the Illinois tackle. The Wolverines already have five linemen in the fold, but it does appear that they're looking for one more tackle, and Keegan may be at the top of the board.
Jonathan Allen received his Ohio State offer in May, and it was a big one for the two-sport star from Dayton's Dunbar High School. The Buckeyes are the team to beat for the three-star who now holds offers from all of the Big Ten powers. It's likely only a matter of time until the 6-foot-6, 315-pounder is a member of the class. Allen is still fairly raw, but he looks like someone who could have a ceiling that is sky high.
Switching over to the other side of the line, we've intentionally left defensive tackles off of the board thus far. The Buckeyes signed four great ones in the Class of 2018, and it's just not a position of great need. However, that hasn't stopped the staff from going after their top guy, and that guy appears to be four-star Apopka, Florida defender Tyler Davis.
The 6-foot-1, 293-pounder makes his debut at the 10-spot on the board, and he's looking to make two crucial visits this week. Davis is tentatively scheduled to be at Clemson today and then he heads to Columbus later in the week. The tour will hit up a few other programs, but Urban Meyer and Dabo Swinney are at the top of his list.
After signing a pair of St. Louis prospects this past cycle, it's looking like Zach Smith the Buckeyes may have a repeat performance for the 2019 class.
? @juicedupjameson @jalaniw9 pic.twitter.com/5ciY9ePPW7
— Marcus Washington (@_MarcusW11) May 14, 2018
The Show Me State has been good to the Buckeyes of late, and two of the staff's top remaining targets are scheduled to be in town June 22nd for official visits. Trinity Catholic's Marcus Washington is the country's No. 9 wideout and Jameson Williams (Cardinal Ritter) checks in as the No. 3 prospect in Missouri.
Ohio State is the crystal ball favorite for both players and – as you can see above – the duo has discussed playing together in college. Williams is a track star who's also considering Alabama and Oregon. Washington recently cut his list to six and the other contenders include Oregon, Missouri, Texas, Georgia, and Florida State.
Indianapolis receiver David Bell surfaces again on our board. He's expected to trim his list down soon, and teams like Ohio State, Purdue, and Penn State will likely make the cut. The Buckeyes remain the crystal ball favorite but a lot of this will depend on whether or not the four-star also wants to play basketball at the next level.
Adding a combination of Washington, Williams, and Bell to go along with five-star Garrett Wilson would help to replenish a unit that will lose a lot of talent following the 2018 season.
Jordan Battle is the lone defensive back on our board, and the St. Thomas Aquinas defender checks in at No. 4. Ohio State's recruiting in the secondary is a bit foggy right now, but both Ronnie Hickman and Bryson Shaw are penciled in as safeties; at least for the time being.
Battle will also be in town on June 22nd, and the Buckeyes could be getting a bit of good news around that time. At 6-foot-1 and 187 pounds, he can likely play anywhere in the secondary. We look for Greg Schiano and Co. to end up with 4-5 defensive back signees, and Battle is at the top of the list.
The Buckeyes have the nation's No. 13 recruiting class but continue to be one of the top programs as it pertains to the average rating per commitment. These rankings are going to look quite different here in a few weeks, and especially as we get into early July. If I were a betting man, I'd set the over/under at 2.5 commitments this month.
With plenty of camps going on, official visits taking place, and commitments to be on the lookout for, it's pretty clear that Columbus is where it's at for the month of June.
