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.
NO. 22 IN YOUR PROGRAMS
Ohio State added a preferred walk-on from the junior college ranks on Monday when Monroe College, New York, cornerback Alex Badine Jr. announced his commitment to the program.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"#GoBucks @OSUCoachMeyer @CoachEugene10 pic.twitter.com/YRYOz3d9XN
— Alex Badine Jr (@AlexBadineJr) June 4, 2018
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Badine originally planned to walk on at Rutgers, but a torn ACL during his senior season at Brooklyn Grand Street derailed that opportunity. After a year of rehab, he enrolled at New York's ASA College and then transferred to Monroe after his freshman season.
With his associate’s degree in hand and a desire to play big-time college football, Badine began reaching out to coaches across the county. He emailed more than 1,700 college coaches and reached out to more than 350 staff members on Twitter.
“Only two got back to me: Ohio State and Stony Brook University in New York," Badine told Eleven Warriors, noting former assistant director of player personnel Eron Hodges was the first coach to respond to his overtures. “He showed coach [Taver] Johnson, coach [Urban] Meyer and coach [Greg] Schiano my tape. Unfortunately they didn't have any more scholarship offers, but they see my talent and know what I bring to the table. I have the opportunities and talent that scholarship players on the team have, so just being in that position is a blessing."
Hodges invited Badine — who is actually close with quarterback Dwayne Haskins and safety Jahsen Wint, a fellow Brooklyn native — to campus for an unofficial visit for the Buckeyes’ annual Spring Game in mid-April. He spent time with the staff and current and former players, and fell in love with what the program has to offer.
Badine has already enrolled in classes and joined the team over the weekend. He will have three years to play two seasons, and hopes to crack the rotation at cornerback this fall.
“Coach Johnson knows what I'm capable of and he's just going to do his best to get me playing time,” Badine said.
With that, Badine feels as if he has a leg up on some of the other newcomers given his experience balancing college work and football.
"I'm just worried about me being physically prepared,” he said. “Everything else will just fall into place because I'm already two years into college.”
SOME NOTABLE OMISSIONS
Following what seems like his millionth unofficial visit to Ohio State over the weekend, Oak Park, Michigan, four-star offensive guard Justin Rogers teased an announcement of some sort for Tuesday.
Though the Buckeyes are considered the overwhelming favorite in his recruitment, I mentioned in last night’s edition of The Hurry Up how it was likely to be a list of top schools rather than a commitment. And while I was right, there was still as surprise.
Rogers included Ohio State in his Top 13 on Tuesday afternoon alongside Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Penn State, Tennessee and USC, but notably left Michigan and Michigan State on the outside looking in.
dont ask no questions My top schools pic.twitter.com/JKpODw1h6p
— Justin Rogers (@AllAmerican52JR) June 5, 2018
It’s yet another disappointing recruitment for the Wolverines, who missed the cut last week for five-star in-state offensive tackle Devontae Dobbs of Belleville. Grand Rapids East Kentwood five-star offensive tackle Logan Brown — the state’s top-ranked player for 2019 — has been committed to Wisconsin since November, while four-star quarterback Dwan Mathis (Oak Park) and four-star cornerback Julian Barnett (Belleville) have pledged their services to the Spartans.
Meanwhile, West Bloomfield four-star linebacker Lance Dixon included Michigan in his Top 5 last week, but Michigan State is also the favorite to land his services. That can't sit well in Ann Arbor.
FITTING A PIECE INTO THE PUZZLE
Frankfort, Kentucky, Western Hills three-star all-purpose back Wandale Robinson has been eyeing another trip to Ohio State since wide receivers coach Zach Smith offered him a scholarship in mid-May.
Robinson now has a date for that visit, as he’ll return to Columbus for an unofficial visit June 14. That’ll be sandwiched between a pair of official visits to Purdue (June 8-9) and Michigan (June 22-23), and will be his second trip to Columbus overall. He also visited this spring.
“[I’m looking forward to] really watching the film and seeing how I will be used in their offense,” Robinson told Eleven Warriors.
The 5-foot-8, 170-pound Robinson is considered the eighth-best all-purpose back and No. 793 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he’s racked up 7,341 total yards and 85 touchdowns his his three-year varsity career with the Wolverines. Despite his label, the Buckeyes are recruiting him as a slot receiver and returner.
Robinson — whose father played collegiately at Western Kentucky — holds nearly 20 offers from programs such as Cincinnati, Duke, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Wake Forest, but Ohio State is admittedly among his top schools thanks to Meyer, Smith and cornerbacks coach/area recruiter Taver Johnson.
“They’ve been on me hard, even before they offered me,” Robinson said.
Shortly after Robinson announced his offer, I placed my 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction in favor of the Buckeyes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he announced a decision following this latest batch of visits, but I anticipate a slower timeline. After all, he’s already in the process of planning an official visit to Columbus for a game this fall.
