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.
ANOTHER NAME TO THE MIX
Ohio State has been linked to a number of tight ends through the current recruiting cycle, including Illinois four-star Jahleel Billingsley, Texas four-star commit Brayden Liebrock and Auburn three-star pledge Luke Deal. But much like the quarterback position, the staff has yet to identify its top target and continues to kick the tires on prospects from all over the country.
That includes Parkersburg, West Virginia, three-star tight end Brenton Strange, whom the Buckeyes welcomed to campus for an unofficial visit on Monday afternoon.
Had a great time at the Ohio State University today ! pic.twitter.com/p3wQhskkYf
— Brenton Strange (@BrentonStrange) June 4, 2018
“I enjoyed my time up there,” Strange told Eleven Warriors. “I toured the facilities and a little bit of the campus, they showed me some of the equipment and I talked to coach [Urban] Meyer.”
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Strange is considered the 60th-best tight end and No. 1,460 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, though he was named first-team all-state after he hauled in 59 passes for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns to lead the Big Reds to the playoffs last season. He is the school’s all-time leader in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,739) and set the school mark for catches in a game with 12.
Strange also added 95 tackles, nine tackles for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions and two touchdowns on defense last fall. He holds offers from Akron, Albany, Marshall, Purdue and Rutgers, but Louisville, North Carolina, North Carolina State and West Virginia have also shown significant interest.
During Strange’s visit, Meyer laid out a path for how he can get an offer from Ohio State. And with that, he plans to return to campus for a one-day camp next Tuesday, June 12.
“They want to see me move in person,” he said. “It’d mean a lot. Ohio State has one of the best programs in college football.”
That said, the Buckeyes aren’t certain to bring on a tight end this cycle. If they do, my chips continue to be placed with Indiana three-star Craig Young, though he’s labeled as a wide receiver by various recruiting outlets.
PEACH STATE PACKAGE
When Ohio State landed a commitment from Marietta, Georgia, four-star offensive tackle commit Jake Wray in late April, I talked at length about how his early decision could help the Buckeyes recruit at one of the nation’s top high school programs.
“Our class is going to be exciting,” Wray told Eleven Warriors shortly after he announced his commitment.
Well, Wray was back in Columbus for a two-day visit — beginning on Tuesday — and brought a pair of his teammates with him in four-star quarterback Harrison Bailey and four-star defensive end Arik Gilbert.
It marks the first trip back to Columbus for the 6-foot-5, 228-pound Bailey, who is considered the second-best pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2020, since Ohio State offered him a scholarship during a visit last summer. Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ryan Day was not on campus at the time, so this offers the two a chance to further their relationship.
The 6-foot-5, 248-pound Gilbert, meanwhile, has never been to Columbus, though the Buckeyes offered last May. He’s the 11th-ranked prospect overall and is among the most sought-after prospects in the Class of 2020, with offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State and USC.
I look forward to catching up with each prospect in the coming days, but there’s no doubt Wray is pushing hard for his new teammates to join him at Ohio State for the next few years.
RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY
As you certainly know by now, Wray transferred to Marietta from Franklin, Tennessee, last fall. And while playing for the Rebels, he faced some of the state’s best prospects like Blackman four-star cornerback Adonis Otey, Franklin Roads Academy four-star wide receiver Lance Wilhoite and Oakland four-star cornerback Woodi Washington.
Those relationships could also pay dividends, as all three remain extremely interested in the Buckeyes and plan to visit for a one-day camp this Friday.
“I just wanna see how they coach and teach me at the camp,” Otey told Eleven Warriors.
This will mark the second time on campus for the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Otey — as he attended a camp in Columbus as a freshman — but first since running backs coach/area recruiter Tony Alford offered him a scholarship in February. He plans to announce his college decision on Aug. 1, his brother’s birthday.
The 6-foot-3, 186-pound Wilhoite — considered the 23rd-best wide receiver and No. 126 prospect overall in the Class of 2019 — has been to campus four times in the last year, including a pair of games last fall. He’s repeatedly said his relationship with Alford and wide receivers coach Zach Smith is among his strongest as he heads toward a late-July decision. I get the sense that he wants to be a Buckeye, but a few things have to work in his favor in order for that to happen.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Washington tagged along with Wilhoite for Ohio State’s wins over Maryland and Penn State last fall. He and St. Thomas Aquinas four-star Jordan Battle are the staff’s top targets at cornerback, and I think Ohio State has an excellent chance to make a move in his recruitment this weekend.
All three plan to attend the Buckeyes’ camp at Tennessee State on Thursday before heading north to Columbus.
RESTOCKING THE CUPBOARD
Among the various position units, there’s no doubt the offensive line is Ohio State’s top priority right now. The Buckeyes are set to lose at least seven linemen between now and the end of the 2019 season, which means the next two classes will surely be heavy on linemen.
With that said, the Buckeyes handed out their 12 offer to an offensive tackle from the Class of 2020 on Wednesday afternoon to League City, Texas, Clear Creek four-star Chad Lindberg.
Very excited to have received an offer from THE Ohio State University!! #GoBucks @OSUCoachKDub pic.twitter.com/rPFyuNW63C
— Chad (@ChadLindberg78) June 6, 2018
“Ohio State, to me, is a solid option for a player like myself,” Lindberg told Eleven Warriors. “I am excited to have [this offer] and be able to check out [the program].”
The 6-foot-6, 306-pound Lindberg is considered the 12th-best offensive tackle and No. 73 prospect overall in his cycle, as he was named first-team all-district and all-county despite the Wildcats’ 3-6 record. He holds more than 30 offers from programs such as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Stanford, Texas, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.
Lindberg has been in contact with offensive coordinator/area recruiter Kevin Wilson and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa, who extended the offer on Wednesday afternoon.
“I look forward to building a relationship with them through this process,” Lindberg said, noting he hopes to visit sometime this fall.
HIS OWN PATH TO COLUMBUS
When Ohio State first started recruiting Mentor four-star defensive end Noah Potter nearly two years ago, most assumed he would become a Buckeye simply because of his older brother, Micah, plays for the basketball team.
Noah was never going to be influenced by his older brother, though, and cited his relationship with defensive line coach Larry Johnson as a big reason for his commitment in April.
"It just so happens Micah goes there and it's my [favorite] team,” Potter told Eleven Warriors.
The elder Potter reiterated that during his basketball media availability on Wednesday afternoon.
“He has wanted to be a Buckeye his entire life,” Micah said. “Ever since he was five-years-old, he had a paper up on his wall that said: ‘Five-star recruit, Ohio State, NFL, Hall of Fame.' At five-years-old, that was his life-long goal. Once he got into the recruiting process and started to develop his abilities, he started to really enjoy the recruiting process and getting all the attention from all the coaches, especially being the third-born and being behind other Division I athletes, my brother and then me. He was the one that was kind of left behind in that sense, so he really enjoyed it.
As mentioned, Noah is the third in a long line of Division I athletes. In addition to Micah, their oldest brother, Caleb, played baseball at West Virginia and Southern New Hampshire. Their younger sister, Emma, meanwhile, is only a freshman in high school but is being recruited by Ohio State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia to play soccer in college.
“His biggest thing was — and I was in the meeting with him and Coach Meyer the day that he committed — he didn’t want the pressure from anyone else,” Micah said. “That was always my intent. I was always going to love him regardless of where he went. He could have gone anywhere in the country and still been super successful. Obviously I am happy to have him here, very excited that he is coming. I would always tease him about coming here, but he knew in the end wherever he went, I was going to love him."
