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.
RAISING KANE IN OPPOSING BACKFIELDS
Ohio State welcomed Nashville Christ Presbyterian Academy four-star linebacker Kane Patterson to campus for an unofficial visit on Wednesday. He was joined on the trip by his father.
“It was awesome,” Patterson told Eleven Warriors.
This marked the third trip to Columbus for the 6-foot-1, 225-pound Patterson — who is considered the 15th-best outside linebacker and No. 198 prospect overall in the Class of 2019 — as he attended the loss to Oklahoma in September and returned for an unofficial visit in late March with both of his parents and three younger brothers.
Patterson has grown close to linebackers coach Bill Davis, and the two talk on the phone at least once per week since the Buckeyes offered in January. Wednesday’s visit also gave him the chance to spend more time with head coach Urban Meyer, defensive coordinator Greg Schiano and some of the players.
“[They told me] that they will not only make me the best player I can be, but also the best person I can be, which really means a lot to me and my family,” Patterson said. “Ohio State is very high for me. They’ve got everything I want: championships, coaches and elite education.”
Patterson is closing in on a decision, with trips to Texas A&M on June 15, Alabama on June 22 and Tennessee on a to-be-determined date. Those school round out his Top 4.
“I could commit any day this summer,” Patterson said. “Just when it feels right.”
Ohio State holds just one commitment at the linebacker position from Lexington four-star Cade Stover, but how many the staff brings on this cycle is still up in the air. The Buckeyes are expected to lose only one linebacker in redshirt senior Dante Booker, but it’s important to not a number of veterans could soon find themselves buried on the depth chart as underclassmen push for playing time.
The staff is certainly keeping its options and the lines of communication with several top prospects open as a result. Ohio State remains in the mix for Michigan four-star Lance Dixon and Florida four-star Rian Davis, as well as several yet-to-be-offered in-state options.
DON’T EXPECT ANY FIREWORKS
Richmond Fort Bend Bush four-star cornerback announced on Wednesday evening he’ll make his college decision among finalists Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, TCU and USC on Independence Day.
Committing july 4th its bout that time
— Erick Young (@Fvmous_ey) June 7, 2018
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Young is considered the 12th-best cornerback and No. 102 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he was named first-team all-district after he recorded just 10 tackles and one interception for the Broncos last season. He has not been to campus since wide receivers coach Zach Smith offered him a scholarship last August nor does he have a visit set up in the next month — effectively putting the Buckeyes’ chances somewhere between slim and none.
The Aggies, meanwhile, are the overwhelming favorite to land Young’s pledge.
STAYING HOME
You can cross two more cornerbacks off the board after Aledo, Texas, four-star Jeffery “Scooby” Carter left Ohio State out of his Top 4 on Thursday night and Chesapeake, Virginia, Oscar Smith four-star Cam’Ron Kelly committed to Virginia Tech.
The decision is next.. pic.twitter.com/D9DsPCbSS4
— scooby (@jcarter2133) June 6, 2018
110% COMMITTED!!! pic.twitter.com/3kaEtcxrA5
— Cam'Ron Kelly (@CamRonJKelly) June 7, 2018
The 6-foot, 180-pound Carter — who is considered the 11th-best cornerback and No. 93 prospect overall in the Class of 2019 — listed Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M as his finalists. He had Ohio State in his Top 6 back in April despite the fact that he’d never been to Columbus.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Kelly, meanwhile, made his first trip to campus for Ohio State’s 39-38 win over the Nittany Lions in October and the staff offered him a scholarship just a few months later. He returned for another visit in early February — where he spent time with head coach Urban Meyer, defensive coordinator Greg Schiano and co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Alex Grinch — and subsequently included Ohio State in his Top 8.
Penn State was widely considered the favorite to land Kelly’s commitment, but things took a dramatic turn in the last few days leading up to his announcement. The Hokies essentially came out of nowhere to secure his pledge on Thursday, as they weren’t even listed among his top schools two months ago.
The Buckeyes never really made a push in Kelly’s recruitment, the main reason being cornerback isn’t a huge need. The staff has signed eight cornerbacks in the last two years, which means it’s quite possibly the deepest position on the roster and they’ll only take one — maybe two, depending on the numbers — this cycle.
St. Thomas Aquinas four-star Jordan Battle, though listed as a safety by various recruiting sites, is the staff’s top target at cornerback. He’ll be back on campus for an official visit on June 22, at which time I anticipate he’ll commit to the staff.
A QUICK TURNAROUND
Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson extended a scholarship offer on Thursday afternoon to Kannapolis, North Carolina, A.L. Brown three-star defensive end Kedrick Bingley-Jones.
Humble to receive an offer from THE Ohio State University #GoBucks @RivalsFriedman @AnnaH247 @R2X_Rushmen1 @MichaelClarkPP @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/qEYNFiXQXf
— Kedrick Bingley-J. (@kedrickbingleyj) June 7, 2018
“It meant a lot because I been waiting on this offer for a long time,” Bingley-Jones told Eleven Warriors. “The history of the program and the great defensive linemen that came out of there and the academics are huge at Ohio State, which means a lot to me.”
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Bingley-Jones is considered the 13th-best strong-side defensive end and No. 294 prospect overall in the Class of 2020, though he racked up an absurd 60 tackles, 40 quarterback hurries, 22 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass break up to lead the Wonders to the second round of the state playoffs last fall. He holds nearly 20 offers from programs such as Florida, Florida State, Georgia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.
Bingley-Jones — who has also been in contact with offensive coordinator and area recruiter Kevin Wilson since the coach visited his school two weeks ago — will make his first trip to campus on June 22, which is shaping up to be quite the recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes.
