Ohio State’s second one-day camp of the summer wasn’t as star-studded as we’ve come to expect — “That’s Tuesday for you,” one coach in attendance told Eleven Warriors — but there were a number of interesting storylines to follow nonetheless.
The biggest, no doubt, was Indiana three-star athlete Craig Young’s ascension from a prospect seemingly without a position to play at the next level to him now being on the verge of a commitment.
Though the 6-foot-4, 212-pound Young is listed by recruiting sites as a wide receiver, the staff worked him out at defensive end, linebacker and safety. There will certainly be a learning curve, and maybe a physical transformation that’s needed over the next few years, but it’s obvious he’s simply too talented to pass over just because you’re unsure where you’ll plug him into the defense.
That said, Young doesn’t care what position he ultimately ends up playing in college. His willingness to learn and his overall athleticism — Young ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash and went toe-to-toe with wide receivers in one-on-one drills — are both great attributes to have.
As I mentioned in tonight’s edition of The Hurry Up, Young plans to make a decision in the coming days. I’ve known for several months that he’s wanted to play at Ohio State, which is why I was among the first recruiting analysts to place my 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction in favor of the Buckeyes. It was simply a matter of him proving himself to the staff, though even he couldn’t have anticipated the path it took to get to this point.
While Young is a bit raw in terms of coverage, one defensive back who excelled during Tuesday’s camp was IMG Academy four-star Lejond Cavazos. This marked his fourth trip to Columbus, and the fact that he brought his father, mother and sister with him would certainly lead you to believe he’s also zeroing in on a commitment.
Cavazos — who is without a doubt underrated by recruiting services because he was a backup for the ultra-talented Ascenders last season — looked like he’ll be among the nation’s best when the Class of 2020 reaches the spotlight. He showed great instincts, change of direction and explosiveness in and out of his breaks in defensive backs drills, and his long arms were disruptive in one-on-one drills.
It’s easy to see why Cavazos is highly sought-after, with offers from some of the nation’s top programs, including Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, UCLA and USC.
Cavazos worked directly with defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Alex Grinch and cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson for the entirety of the camp. He and his family also met with head coach Urban Meyer for an extended period of time, and I honestly anticipated he would commit to the staff then and there.
Cavazos has never been shy about his affinity toward Ohio State, but wants to follow through with a pair of visits with the Bulldogs and Ducks before he makes his college decision. Either way, I expect him to end up with the Buckeyes — and they’re going to get a great prospect with a ton of upside.
A pair of Ohio State commitments were also on hand, as Lexington four-star linebacker Cade Stover and Mentor four-star defensive end Noah Potter made their first trips to Columbus since their respective April decisions.
It should come as no surprise given his work on the farm, but Stover continues to look bigger from a muscle mass standpoint every time I see him. He already has the perfect build for an outside linebacker, but I really think he’ll continue to develop into a defensive end at the next level.
Stover didn’t work out with the linebackers, but rather went through various individual drills with linebackers coach Bill Davis and assistant strength and conditioning coach Quinn Barham — with the latter raving to Meyer about his size and speed.
Potter has clearly transformed his body over the last year, as well. Though he’s still dealing with some minor back spasms, he worked with defensive line coach Larry Johnson and defensive end Nick Bosa on hand combat and hip flexion. In group drills, Potter was always at the front of line, showing his eagerness to learn from Johnson.
One additional item of note was the arrival of Minnesota five-star point guard and three-star quarterback Jalen Suggs for a two-day unofficial visit. This marks his first time on campus since the Buckeyes offered him a scholarship in May, though I do have a difficult time seeing him play anything other than basketball at the next level.
