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.
June has come and gone and we're now sitting in one of the recruiting calendar's "quiet periods." Looking back at the month that was, it would take an incredibly long time to go over everything that went down – from official visits to the annual spring game and Ohio State's six new commitments – but we shall offer a brief overview.
Last month's No. 2 and No. 4 prospects have come off the board as four-star center Harry Miller and four-star defensive back Jordan Battle both pledged to the Buckeyes. On the flip side, five-star offensive lineman Devontae Dobbs – who had been in the No. 3 spot – also had his name scratched thanks to his Spartan pledge.
Dobbs – a Michigan native – then went on some weird tirade about how Ohio State lied to him by saying that he could play as a freshman. Shame on Urban Meyer for thinking a five-star prospect at a position of need could see the field early on in his career; especially with the new NCAA rule which will allows players to play in up to four games and still take a redshirt.
Ohio State landed two other 2019 commitments in the month. These included three-star athlete Craig Young and four-star quarterback Dwan Mathis. The quarterback saga had been well-documented and flipping the Spartan commit was a big win for Ryan Day. Young worked his tail off by camping and earning his spot in the class, which is always good to see.
We won't venture too far ahead into 2020, but the last few weeks have been superb for that class as well. Five-star offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., four-star quarterback Jack Miller (technically a July commit), and four-star defensive back Lejond Cavazos have all hopped on board of late and the class is off to a fantastic start. For the record, Johnson Jr. and Miller were on track to be No. 1 and No. 2 on our 2020 board.
An updated look at where things stand for the current class:
| NAME | POSITION | RANK | PREV. | RATING | OTHERS IN THE MIX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZACH HARRISON | DE | 1 | 1 | ★★★★★ | Penn State•Michigan |
| DARNELL WRIGHT | OT | 2 | 5 | ★★★★★ | Alabama•Tennessee•Virginia Tech |
| MARCUS WASHINGTON | WR | 3 | 6 | ★★★★ | Missouri•Oregon•Florida State |
| JAMESON WILLIAMS | WR | 4 | 7 | ★★★★ | Alabama•Oregon•UCLA |
| TYLER DAVIS | DT | 5 | 10 | ★★★★ | Clemson•Miami•Florida State |
| TREVOR KEEGAN | OT | 6 | 8 | ★★★★ | Michigan•Penn State |
| KAIIR ELAM | CB | 7 | NA | ★★★★ | Florida•Georgia |
| JONATHAN ALLEN | OT | 8 | 9 | ★★★ | Michigan•Iowa•Wisconsin•PSU |
| PEYTON POWELL | CB | 9 | NA | ★★★ | Arkansas•Baylor•Ole Miss•TCU |
| BRENTON STRANGE | TE | 10 | NA | ★★★ | Louisville•Alabama•Ole Miss |
| CORMONTAE HAMILTON | TE | 11 | NA | ★★★ | Arkansas•Baylor•Ole Miss•TCU |
*Last month's edition can be found HERE.
Zach Harrison says he's more confused than ever as his recruitment heads into what should be its final full month. The five-star is aiming for an August decision and the Buckeyes, Wolverines, and Nittany Lions all remain in the picture. Meanwhile, Michigan's staff is trying to woo him with sick edits featuring Ohioans who have carved their own paths by venturing out of state. Kyle Kalis was conveniently excluded from this graphic.
Offensive tackle remains a huge need for the class, and I think last week's festivities at The Opening may only solidify the notion that Doug Nester is more of a guard at the next level. That's totally fine, but the Buckeyes are likely going to need another pair of tackles for 2019.
Five-star Darnell Wright has again ascended up the list thanks to a bit of a surprise visit during the weekend of Friday Night Lights. Ohio State had been fading a bit, so getting the country's top tackle back on campus was a huge step in the right direction. Tennessee and Alabama continue to look like the stiffest competition.
Trevor Keegan checks in at No. 6 on the board and his recruitment is likely coming down to Ohio State and Michigan. Right now I would probably give the edge to the Wolverines, but this one is a bit tough to get a pulse on. The Crystal Lake, Illinois four-star quietly visited Columbus, Ann Arbor, and State College last month as he continues to mull things over.
I'm not entirely sure what to make of Dayton Dunbar's Jonathan Allen. There's no doubt that he is far from being a finished product, but that's understandable considering he's still new to the game. The Buckeyes look like the team to beat and we've got the 6-foot-6, 315-pounder at No. 8 on the board. I think the best bet would be to view Allen as someone who may not be college game ready until he's been on campus for a few years, but we will see how things go during his senior season.
#Zone6 Wssp? pic.twitter.com/40n0VUC25T
— Marcus Washington (@_MarcusW11) June 25, 2018
I suppose if there was a disappointing part of June it would be the lack of a commitment from a wide receiver. We had Marcus Washington on serious commitment watch when he was in town for his official on June 22nd. The Buckeyes remain in a great spot for the four-star, but Missouri is a team to keep a close eye on with this one.
Zach Smith has done a sensational job with the St. Louis wideout and the 6-foot-2, 193-pounder certainly has a very pro-Buckeye presence on social media. This one looks like it will play out a bit longer than expected, but we still look for Washington to be a part of Ohio State's 2019 class.
It's much of the same for fellow STL pass-catcher Jameson Williams. Ohio State is sitting atop the four-star's list with Alabama likely looming as the biggest threat. The Buckeyes set the bar high with the June official visit, but now they've got to wait a while as the speedster is planning officials to Alabama, UCLA, and likely Oregon for this fall. Williams has no timeline in place and has stated he will make a decision whenever it feels right.
Switching over to the trenches, we're beginning to think that Larry Johnson could have his sights set on more than just one defensive tackle. After the ridiculous 2018 haul, we've long expected the 2019 class to feature just one player at the position. However, the Buckeyes have extended some new offers and it's now looking like they may bring in a pair.
Apopka, Florida's Tyler Davis still looks to be at the top of the list and we've got the four-star sitting pretty at No. 5 on our board. Davis is only a shade over 6-foot, so he doesn't have elite size for the position. Still, Ohio State has long been in pursuit and this recruitment should come down to Urban Meyer and Dabo Swinney (with Mark Richt perhaps a dark horse). Davis visited all four of his top schools – Ohio State, Clemson, Miami, and Florida State – in the month fo June.
The addition of Jordan Battle was a big one for the secondary, and the St. Thomas Aquinas star can likely play anywhere in the backfield. One of the bigger questions right now perhaps surrounds what other cornerback the Buckeyes will land. You have to think Greg Schiano adds at least one more to the fold.
Kaiir Elam makes his debut on our board and we are fully aware that the North Palm Beach corner is 100 percent crystal balled to the Gators. Elam's uncle (Matt) was recruited by and played for Meyer when he was the coach in Gainesville, so there's certainly a bit of familiarity there. Elam was in Columbus in early June and he's also heavily considering schools like Florida State and Georgia.
What is a three-star high school quarterback doing on our board? And why is he listed as a cornerback? Peyton Powell's emergence onto the Ohio State recruiting scene likely has the Buckeyes out in front for the Odessa, Texas athlete. He took an official visit on June 22, and Greg Schiano and Co. are recruiting the 6-foot-2, 182-pounder as a cornerback.
Powell is big, long, and fast and that's certainly something that's worked out well in the Ohio State secondary. He's has been clocked at 4.4 in the forty and has a near 40-inch vertical. Texas, TCU, and Baylor are also in the mix for the Permian Panther who is hoping to decide before his senior season kicks off.
June was also a big month at tight end, though the position still remains a bit cloudy. A pair of three-stars – West Virginia's Brenton Strange and Tennessee's Cormantae Hamilton – visited and were offered. The general thought is that the Buckeyes will sign a tight end in this class, so it will be interesting to see how this one unfolds.
At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Strange looks more like a typical collegiate tight end. He made multiple trips to Columbus and also earned a Notre Dame offer last month. Hamilton is 6-foot-1 and 256 pounds – a bit of an odd size for the position – but holds a more impressive offer sheet that includes Alabama, Tennessee, and Ole Miss.
Blessed To Receive An Offer From The University Of Ohio State #GoBucks #OhioState pic.twitter.com/tGvmPrq9pi
— Cormontae Hamilton (@Cbvndzzz) June 23, 2018
Strange's crystal ball is now totally in favor of the Buckeyes while Tennessee insider Ryan Callahan recently pegged Hamilton to Ohio State. They are two very different types of players, so perhaps the Buckeyes are thinking about bringing in a pair?
So now we're heading into what should be a much more boring laid back month of July. The first wave of official visits is over with, Friday Night Lights is behind us, and we're still a few weeks away from the start of fall camp.
Ohio State's class currently sits at No. 8 nationally, but the average rating per commit is behind only Alabama and Georgia. The Buckeyes have 13 pledges in what should ultimately end up in the 23-25 range. The Wolverines lead the way in the Big Ten (and No. 3 nationally) with 19 commitments; 11 of which are of the three-star variety.
Yes, that is 11 three-star commits. Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, Alabama, Florida State, and Texas have a combined 11 three-stars if you total all six of their 2019 classes. #GoBlue
The biggest thing to watch over the next four to six weeks will be the recruitment of Zach Harrison. Does the five-star take any more visits? A trip to Ann Arbor for the July 28th "Barbecue at the Big House" wouldn't exactly be ideal for the Buckeyes. He wants to announce on his birthday (Aug. 14), so we shall see if that ends up happening.
Here's to the Wolverines and their cringeworthy recruiting tactics encouraging Ohioans to carve their own paths in the mold of a Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson. Two players whose time at Michigan came before the Class of 2019 was even conceived.
