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.
I AM THE ONE WHO KNOCKS
Washington D.C. Sidwell Friends School three-star offensive tackle Walter Rouse included Ohio State in his Top 10 early Friday morning alongside Duke, Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford, Virginia and Yale.
As a student athlete, I am grateful, focused and excited to begin this next step towards my final decision. These are the 10 schools I will be considering moving forward. S/O to @savageedits15 for the edit! pic.twitter.com/jgMwjp5roy
— Walter Rouse 75 (@wrouse19) July 6, 2018
“The first thing that really stood out to me for Ohio State, besides the football program, was my conversation with coach [Urban] Meyer,” Rouse told Eleven Warriors. “He seemed like a really great guy and coach, and their emphasis on family, which is also important to me.”
The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Rouse is considered the 62nd-best offensive tackle and No. 676 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, but it’s safe to say he’s underrated based on his list of nearly 40 scholarship offers. The Buckeyes, in particular, are enamored with his size and flexibility — something offensive line coach Greg Studrawa saw up close when he offered him a scholarship in person during the Spring Evaluation Period back in May.
Rouse has never been to campus, but is set to visit for the first time when college football’s recruiting dead period comes to a close later this month (July 25). Given Ohio State’s need at offensive tackle — and the dwindling options at the position — it’s a fairly big visit for both sides.
“I’m just generally excited to see what they have to offer when I visit,” Rouse said. “I definitely want to see what they have to offer in terms of academics.”
The Buckeyes are looking to add as many as three more offensive linemen to complement center commit Harry Miller and tackle pledges Ryan Jacoby and Doug Nester, though the latter could move to guard. Other top targets include West Virginia five-star tackle Darnell Wright, Illinois four-star tackle Trevor Keegan and Dayton Dunbar three-star tackle Jonathan Allen.
OOZING WITH POTENTIAL
Just seven of the nation’s top underclassmen were invited to attend Nike Football’s The Opening Finals earlier this week, six of which currently hold an offer from Ohio State.
Santa Ana, California, Mater Dei five-star cornerback Elias Ricks is the only one still waiting for an offer, but admitted it would be a game-changer if the Buckeyes come through sooner rather than later.
“I have serious interest,” Ricks told Eleven Warriors, pointing out the program’s knack for sending defensive backs to the National Football League. “They are my dream school.”
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Ricks is considered the second-best cornerback and No. 18 prospect overall in the Class of 2020, as he recorded 34 tackles, 10 pass break ups, four interceptions, 3.5 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and one quarterback hurry to help the Monarchs to the state championship last season. He holds more than two dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA and USC.
Ricks has been talking with Ohio State cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson and assistant wide receivers coach Keenan Bailey, with hopes of visiting campus soon. Nothing is set in stone just yet, but it could coincide with his trip to Ann Arbor for the Wolverines’ BBQ at the Big House on July 28.
“I want to develop a better relationship with them,” Ricks said. “I’m trying to schedule a good date. I would love to see a practice and meet coach Meyer.”
Bailey and Johnson aren’t the only ones talking with Ricks about the Buckeyes, either. He was on the same team (Dynamite) at The Opening as four-star wide receiver targets Marcus Washington and Jameson Williams, and he’s also in a group chat with some of the staff’s top targets from the Class of 2020.
“They want me to come join them,” Ricks said, noting the group includes commits Paris Johnson Jr., Lejond Cavazos, Jack Miller III and Jake Wray, as well as Maryland five-star defensive end Bryan Bresee and Florida four-star linebacker Derek Wingo, among others.
Cornerback is currently the deepest position on the roster, but starters Kendall Sheffield and Damon Arnette will run out of eligibility after the 2019 season. Jeffrey Okudah, Shaun Wade and Marcus Williamson will all be able to enter the NFL Draft, too, which means Ohio State have just four scholarship cornerbacks (Tyreke Johnson, Sevyn Banks, Cameron Brown and Jordan Battle) by the time the Class of 2020 arrive on campus.
The Buckeyes have already locked down four-star Lejond Cavazos, but expect two or three more cornerbacks to join him in the class. The staff has offered five-star prospects like Arizona’s Kelee Ringo; Texas’ Dwight McGlothern and R.J. Mickens; as well as Miami four-star commit Henry Gray, Florida four-star Miles Brooks and Texas four-star Jaylon Jones, and each one has reciprocated their interest in the program.
From a positional standpoint, this class could easily rival the 2017 haul — which featured the aforementioned Okudah and Wade, who were the top two cornerbacks in the country.
A TIME GONE BY
The Tennessee trio of Blackman four-star cornerback Adonis Otey, Franklin Roads Academy four-star receiver Lance Wilhoite and Oakland four-star cornerback Woodi Washington came to Ohio State’s one-day camp in June with hopes of solidifying their standing as one of the Buckeyes’ top targets at their respective positions.
That feels like forever ago now, though, as Wilhoite committed to Oregon last week and Washington pledged his services to Oklahoma this afternoon.
100% Committed to The University of Oklahoma pic.twitter.com/ZhKmztUb7v
— Woodi Washington (@WashingtonWoodi) July 6, 2018
The Buckeyes are looking to take three more receivers this cycle to complement five-star commit Garrett Wilson, but Wilhoite sat behind the above-mentioned St. Louis duo of Washington and Williams, Texas four-star Elijah Higgins and Indiana four-star David Bell on the staff’s list of priorities.
Similarly, Ohio State just landed a commitment from Florida four-star cornerback Jordan Battle last Friday. It’s likely they’ll take just one more player at the position this cycle, with
Florida four-star Kaiir Elam, Pennsylvania three-star M.J. Devonshire and Texas three-star Peyton Powell seemingly vying for that lone spot.
IF I GO THERE'S JUST NO TELLING HOW FAR I'LL GO
On Friday morning, Ohio State four-star running back commit Steele Chambers accepted an invitation to participate in the Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Jan. 19, 2019.
Congratulations Steele Chambers (@steelechambers)! You have been selected as a 2019 POLYNESIAN BOWL ALL-STAR. See you in Hawai`i. Aloha! #PolyBowl2k19 pic.twitter.com/roT7BEh1pi
— Polynesian Bowl (@polynesiabowl) July 6, 2018
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Chambers — who is considered the 26th-best athlete and No. 328 prospect overall in the Class of 2019 — committed to the Buckeyes back in April. He surely won’t be the last pledge to be invited, either.
Ohio State freshman running back Brian Snead, wide receiver L’Christian “Blue” Smith, tight end Jeremy Ruckert and defensive tackle Tommy Togiai participated in the game this winter. Togiai — who comes from a long line of Polynesian ancestry — was already enrolled in classes, but was granted a waiver from the NCAA to participate.
Chambers' enrollment plans, meanwhile, are unclear at this time.
