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.
Quintin Somerville Reacts to Ohio State Offer
Arizona 2021 defensive end Quintin Somerville's recruiting process isn't nearly as busy now as it will be in the near future. The No. 5 prospect in his class has just five offers at this point — his fifth coming from Ohio State on Tuesday — and he will have many more to come soon.
The top recruit in Arizona weighed in at 210 pounds on his 247Sports profile, but he said that's out of date now. He currently stands at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds as a 16-year-old.
"This is the best weight I’ve ever been at," Somerville said. "Coaches are really happy. We’re going hard in the weight room.”
Somerville is part of one of the most prestigious modern high school football programs in the country at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, where the team entered the 2018 season with around 20 recruits holding Division I offers. Then it went on to capture its sixth consecutive state title. His teammate, 2020 No. 12 prospect Kelee Ringo, has mutual interest with Ohio State as well.
Somerville can remember a day in spring ball his freshman year when there were nearly 20 colleges represented in Saguaro's gym watching his team work out. He had a short conversation with Ohio State's representation, then had another conversation with a graduate assistant later on, and eventually was offered by Ohio State's Mike Yurcich.
After a great talk with Coach Yurcich, I am extremely blessed and thankful to announce an offer to continue my education and playing career at THE Ohio State University! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Ts8kQcRKEn
— Quintin Somerville (@quintinn_2) February 27, 2019
The Saguaro defensive end said he's been able to determine the different values each program has by having so much exposure to schools' assistants and coaching staffs from a young age. That's what made Ohio State stand out.
“The initial conversation on how they want to progress as football players really stands out," Somerville said. "On the phone with Coach Yurcich yesterday, he was talking about how there are like three different things that Ohio State does — strength and conditioning, growing us as men and teaching us how to become better men outside of football. I think that’s really important just talking to these different coaches. They want to grow me into a better person.”
As far as moving away from Arizona, Somerville said he would miss his family but that he also has family in Tennessee that could visit him if he were to attend a school in the Midwest or the surrounding area. One of his offers is from Memphis, while the other three are from Michigan, Arizona and Arizona State.
He hasn't developed any particular priority lists as far as offers go yet, but he said he hopes to have the entire process done a year from now, meaning around February or March 2020, shortly after his senior teammates have signed to their own colleges.
He also hopes to visit Ohio State this summer.
Bryan Bresee Back at No. 1
Player rankings were adjusted on 247Sports today, and Maryland defensive end Bryan Bresee is back at No. 1 in the 2020 class. He had been at No. 1 since August 2017, until Feb. 15, when he dropped to No. 2. He's back at No. 1 and no one is any closer to understanding where he will be on signing day than we were before he dropped to No. 2. Ohio State is in his final six, though.
Five-star Ohio State offensive tackle commit Paris Johnson, Jr. has been at No. 6 in the nation since Dec. 15, his highest ranking as a recruit. That was until Wednesday, when 247 bumped him up to No. 4. That ranking puts Johnson behind transfer quarterback Justin Fields, former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and wideout Ted Ginn, Jr. as the highest-ranked Ohio State commitments of all time. The other three finished as the No. 2 recruits in their respective classes.
Some other Ohio State targets saw their rankings rise and fall Wednesday as well. These are some of the biggest jumps.
- OLB Sav'ell Smalls: No. 7 (down three)
- RB Kendall Milton: No. 15 (down five)
- WR Rakim Jarrett: No. 17 (up four)
- TE Darnell Washington: No. 18 (up four)
- RB Demarkcus Bowman: No. 20 (up 12)
- OG Justin Rogers: No. 22 (down six)
- WR Johnny Wilson: No. 25 (down seven)
- RB Bijan Robinson: No. 26 (up five)
- WR Marcus Rosemy: No. 32 (down six)
- WR Jordan Johnson: No. 34 (up 15)
- CB Clark Phillips: No. 37 (up 18)
- WR Jalen McMillan: No. 45 (up 26)
- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba: No. 142 (up 107)
Offers to Ohio State Targets
Four-star Arizona safety Lathan Ransom pulled the biggest offer of the last week among Ohio State's top 2020 targets, as the No. 67 player in the nation was offered by Alabama on Tuesday. Ransom visited Notre Dame and Ohio State last weekend.
EXTREMELY BLESSED AND EXCITED TO SAY I HAVE RECEIVED MY 29TH DIVISION I OFFER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA!! THANK YOU @LancerFBcoach @AlabamaFTBL @CoachJeffBanks #RollTide pic.twitter.com/vvbzOJDIl2
— Lathan Ransom (@L8thanRansom) February 27, 2019
In a matter of three days, four-star Texas safety R.J. Mickens received three offers — Rutgers, Miami (FL) and Penn State. Mickens is the No. 42 player overall in the Class of 2020 and the top safety in the class. He also competed in the Las Vegas Pylon 7v7 that Kelee Ringo and several other Ohio State targets played in.
Five-star wideout Rakim Jarrett also received an offer from Miami (FL) this week. Jarrett is the No. 17 player overall in the 2020 class and the No. 2 wide receiver with a lot of mutual interest with Ohio State.
Offered By The University Of Miami.. Thank You ! The . pic.twitter.com/HytAhWVjJK
— Rak (@RakimJarrett) February 27, 2019
Florida State extended offers to two Ohio State targets this week, one to four-star Cincinnati defensive end Darrion Henry and another to three-star Florida offensive tackle Marlon Martinez. Princeton offered three-star Louisville offensive tackle John Young as well.
Three-star Massachusetts tight end Cam Large visited Notre Dame last weekend and left with an offer. Then he pulled an offer from Penn State later in the week. Large is the No. 14 tight end in his class.
Had a great time out at South Bend, thanks for having me !! #GoIrish @CoachMikeElston @CoachBrianKelly @aarynkearney pic.twitter.com/nH090EbXVx
— Cam Large (@cam_large) February 25, 2019