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.
Gee Scott, Jr. to Visit in March
Four-star Washington wideout and Ohio State commit Gee Scott, Jr. plans to visit Columbus to watch an Ohio State spring practice on March 29, his father, Gee Scott, told Eleven Warriors.
Scott Jr. has been committed to Ohio State since Christmas Day 2018 and has been vying hard for Ohio State on the West Coast ever since. Arizona cornerback Kelee Ringo said Scott Jr. has talked to him about going to Ohio State while the two were on the same team — along with several other Ohio State targets — in the Las Vegas Pylon 7v7.
Scott Jr. showcased his size and strength in the tournament while his team went on to take the championship. Scott Jr.’s 6-foot-3, 211-pound frame would add size to an Ohio State receivers room that will desperately need it when he arrives on campus. Binjimen Victor (6-4), Jaylen Harris (6-5) and Garyn Prater (6-4) will likely be out or on their way out of the program by the time Scott Jr. moves on to college.
The Washington pass-catcher has already shown his strength, as he repped out 225 pounds 17 times on the bench press. For comparison, only 12 wide receivers competing in the 2019 NFL Combine last week were able to hit 17 repetitions. Former Ohio State wideout Terry McLaurin hit 18, while Johnnie Dixon reached 16 and Paris Campbell hit 11.
17 reps at 225lbs...
— Gee Scott Jr. (@geescottjr) February 21, 2019
I control what i can, ill keep my head down and just work.
God makes no mistakes. pic.twitter.com/RUF7ztivkU
The high school junior has one season remaining at East Catholic High School but has been a presence in the passing game during the last three seasons. He’s totaled 99 catches into 1,684 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Scott Jr. was the sixth Ohio State 2020 commitment, joining Texas wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who put on his own impressive display at The Opening Regional in Dallas last weekend.
Evan Pryor Could be a Three-Down RB
Hough (NC) High School head football coach Matthew Jenkins said he believes 2021’s No. 3 running back Evan Pryor, who received an Ohio State offer Feb. 25, could be a three-down back at the college level.
Pryor explained to Eleven Warriors shortly after getting his offer that he grew up playing wide receiver and made the transition to running back in middle school, and that experience has clearly paid off. Jenkins said Pryor has “above-average-to-exceptional” hands fora running back and has also bulked up since becoming a focal point in the offense as a sophomore.
“We can go to five wide receivers whenever we want,” Jenkins said, referring to the ability to move Pryor outside when need be. “He’s always a threat out of the backfield. He catches the ball as well as our receivers catch them.”
But to avoid falling into the notorious stereotype of a change-of-pace running back in some type of backup role at the next level, Jenkins said he and his staff have pushed Pryor to add weight. His goal was to hit 190 pounds this offseason, after his first full year of being the starting tailback for Hough. He weighed in at 189 and then weighed in at 191 shortly after. He’s hovering around the 190 mark, Jenkins said, but with room to grow, he won’t stay there for long.
“He’s worked hard to do that,” Jenkins said about Pryor gaining weight. “He knows that to be a three-down back, he’s got some areas to improve.”
One of those areas, and Pryor was the first to admit it, is pass protection. Typically one of the final areas of improvement for most high school running backs, pass protection has been an issue with Pryor, but Jenkins said he became “more of a willing” blocker out of the backfield toward the end of his sophomore year.
Jenkins said he also needs to work on his route running so that he can make more space for yards after the catch when he receives the ball. Pryor’s head coach said he doesn’t anticipate Pryor being unable to learn either of those things and that the work ethic is there.
Pryor has rushed for 1,441 yards and 13 touchdowns while catching 39 passes for 457 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman and a sophomore.
