With the Best of the Midwest football camp taking place this past week, the spring camp season is officially underway.
As its name implies, Best of the Midwest is one top exposure camps in the region and the 2020 roster was once again impressive.
Here are some news and notes for the camp.
Burton talks spring official visits and decision timeline
Upon the release of the roster, one name that jumped off the page was the 2020 four-star offensive guard, Jager Burton, a top Ohio State target.
While he was unable to participate in the camp after tweaking his ankle playing basketball on Friday evening, Burton still made the trip to support his teammates and we were able to catch up with him.
"I am about to start my officials soon, as soon as I can. I am going to Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama, Oregon, and Kentucky." Burton told Eleven Warriors. "Around August is when I hope to make a decision. My birthday is August 24th and I am hoping to be done around then."
With Burton taking all his visit this coming spring, his recruitment seems about to take off, and it looks like the Buckeyes are in a solid spot.
"Coach Day, Coach Barnes, and Coach Stud text me like every day," Burton said. "I get on the phone with about once every two weeks if they aren’t busy. I love Coach Stud he puts so many offensive linemen in the NFL and he plays the best five which I love because I can snap it, I can play guard or tackle."
Burton went on to mention his close relationship with a few current Ohio State commits including four-star offensive tackle Ben Christman and five-star defensive end Jack Sawyer. They all plan to make the trip to Columbus for Ohio State's spring game which will likely be Burton's official visit.
As things stand right now it feels as though Ohio State and Kentucky have separated themselves from the rest of the pack because of his relationships with the coaches and their proximity to Burton's hometown. There are still about six months before Burton makes his final decision but so long as the Buckeyes keep of their pursuit they look to be in a great position to land the talented four-star offensive guard.
Jaylen Reed is a name to know going forward
Early on, it looks as though Ohio State's 2021 class will be loaded with defensive backs as new secondaries coach Kerry Coombs looks to bolster what will be a depleted room.
With the current roster situation and Coombs' familiarity with the Detroit area one, player to keep an eye on is 2021 four-star safety Jaylen Reed out of Martin Luther King High School.
Reed was the best defensive back at the camp by a wide margin and even though he is ranked as a safety he locked up opposing wide receivers in one-on-one drills.
After the camp, Reed told Eleven Warriors that he has been in communication with Coombs.
While this relationship looks to be in its infancy, Reed is a player that could receive an Ohio State offer down the line. Right now Georgia and Penn State seem to be the players that leading Reed's recruitment but if Ohio State were to offer he would no doubt listen to what the Buckeyes are telling him.
Kaden Saunders is hearing from the Buckeyes and waiting for an offer
The fastest player at the camp last Sunday was Kaden Saunders who clocked in a 4.40 forty yard dash en route to earning MVP of the wide receivers group.
Saunders, a Westerville, Ohio native showed up wearing a Penn State jacket and is very high on the Nittany Lions but after speaking to people at the camp it's clear that Ohio State is the offer he wants. However, it is hard to tell when that offer might come as the Buckeyes are pursuing Saunders as cornerback even though he wants to play offense in college.
Regardless, it looks as though that Saunders is more than willing to put in the necessary work to earn an offer from Ohio State. Expect Saunders to continue tearing up the spring camp circuit this fall in hope of earning an offer from the local Buckeyes.
Chase Harrison continues to improve while recruiting picks up
Centerville sophomore Chase Harrison is a player that camped at Ohio State last summer and has been on the Buckeyes radar ever since.
On Sunday, Harrison was one of the best quarterbacks at the event, putting his arm strength and accuracy on display. With two seasons of high school football still ahead of him, he is far from a finished product, but you can clearly see that the traits are there.
As for Harrison's recruitment, numerous colleges stopped by Centerville during last month's contact period and even though he hasn't picked up the offers quite yet, schools such as Purdue and Minnesota are keeping an eye on Harrison. The young gunslinger has always been a frequent camp go-er and this offseason is no different.
Look for Harrison to camp with the Buckeye's this June and continue to develop.
