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.
Goodwine to trim list soon, expects to make OV
Ohio State has 33 offers out to defensive linemen in the 2021 class (19 defensive ends, 14 defensive tackles) with four new offers being dished out in January to Tyreak Sapp, Shambre Jackson, Shemar Turner and Colin Mobley.
Offensive tackle (20) and wide receiver (23) are the only position groups with more offers than at defensive end, as it’s clear the position is one of the Buckeyes’ highest priorities in this cycle.
“Ohio State takes D-linemen to the league and coach Johnson is one of the best coaches in college football.” – 2021 DE Target Monkell Goodwine
One of those key targets whom we haven’t discussed much on here is National Christian (Md.) Academy four-star product Monkell Goodwine, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound junior ranked as the No. 7 strongside defensive end in the country.
Goodwine is one of Maryland’s top-five recruits and is close to being a composite top-100 player. He has a good first step off the ball and possesses plenty of speed, power and length, which is one of the reasons Larry Johnson has taken a bit of a shine to him.
“I’m a disruptive player, and I make big-time plays that affect the game in a good way for my team and I have great technique,” Goodwine told Eleven Warriors.
Goodwine says he’s consistently communicating with both Johnson and Mark Pantoni via text, and saying that “our relationship is in good hands” and “I think I got a great relationship with both coaches, to be honest.”
Goodwine says his relationships with Texas A&M defensive ends coach Terry Price and the Aggies’ defensive line coach, Elijah Robinson, are strong, and he says Georgia, Alabama, LSU and Penn State are the other programs recruiting him the hardest, in addition to Ohio State and Texas A&M.
He doesn’t have a decision date in his mind for a commitment but does say he will be coming out with a top-five list in a week or two. Math wasn’t my strong suit, but I do count six programs in that previous paragraph, so it will be interesting to see which of those schools gets left off the list (assuming his top five consists of five of those six).
As for Goodwine’s recruitment to Ohio State, he says, “I’ll be taking official visits in spring, but I’m not taking no visits no time soon. But Ohio State is definitely booked in my schedule. But I won’t be coming soon.”
It’s most likely to be May before Goodwine begins taking his official visits, but the Buckeyes are certainly a good candidate to get one.
“Ohio State takes D-linemen to the league and coach Johnson is one of the best coaches in college football,” Goodwine said. “I haven’t been up there yet, but from what I hear from other recruits, it was a great visit.”
Washington visit not imminent
Another position in the 2021 class we continue to update you guys on is defensive back, specifically cornerback.
Tony Grimes and Jakailin Johnson are the top-two targets at corner, Derrick Davis Jr. the top target at safety, and Jordan Hancock and Andre Turrentine are two more corners to monitor closely.
So is Hunter Washington.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Katy (Texas) High School standout is ranked No. 16 at CB, No. 187 overall and No. 31 in the state of Texas. He has offers from Alabama, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and USC, with both the Longhorns and Aggies as potential standouts based on location and the fact he’s visited Texas twice and A&M once.
Mississippi State is another school to keep an eye on, as the Bulldogs recently hired Jason Washington to their staff. Washington was the Longhorns’ cornerbacks coach/recruiting coordinator and had established a good relationship with Hunter Washington (no relation) while at Texas.
Washington has made several unofficial visits, of course, but thus far, there is no update on when and where he will next make his next visits. Washington visited Ohio State last June, forming relationships mainly with Jeff Hafley, plus Greg Mattison and Ryan Day and enjoying the laid-back atmosphere offered that week.
That was Washington’s first – and thus far, only – visit to Columbus, and another visit does not appear imminent right now. That could, of course, change quickly as recruiting always seems to do.
Washington’s best relationship with an Ohio State staffer is with assistant cornerbacks coach Asa Jackson, but Washington and Kerry Coombs have not yet spoken or met in person. Until that happens – either a visit or at least a conversation – Washington should not be considered a priority.
“Hunter is a good kid, work habits are getting better, and he is trying to take on more leadership responsibility,” Katy head coach/athletic director Gary Joseph told Eleven Warriors. “He will fit in because he knows he is not entitled. Plays with a passion to succeed. Team-first attitude. Likes to play press-man coverage.”
McCord a five-star, Hall makes giant leap
With the release of 247Sports’ latest rankings, there were quite a few movers for the Buckeyes’ 2021 commits in the site’s composite rankings.
The notables:
- Kyle McCord is now a five-star player, ranked No. 23 overall. There’s obviously a long way to go, but McCord would be the first composite five-star quarterback the Buckeyes have signed since Braxton Miller in 2011.
- Mike Hall made a big leap, jumping from No. 232 overall and No. 19 at defensive tackle to No. 91 overall and No. 8 at DT.
- Ben Christman dropped from No. 50 in the composite to No. 101 overall.
- Donovan Jackson is ranked as the No. 8 overall player on 247Sports’ lone rankings system, which is a 47-spot jump.
- Reid Carrico’s time as the No. 1-ranked inside linebacker in the class was short-lived. Carrico has dropped ALL the way down to No. 2 at the position. What a disappointing fall from grace.
Other notable bumps for top uncommitted 2021 Ohio State targets: Demeioun Robinson (up to No. 2 WDE, No. 46 overall, a jump of 36 spots), Jordan Hancock (No. 7 CB, No. 85 overall, a jump of 117 spots), Barrett Carter (No. 4 OLB, No. 53 overall, a jump of 47 spots), Troy Stellato (No. 22 WR, No. 127 overall, a jump of 76 spots) and Turrentine (No. 13 CB, No. 134 overall, a jump of 59 spots).
