For 10 months, Dayton sophomore C.J. Hicks had been awaiting an offer from Ohio State, waiting patiently for the Buckeyes to come calling after impressing them during a June camp in which he was often used as the example – by former Buckeyes coach Jeff Hafley – to demonstrate to the other players how to perform footwork drills properly.
100% Committed to @OhioStateFB #BIA #GoBucks #H2 #LLL pic.twitter.com/hot7XnQQY1
— Cj Hicks (@iiamcjhicks) May 1, 2020
It was only a matter of time before that offer came, and once it did – on April 7 – it was only a matter of time before he pledged himself to his home state school.
The Hicks File
- Class: 2022
- Size: 6-foot-4/215 lbs
- Pos: ATH
- School: Archbishop Alter (Dayton, Ohio)
- 247Sports Rating: ★★★★
- 247Sports Rank: 15 ATH
That happened today, as Hicks has committed to Ohio State to give the Buckeyes their third commitment of the 2022 class.
The first commitments of Ohio State's recruiting classes are traditionally of the in-state variety, but both Lakota West offensive tackle Tegra Tshabola and Archbishop Alter defensive star Hicks just barely missed out following the commitment of Louisiana cornerback Jyaire Brown.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Hicks is listed as the 15th-best athlete in the sophomore class and the third-best sophomore in Ohio behind Tshabola and Marysville linebacker Gabe Powers, another prospect who is likely to join the class down the road.
| NAME | POSITION | OVERALL RANKING | POSITION RANKING | DATE OF COMMITMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JYAIRE BROWN | CB | 122 | 16 | APRIL 22, 2020 |
| TEGRA TSHABOLA | OT | 69 | 6 | APRIL 23, 2020 |
| C.J. HICKS | ATH | 162 | 15 (ATH) | MAY 1, 2020 |
Hicks' top two recruiters are Kevin Wilson and Al Washington, and it was Washington who established perhaps the best relationship with him as his future position coach.
Washington and the Buckeyes were originally recruiting Hicks to play the Bullet position, but that changed following his sophomore season, as they now are looking at him as an outside linebacker.
That could potentially change, as Hicks plays at both strong safety and outside linebacker for Alter and is continuing to grow physically.
Whatever position it is, Hicks – who was rated as a five-star player very early in the process – will need to make sure to not get complacent now that he's in the fold. The 2019 second team All-Ohio performer will be looking for improvement in his junior season as he remains two years out from signing his National Letter of Intent.
Hicks holds 28 offers, including from Notre Dame, Miami, Iowa, Cincinnati, Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State and Texas A&M, and Friday morning he added another one with an offer from Tennessee.
