Recruiting is all about comfort and relationships. Sometimes you're gaining momentum on the trail, sometimes you're losing it. How are some of Ohio State's key prospects trending? Let's take a look.
This new and strange dead period lingers on without camps, campus visits, and all of the usual springtime activities. But thus far it's mattered nil for an Ohio State program that's been using long-standing relationships and a little bit of technology to its advantage while strengthening the lead atop the national recruiting rankings.
April was another big month for the Buckeyes as Ryan Day continues to navigate these uncharted waters like Vasco da Gama around the Cape of Good Hope. Ohio State added a pair of four-star defensive commitments in Tunmise Adeleye and Jantzen Dunn. The duo respectively checked in at No. 4 and No. 6 on our previous list.
The two new additions and the rest of the recent activity have led to some changes to our 2021 board, but it's still much of the same at the very top.
| PROSPECT | POSITION | RANK | PREV. | RATING | OTHERS IN THE MIX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.T. TUIMOLOAU | DL | 1 | 1 | ★★★★★ | Washington•Alabama•USC |
| J.C. LATHAM | OT | 2 | 2 | ★★★★★ | LSU•Alabama•Oklahoma |
| TYWONE MALONE | DT | 3 | 3 | ★★★★ | Rutgers•Ole Miss•TAMU |
| JAYLIN DAVIES | CB | 4 | 10 | ★★★★ | Alabama•Washington•USC |
| EMEKA EGBUKA | WR | 5 | 7 | ★★★★★ | Clemson•Wahington |
| DERRICK DAVIS JR. | SAF | 6 | 5 | ★★★★ | Penn State•Clemson |
| DEMEIOUN ROBINSON | DE | 7 | NA | ★★★★ | Maryland Commit |
| TROY STELLATO | WR | 8 | 8 | ★★★★ | Clemson |
| JAGER BURTON | OG | 9 | 9 | ★★★★ | Kentucky•Clemson•Alabama |
| RAESJON DAVIS | LB | 10 | NA | ★★★★★ | LSU Commit |
| HUDSON WOLFE | TE | 11 | 11 | ★★★★ | Alabama•Georgia•Ole Miss |
*Last month's edition can be found HERE.
The top three remains unchanged as there will be a heavy focus on the trenches from here on out. Washington five-star J.T. Tuimoloau holds steady at the top, but there's really been nothing new to report for the nation's No. 2 overall prospect. There obviously won't be a spring trip to Columbus, but Larry Johnson's player development is beyond enticing. Washington and Alabama are perhaps the top competition, but I get the feeling USC is worth watching closely as well.
IMG Academy's J.C. Latham is now a composite five-star as rumors swirl around the 6-foot-6, 305-pound Wisconsin native. Alabama and LSU are strong contenders, and I know there's some real worry about the Crimson Tide. What about the recent talk that Ohio State is no longer even in his top three? I wouldn't pay much attention to that, but I also wouldn't consider this one to be a slam dunk for the good guys.
It's worth noting that the rumors haven't led to any pundits changing their predictions on 247 Sports or Rivals.com. Nick Saban is pulling out all the stops regarding Ohio State's depth chart, early playing time, and whatever else he can find. I still think this one works out for the Buckeyes, and we're nowhere close to panic mode just yet.
New Jersey's Tywone Malone released his top-14 the other day and that really tells us absolutely nothing about the current state of his recruitment. What we can tell you is that Ohio State, Rutgers, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M appear to be the major players. Malone is nowhere close to a decision and we'll see if his baseball aspirations have any impact. It's worth noting that Rebel co-defensive coordinator Chris Partridge has some serious ties to the Jersey area.
Four-star Maryland commit Demeioun Robinson makes his debut at No. 7 as the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has been one of the few pure pass rushers targeted by Larry Johnson. There's certainly no reason for any optimism right now, but another Mike Locksley flop of a season could spell good news for Ohio State and the rest of the big boys.
Kerry Coombs already has four defensive backs committed, and that's not counting Cincinnati's Jaylen Johnson who we're projecting at linebacker. Six seems to be the ideal number here, and at least one more of them certainly has to be a corner. California's Jaylin Davies shoots up our list to No. 4 and we're feeling pretty good about this one right now. There's no timeline in place, but this may be the one to watch most closely in the secondary.
Sticking with the Coombs theme, Pennsylvania safety Derrick Davis Jr. now finds himself at No. 6. Again, there hasn't been much movement here, but it's sure looking like it could come down to Ohio State and Penn State. The lack of spring visits didn't help the Buckeyes with this one, but I think Coombs may still have the edge. Clemson remains in the mix as well with Georgia also trying to get involved.
Another Davis has surfaced on our list, and this one is a teammate of Jaylin Davies' at the powerhouse Mater Dei program. Five-star linebacker Raesjon Davis has been committed to LSU since January, but Al Washington has been working this one extremely hard. Linebacker is far from the most pressing need, though a trip to Columbus – alongside a potential commit from his teammate – could make things interesting here.
Back on the offensive side of the ball, Kentucky's Jager Burton continues to be the top guy along the interior part of the line. Ohio State is battling Alabama, Clemson, and Kentucky for the country's eighth-ranked guard who's tentatively scheduled to make his official visit in June. The Wildcats are expected to land wide receiver Dekel Crowdus – a teammate and friend of Burton's – on May 10.
Emeka Egbuka and Troy Stellato both remain on the board, but things seem to be trending quite differently for the talented wideouts. Brian Hartline may very well land the country's top receiver yet again as the crystal balls have started pouring in on the Egbuka front. Several West Coast forecasters are now calling the five-star to end up in the Midwest, though a decision may still be a ways away.
The unexpected dead period has probably impacted Stellato more so than any other Buckeye target besides maybe Derrick Davis Jr. With a return trip to Ohio State seeming less and less likely, Clemson is the trendy pick since the four-star was able to make a visit before the shutdown. Stellato is a very good player, but I can't see many complaining if the Buckeyes and Tigers split the pair of wideouts.
Ohio State will almost surely take a second tight end, and Tennessee's Hudson Wolfe continues to be the primary focus. There's nothing new to report here, but Alabama, Georgia, and Ole Miss continue to be among the top contenders. Wolfe is scheduled to make his official visit on June 12th. It seems highly unlikely that he'll be permitted to do so, however.
We continue to live in a world much different than what it was just a few short months ago. Fortunately, Ohio State's recruiting efforts are still going strong as Ryan Day and his staff have assembled the most talented group in America and still have another seven or eight spots left for the Class of 2021.
Happy Cinco de Mayo, folks. Here's to hoping everyone can stay safe, things can slowly get back to normal, and we can once again look forward to college football and the potential for a record-setting recruiting class.
