Whether they have been committed for a couple years or a couple months, the entire recruiting process will officially come to an end for those in Ohio State’s 2021 class who are putting pen to paper during the early signing period that runs from December 16-18.
We got the opportunity to speak with several of those future Buckeyes, and over the next two weeks we will be previewing those players’ journeys as they fax their national letters of intent to Mark Pantoni and Co. and officially join the program.
- Jack Sawyer: “I'm more explosive and faster than I've ever been in my life.”
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Jackson disappointed about not enrolling early, plans to hit training hard in next six months
When Ohio State officially signs its 2021 class next week – and right now, we have been told all of the Buckeyes’ current pledges are planning on signing during the early period – it’ll put to bed one of the best recruiting classes in program history.
It will also be the first step for several of the signees as they enroll early and hit campus between January 5-9 for their respective move-in dates.
Except for at least one key player.
Five-star offensive guard Donovan Jackson will not be one of the dozen or so players* who will be enrolling early from this class.
Jackson’s Episcopal (Houston) High School does not allow for early graduation, and therefore he will not be afforded the opportunity to get into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center until the summer.
“I mean I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t (missing out),” Jackson told Eleven Warriors this week.
The Jackson File
- Class: 2021
- Size: 6-foot-4/295 lbs
- Pos: OG
- School: Episcopal (Houston, Texas)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★★
- Composite Rank: 17
It’s a disappointment for Jackson, he says, but he’s rolling with the punches as he takes the next six months to gear up for the college game on his own.
“It depends on your standpoint. If you’re working just as hard then it won’t set you back, but in terms of experience it will set you back,” Jackson said. “I tried to protest it as much as possible, but the school wouldn’t allow me to do it. So I’ve just gotta deal with it. It is what it is. Gotta control what you can control and go up there in the summer.
“Coach (Mickey Marotti) has already come up with a plan to keep me involved and make sure I’m not falling behind everyone. But not being there is a disadvantage.”
Marotti isn’t allowed to give Jackson exact details on that development plan until he signs, but Jackson has full faith that it will be a great one.
“In terms of strength and conditioning, making sure my body is the same as everyone else’s, if not better. Coach (Greg Studrawa’s) gonna keep up with the meetings so I’m staying on the ball with plays and calls,” Jackson said. “I don’t know too much. They won’t tell me until I sign, obviously, but they said they’re coming up with stuff.”
In terms of his physical development between now and then, Jackson says that he already weighs about 295 pounds right now “so there’s not too much that I have to add on.”
“Depending on where they want me, I feel like it’s gonna be a 10-15 pound difference from where I am now,” he added. “So I feel like adding on won’t be too much of a big deal. It’s just taking off fat, putting on muscle and getting more explosive.”
All of that is en route to the mission of getting into the facilities in the summer and help the team in whatever way possible, he says, whether that be on special teams, on offense or as part of the scout team. Jackson says one of his freshman year goals is to “prove it to myself that I can play at the collegiate level,” and if the growth he showed during his senior season says anything about his college readiness, he is well on his way to making some sort of impact as a first-year player.
“Mentally, the game slowed down for me a little more,” Jackson said. “I could see more. More teams were throwing extra blitzes at us because they couldn’t run at us head on. They couldn’t rush four guys. They had to bring somebody else. So I was calling blitzes out on the other side of the field because I could see it. It was pretty cool to see how that grew over my four years here.”
Jackson is the No. 17 overall player and No. 1 offensive guard in the country in addition to being ranked No. 2 in the state of Texas’ packed 2021 cycle. Jackson is perhaps the best offensive line prospect in his class, and he is the Buckeyes’ highest-ranked interior offensive line prospect since Michael Brewster (No. 15 overall, No. 1 OC) in the 2008 class.
Jackson is ranked even higher than former five-star Wyatt Davis (No. 24 overall, No. 1 OG) was rated in the 2017 class. That’s especially intriguing as Jackson has garnered comparisons to the likely future first-round draft pick.
“I have heard the comparison. I think it’s an honor to be compared to him,” Jackson said. “He’s gonna be in the National Football League, which is obviously my goal. He set the standard of what it’s like to be an offensive lineman there so I’ve just gotta live up to that and keep it going.
“I watch his film. (I’ve noticed) how different his feet are. He never gets down too far, never too close together, never too far apart. He always goes through the whistle and tries to finish every play.”
Jackson certainly has a lot of that same mentality. As we’ve written about when he committed to Ohio State in January, Jackson has been dubbed one of the country’s “nastiest” offensive line prospects. That label is one Jackson takes pride in.
“That’s a great title to have,” Jackson said. “It shows how much you love the game, shows how much pride you have.”
Early enrollees
*We have confirmed that these 14 players will be enrolling early: Jack Sawyer, TreVeyon Henderson, Kyle McCord, Jayden Ballard, Evan Pryor, Reid Carrico, Marvin Harrison Jr., Ben Christman, Tyleik Williams, Denzel Burke, Jantzen Dunn, Zen Michalski, Sam Hart, Jesse Mirco
Mike Hall is also potentially enrolling early, but we do not yet have confirmation on him. Those not enrolling early are Jackson, Jakailin Johnson, Jordan Hancock, Andre Turrentine and Jaylen Johnson.
Ohio State's 2021 class will have tied the 2020 class' program record of 14 early enrollees.
