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're 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.”
- TreVeyon Henderson: Shaking off Ezekiel Elliott, J.K. Dobbins comparisons
- Donovan Jackson: Unable to enroll early, Jackson set to follow Marrotti's plan in offseason
- Kyle McCord: Ohio State's first five-star QB since Braxton Miller, McCord ready to run NFL schemes
Johnson in line to become next great Ohio State CB
When Kerry Coombs came back to Columbus to take over as defensive coordinator, there were questions about whether or not he would be able to be an effective play caller and full-time d-coordinator. Those questions, following a five-game regular season, are still largely unanswered.
What was never in question was whether or not he would be able to bring star-studded talent into the Buckeyes’ recruiting classes. That’s what he was known for during his first stint at Ohio State, and in the spring he picked up right where he left off.
The Johnson File
- Class: 2021
- Size: 6-foot-1/175 lbs
- Pos: CB
- School: De Smet (St. Louis, Missouri)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: 47
Though Brian Hartline had a major hand in recruiting St. Louis four-star cornerback Jakailin Johnson, it was Coombs’ presence that provided the biggest boost in bringing the nation’s No. 3-ranked cornerback and No. 47 overall player to town.
“I think JK’s going to an elite cornerback developer,” Robert Steeples, Johnson’s head coach at De Smet (Missouri), told Eleven Warriors. “I take my own pride in developing corners so I think JK’s gonna go in there with a leg up, but he’s also not satisfied and he’s hungry. He knows he’s got room to improve. I expect him to be an elite guy for them. To be one of the top-tier corners to come out of Ohio State and be one of the top guys in the country. He’s got all the makings of it, and he’s handled it the right way so it’s all up to him.”
Steeples played for four different teams during a three-year stay in the NFL. A former cornerback himself, Steeples has plenty of experience at the position and spends extra time helping to develop his cornerbacks at the preps level. He hasn’t seen a better one than the one he’s sending to Coombs.
Over his final year in St. Louis, Johnson has shown growth in a few different areas of the game. He already had the intangibles as far as physicality, competitiveness and ball skills, but he has notably sharpened up his mechanics in playing the cornerback spot from when he was a junior to where he is now.
“His growth has just been working his technique and his instincts and just understanding the more savvy parts of the game; learning how to play that chess match on an island with a receiver,” Steeples said. “I think coming into Ohio State he’s got all the makings of an elite corner that can really progress into something special. Coach Coombs is one of the best at getting it out of his corners. He’s gonna find JK pretty quickly is a guy that fits what they’re looking for.
“JK’s a man corner and can take a guy on an island, but he’s also tough enough to be able to play zone coverage just as effectively. And his ball skills are gonna make him a real threat and having vision on the ball when he’s playing zone. I know Coach Coombs likes to mix those up so you’re gonna get a complete corner who’s gonna excel in both types of defense.”
Johnson will not be enrolling early at Ohio State, as the only two Buckeye defensive back commits who will be doing so are cornerback Denzel Burke and safety Jantzen Dunn.
For Johnson, Steeples says this will be a huge offseason for him in terms of getting in the weight room to add strength and muscle while not losing his speed.
“He’s already got the heart, so putting a little muscle on will really help him go against those Big Ten receivers and running backs,” Steeples said.
“having two lockdown corners on the outside is just gonna mean teams are gonna have to trust their own guys and throw it. There’s gonna be a lot of opportunities for both guys to make plays.”– Robert steeples on the cornerback duo of jakailin johnson and jordan hancock
Johnson has as high of a ceiling as any cornerback prospect in the 2021 recruiting class. High enough that Coombs has compared his potential to previous first-round NFL draft picks that he coached such as Marshon Lattimore and Bradley Roby.
Instead of looking at previous players for comparisons, however, Steeples hopes that one day – maybe four or five years down the line – that there will be high-level recruits that have “Jakailin Johnson” listed as their player comparison on their 247Sports recruiting profiles.
“I think he’s gonna try to go be his own person and compete,” Steeples said. “That’s what’s made him so special at our level. I hope that in three or four years, whoever they’re gonna be recruiting at Ohio State at corner they’re gonna have Jakailin as the comp that people would like to have. I think he’s complete. He can run, he can hit, he’s smooth with his technique, and he’s long. Any corner with that skillset is big time.”
Johnson, Hancock one-two punch
The De Smet star will sign with Coombs and Co. on Wednesday as part of a six-man defensive back haul that also includes No. 4-ranked cornerback Jordan Hancock out of Georgia.
At their overall rankings, Johnson (47) and Hancock (67) are the highest-rated pair of cornerback recruits the Buckeyes have landed since the 2017 recruiting class in Jeff Okudah (8) and Shaun Wade (17).
Just like Okudah, Johnson is the prototypical outside cornerback prospect the Buckeyes are bringing into the fold, and just like Wade, it appears as though Hancock will start his career in the slot before working his way to the outside.
Wherever they line up throughout their Buckeye careers, Steeples believes that’s a deadly duo for Big Ten offenses to have to game plan against.
“With the way the game’s being played with passing such a big part of the top offenses and d-backs needing to defend them, I know Ohio State’s gonna be planning on putting a lot of defensive backs on the field,” Steeples said. “The advantage of having another talented d-back opposite of you is huge because you’re gonna get your fair share of targets. Some teams that have one dominant corner and then the other one is not so good, the lesser of the two gets attacked relentlessly and the dominant one doesn’t get many targets. But having two lockdown corners on the outside is just gonna mean teams are gonna have to trust their own guys and throw it.
“There’s gonna be a lot of opportunities for both guys to make plays, and you know you’re gonna be on an island and the ball’s coming your way. You see it now with the amount of talent Ohio State has on the defense, teams are still going at their corners and making them earn it. They’re still attacking Wade, they’re making (Marcus) Hooker earn his. I think that’s the benefit of being on a talented defense and being paired with another top corner is they’re gonna have to attack. We kind of saw that last year with Jakailin and Jordan Johnson. This year, we had it with Jakailin and Jordan Coleman and Christian Gray. We had some really good corners so everyone was getting challenged, and JK was nothing short of dominant. He didn’t give up a single touchdown. I think the pairing will go well for them when you have two guys like that.”
Grayes back on the market
The writing has been on the wall for several weeks now, but on Monday morning it became official.
Kyion Grayes is back on the market. The 2022 receiver – who last week jumped into four-star territory in his ranking – has decommitted from Arizona and reopened his recruitment.
— Kyion Grayes II (@KyiongrayesII) December 14, 2020
Spoiler alert: Only a matter of time before he becomes a Buckeye.
