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.
Burton headed to Lake Travis
The comparisons between Caleb Burton and Garrett Wilson were made long before Burton even made his commitment to Ohio State in November.
Better get used to those comparisons because they’re only going to get more prevalent and more talked about over the next year.
The Austin American Statesman reported today that Burton and his father, Charles, are joining Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) High School.
Lake Travis is Wilson’s alma mater, only adding another layer to the similarities between the two. Not only do they have the same type of receiver body and physical gifts (Burton has been labeled a Garrett Wilson 2.0), but their recruiting rankings are very similar as Wilson (No. 20 overall, No. 2 WR, No. 3 Texas in the 2019 recruiting class) and Burton (No. 23 overall, No. 4 WR, No. 5 Texas) are both five-star receivers with NFL potential once they leave Ohio State’s program.
While Caleb will assume the role as Lake Travis’ top receiver, his father left his position as the head coach at Del Valle High School last month and will join the staff at Lake Travis:
Former Del Valle head coach Charles Burton will join the football staff at Lake Travis, along with son, 5-star receiver Caleb Burton, according to sources.
The hire won’t be official until approved by the Lake Travis school district later this month, and Burton won't begin work at Lake Travis until next school year.
Both Burtons will strengthen a Lake Travis program that has won six state championships, which most recently includes the 2016 Class 6A Division I title. Charles Burton, the longest-tenured head football coach in Del Valle High School history, resigned from that position in March after eight seasons at the school. He compiled a 29-51 record with one playoff appearance during his time at Del Valle, including a 3-6 mark last season. That winning percentage compares favorably for a program that has a winning rate of 32.6% since beginning football in 1956.
Inniss transfers
Since we're on the subject of high school receivers recruited by Ohio State transferring, another elite-level pass catcher with a Buckeyes offer is on the move.
Brandon Inniss, a composite five-star and a player likely to finish where he has started as the No. 1 receiver in his 2023 recruiting class, announced on Monday that he is transferring from one Florida school to another.
Thank you to all my coaches, teammates, and teachers at NSU University school for the past 3 years of life.....with that being said I will be transferring to American Heritage Plantation for the next 2 years. #statebound @psurtain23 pic.twitter.com/SuES1p27UI
— BrandonSHOWTIME inniss (@brandon5star2) April 5, 2021
He is headed toward powerhouse American Heritage High School after playing his sophomore season at Miami Gardens (Florida) TRU Prep and being a freshman and eighth-grade starter at Fort Lauderdale's University School.
LeBlanc, Kirkland looking to visit OSU
Derrick LeBlanc has been one of Ohio State's top targets ever since the Buckeyes offered him last summer.
The 2023 defensive end out of Osceloa High School in Kissimmee, Florida already told Eleven Warriors that he has set up an Ohio State visit for the weekend of June 4-6 for the Buckeye Bash 2.0.
“I’m gonna be out there with all of them so I just feel blessed about it,” Leblanc told us previously. “we’re all in a group chat so we’re all saying let’s go to Ohio State on this date. So they’re gonna be having their officials when I’m having my unofficial. So it’s just gonna be like, ‘I’m hanging out with the family, my boys.’”
So while LeBlanc has that visit set up, he could very well be joined by another 2023 Florida star with whom he is close with.
Four-star offensive tackle Payton Kirkland, out of Orlando's Dr. Phillips High School, is one of the Buckeyes' top targets at the position in the cycle. And Kirkland, ranked No. 86 overall and No. 8 at OT in the first 247Sports Composite rankings of the class, is looking to set up a visit to Columbus as well.
LeBlanc, No. 54 overall and No. 6 at strongside defensive end, and Kirkland visited Clemson this weekend to watch the Tigers' spring game. Would not be surprised if they visit Ohio State on the same weekend as well. I would say Ohio State is the early favorite for LeBlanc as it continues to work his recruitment and Kirkland's.
Miller a future on- and off-field star
Not a recruiting update here for the last item. Just something fun to note.
Christen Miller, one of the Buckeyes' top targets at defensive tackle in the 2022 class, would be a huge get for Larry Johnson and Co. His talent and versatility would be a welcome addition to an Ohio State cycle in need of at least two DTs.
So would his character and charisma.
Miller released a video on social media over the weekend that highlights his Type A personality.
Yesssssirskiiiiii Go Subcribe To my channel Bangerrrr on the way #FATCHR7S pic.twitter.com/Bg4BGaiuVY
— Christen Miller (@Trenchking2) April 4, 2021
Miller is going to be a star on and off the field when he gets to college and once he leaves the collegiate scene. Could easily see him becoming a fan favorite at Ohio State, USC or wherever he chooses to go. Just another defensive tackle with that type of personality. Think Robert Landers or Mike Hall – one former Buckeye DT whose personality and work ethic fans loved, and the other a future Buckeye DT whose personality and work ethic fans are going to learn about soon enough (if they haven't already).
Header photo: Caleb Burton – 247Sports
