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.
Goodwin sets decision date, trending toward Kentucky
Today's top item is essentially going to be a rehashing of what Eleven Warriors already reported last week, but it's necessary to relitigate it here.
Kiyaunta Goodwin is the Buckeyes' top target along the offensive line in the 2022 class, and I would argue he's their top recruit regardless of position in the cycle (so would Andrew, who's had him as the No. 1 target in 2022 in every one of his Heat Check updates since his first one dropped in November). If he's not No. 1, he's inarguably in the top three.
We already reported last week that Kentucky was the frontrunner for Goodwin, the No. 47 overall player and No. 5 offensive tackle in the country, and that if he was to make a commitment on that day, that the Wildcats would be the winner.
So Wednesday night's news that Goodwin has locked in a commitment date of April 17 is bad news for the Buckeyes. Goodwin has already made his choice, and I'm still putting plenty of confident money on Kentucky being the pick.
“Kentucky has a very good offensive line,” Goodwin told Eleven Warriors when he broke down his final five two weeks ago. “I keep up with the offensive lines, and they surprise you. That’s one of the main reasons. With Coach (John) Schlarman, before he passed away, we had a really great relationship. When Coach (Eric Wolford) took over, the first thing he did as soon as he got the job is he called me. That shows that he was very invested in me and he took this relationship and my recruitment very serious.”
Leveling up this year running with the skill guys @Aspirationsgym pic.twitter.com/7vNd1R8qJc
— Kiyaunta Goodwin (@K_Goodwin2022) April 6, 2021
Goodwin has long been eager to end his recruitment, and when next Saturday comes and goes, it will provide a major sigh of relief for the future five-star prospect.
But his recruitment will be far from over.
One of the main reasons Goodwin has been antsy to end the recruiting process (other than it being exhausting) is the fact that he (just like basically every other prospect in the 2022 and 2023 classes) is tired of being bamboozled by the NCAA. After hearing several times that the dead period would be coming to an end, Goodwin has gotten his hopes up on several occasions.
Well, that dead period still lingers, visits have not opened up, and frustration has long been set in. So, in just about one week's time, he's putting an end to it. For now.
As I wrote last week, even if Goodwin makes a commitment before June visits are allowed, I fully expect him to still take his five official visits this summer. Doesn't necessarily mean that he will deviate from a potential commitment to Kentucky, but if he takes those visits then there is a ray of hope for the Buckeyes and the rest of the pack (Alabama, Clemson and Michigan State are the other three in his final five.)
There should still be optimism that Goodwin can still wind up at Ohio State if those visits do open up and if he connects with the Buckeye coaches once he meets them in person for the first time – plus with any of the Buckeyes' commits who he may see during an on-campus visit. Essentially, if you're cautiously optimistic that visits will open up then you should be equally as cautiously optimistic that Goodwin can eventually end up in the Buckeyes' class. But they will be trailing by more than half a lap.
Ohio State will continue recruiting Goodwin while simultaneously turning more focus toward offensive tackle targets Aamil Wagner, Zach Rice, Addison Nichols and Tyler Booker.
Buckeyes cement themselves further for Turner
Comfort and relationships will always and forever be the name of the game in recruiting, and one of the Buckeyes' biggest targets in the 2022 class has found both of those in abundance in Columbus and in Ohio State's program.
Ryan Turner, a four-star cornerback out of Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Florida), is right up there with St. Louis' Toriano Pride as the Buckeyes' top cornerback targets in the 2022 cycle. Turner is coming off back-to-back visits to Ohio State and Clemson, respectively, and he is visiting Boston College this week.
Per 247Sports' Andrew Ivins, Turner has locked in a return visit to Columbus on June 11. With Ohio State cornerbacks Ryan Watts and Lejond Cavazos (who signed with the Buckeyes out of Florida) making their pushes to Turner, plus the continually strong relationship being built with Ohio State rising star in assistant Keenan Bailey, the Buckeyes have been the frontrunner for Turner for a while now.
Following his visit to Columbus, it feels as if they are cementing themselves even further in that cause:
"I like the city," Turner said. "Columbus, you know being from South Florida, it's very busy down here and Columbus is like a very busy city, so it wouldn't be much of a big transition going from one big city to another big city whereas Clemson is a really small town where you are seeing trees 24/7. Ohio State is like a downtown. It's busy, so that's what I really like. I like the city a lot."
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Turner isn't sure when he will return to Clemson, but was quick to point out that he will be at Ohio State the weekend of June 11 for an official visit
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"My mom likes [Ohio State] a lot basically for the same reason as me. It's not exactly like South Florida, but there's not that big of a difference," Turner explained.
If Ohio State is open to taking both Pride and Turner, I like the Buckeyes' chances of landing both of them, especially with Jyaire Brown's commitment a bit influx as we continue to progress toward the December early signing period.
Header photo: Kiyaunta Goodwin – Matt Stone/USA Today
