He first impressed Ohio State coaches with a 4.41-second 40-yard dash in Columbus on June 2.
A few hours later, four-star 2023 cornerback Kayin Lee had an OSU offer in hand. After attending a camp from June 1-2 with Cedar Grove High School (Ellenwood, Georgia) teammate and OSU defensive tackle target Christen Miller, Lee said getting the offer from the Buckeyes was “a blessing.”
Fast forward a month and a half, the Buckeyes have made the cut for Lee’s top 10 schools, the junior announced Friday.
Blessed pic.twitter.com/wzJ6lYEOPp
— Kayin Lee (@_kayinlee) July 16, 2021
“They’re very high,” Lee told Eleven Warriors about Ohio State Friday afternoon. “There’s really no order right now, but they’re very high.”
In addition to OSU, Lee also included Georgia, Miami, Pittsburgh, Ole Miss, UCF, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Georgia Tech and Indiana in his top 10. The 6-foot, 160-pound defensive back’s recruiting process could move very quickly. Rated as the 87th-best player in the 2023 recruiting class and the ninth-best cornerback in 247Sports’ composite rankings, Lee said a verbal commitment may come before the start of his junior year.
“I’m trying to decide, I’ll probably be committed before my first game of the season,” Lee said. “So probably right around when August starts.”
Figuring out where he’s leaning is hard to tell. Lee said he is considering visiting Columbus at the end of July, but is undecided if he will end up making the trip. Even with a potential commitment coming next month, Lee said he also plans to visit OSU in the fall to attend a game. It may be hard to resist the allure of his hometown Bulldogs, Lee’s favorite team to follow growing up.
“It’s really cool,” Lee said of having an offer from Georgia. “That’s my dad’s favorite team, and I’m really high on them also.”
But the Cedar Grove High School product declined to name a front runner, so it could still be anyone’s game.
Webb to announce commitment Saturday
Ohio State 2023 four-star running back target Treyaun Webb will announce his commitment at 3 p.m. Saturday. Webb has narrowed down his final three to Georgia, Oklahoma and Ohio State.
Who Will It Be ?
— Treyaun Webb (@w_treyaun) July 15, 2021
pic.twitter.com/CiUpQxAP1G
The 46th-best player nationally and the fourth-best athlete in the class of 2023, Webb has trended away from OSU since his visit to Columbus on June 7. Webb, who was previously committed to Georgia before he decommitted in January, has been projected to commit to Oklahoma by three 247Sports Crystal Balls.
As a sophomore for Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Florida), Webb ran for 837 yards, averaging 6.8 yards per carry while rushing for 12 touchdowns. The Buckeyes have recruited Trinity Christian Academy well before, landing Shaun Wade, Tyreke Johnson and Marcus Crowley from the school.
Should Webb not pick Ohio State, the Buckeyes will zero in on other top running back recruits in the class, including Richard Young (rated the nation’s best 2023 running back), Rueben Owens and Justice Haynes.
Ewers in elite company
The top-rated prospect for 2022, Ohio State commit Quinn Ewers is using his Texas roots to his advantage this offseason. According to his Instagram page, Ewers worked out with Kansas City Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Sam Ehlinger, both also Texas natives, on Thursday.
The 6-foot-3, 206-pound signal caller was previously committed to Texas before flipping to OSU on November 19.
Givens picks Virginia Tech
A former top Ohio State offensive line target is taking his talents to Virginia Tech.
Four-star class of 2022 offensive lineman Gunner Givens announced his commitment to the Hokies Friday night, choosing from a list of six finalists that also included Ohio State, Alabama, North Carolina, Penn State and Clemson.
100% COMMITTED HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA pic.twitter.com/THT7UODHQz
— Gunner Givens (@givens_gunner) July 16, 2021
OSU had slowed its pursuit of the 6-foot-5, 270-pound Givens, who is rated the 131st-best prospect nationally and the fourth-best interior lineman prospect in the 2022 class. The Buckeyes hope to take four offensive linemen in the 2022 class, with George Fitzpatrick and Tegra Tshabola already on board. They remain invested in Addison Nichols, Kam Dewberry and Earnest Greene. If a scenario presented itself where they could sign all five, the Buckeyes would explore finding a way to make it work.
