Tyriq Blanding already has an impressive offer list.
The 6-foot-3, 255-pound 2023 defensive lineman from New York has been offered by the likes of Oregon, Michigan, West Virginia, South Carolina, Nebraska and Arizona State.
But there’s one offer he’s still hoping to get: Ohio State.
Blanding has logged a lot of miles already this summer, first visiting Columbus at a camp in late June, then later returning to campus for an unofficial visit on July 28. At the camp, Blanding ran a 4.97 40-yard dash and impressed OSU coaches in drills.
“The coaches liked how I did the drills and finished through,” Blanding told Eleven Warriors. “They also told me they like my size and my weight.”
When Blanding, who has not been given a composite ranking by 247Sports, came back to Columbus a month later, defensive line coach Larry Johnson broke down film with him.
“He liked my potential, but he wanted me to work on my technique a little more,” Blanding said.
The pressure is on for the defensive lineman, who has a lot riding on his junior season.
“They told me they want me to come back to another camp in the future and if I have another good year, they’ll probably offer me,” Blanding said.
He added he plans to either attend OSU’s home opener against Oregon in September or the Buckeyes’ road game against Rutgers in October, which would be a closer trip for him.
Lonergan puts OSU in top 12
With Quinn Ewers’ reclassification taking the nation’s college football storylines by storm, the Buckeyes are going to need to ramp up their pursuit of signal-callers in future recruiting classes in the meantime.
One of those targets is Dylan Lonergan, the 49th-best player and the sixth-best quarterback in the class of 2023 according to 247Sports' composite rankings, who received an offer from Ohio State in June and included the Buckeyes in his top 12 released Wednesday afternoon.
BREAKING: Four-Star QB Dylan Lonergan is down to these 12 Schools, he tells @On3Recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 4, 2021
The 61 195 QB from Snellville, GA is ranked as a Top 40 Player in the Class of 2023 (#4 QB). Standout baseball player as well.
Where Should He Go? pic.twitter.com/kyjXjPrpzo
In addition to the Buckeyes, Lonergan is considering Oregon, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Penn State, South Carolina, Auburn and LSU.
In 2020, Lonergan threw for 2,249 yards and 20 touchdowns and led Brookwood High School (Snellville, Georgia) to an 8-3 campaign. While he lives in Georgia, his father played college ball at Penn State.
Lonergan camped at Ohio State in June and participated in throwing drills in front of Ryan Day and quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis.
“Just glad I got to get the offer from the coaches after throwing in front of them, and just really excited about that,” Lonergan told Eleven Warriors in June. “Definitely a really good opportunity, because they’re really good at what they do.
“They were saying when I throw on-platform, without moving a little bit, I’m very, very good. And just when I get off-platform, the only thing they were coaching me up on was trying to stick my back foot in the ground and create more power.”
Lonergan is a highly touted baseball prospect, as well, and hopes to play both sports at the collegiate level. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound signal caller said he has spoken to OSU’s baseball staff about that possibility and the football coaches are OK with him doing both. Lonergan has said he does not plan to make a commitment until after he’s had the opportunity to take official visits next summer.
McClellan narrows list to six
One of Ohio State's top defensive line targets for the class of 2022 is down to final six schools.
Owasso, Oklahoma defensive tackle Chris McClellan included the Buckeyes among his finalists on Wednesday, along with Oklahoma, Alabama, USC, Florida and LSU.
The Marathon Continues #top6(@Hayesfawcett3) pic.twitter.com/KrCyOBwOyQ
— Chris McClellan 7 (@ChrisDMac10) August 4, 2021
The 6-foot-3, 295-pound man in the trenches is ranked as the 90th-best prospect and No. 17 defensive lineman in the 2022 cycle. McClellan took an official visit to Columbus on June 25 and visited Oklahoma last weekend.
The Buckeyes have yet to receive any defensive line commitments for 2022. Five crystal balls have been given for McClellan on 247Sports, with four analysts picking the Buckeyes and one picking the Sooners.
Miller will commit in January
Those hoping for a quick commitment from 2022 defensive tackle Christen Miller are going to be disappointed. After narrowing down his top four to Ohio State, Georgia, USC and Oregon on July 27, Miller announced Tuesday night he’d announce his commitment at the Adidas All-American Bowl on Jan. 8, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas.
I will be Committing At The Adidas All American Bowl @AABonNBC @Mansell247 #GoDawgs #Fighton #GoDawgs #GoBuckeyes
— Christen Miller (@Trenchking2) August 3, 2021
Miller, the 119th-best player nationally and the 20th-best defensive lineman, was scheduled to take a visit to OSU in June, but later postponed that trip to the fall. When Miller put out a video announcing his top four, he attributed the main reason Ohio State made the cut is because of defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who Miller called “the GOAT.”
Miller, a Ellenwood, Georgia resident, has been given three crystal ball predictions by 247Sports: two projecting him to USC and one to Georgia.
