Ohio State has its second commitment of the 2023 class.
In-state product Joshua Padilla became the second member of the cycle after he announced his commitment to the Buckeyes Thursday evening, joining four-star tight end Ty Lockwood.
BM!!!!! @CoachStudOL @CoachCookOL @OSUCoachKDub @ryandaytime @OhioStateFB @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/wxBfCc1R0U
— Joshua Padilla (@JoshuaPadilla66) November 4, 2021
While he was an Ohio resident, Padilla didn’t necessarily grow up an Ohio State fan. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound interior offensive lineman said he just loved watching as much college football as he could. However, he looked up to former Ohio State offensive lineman Billy Price.
The Padilla File
- Class: 2023
- Size: 6-foot-4/265 lbs
- Pos: OL
- School: Huber Heights (Dayton, Ohio)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Ranking: #184 (#9 IOL)
“Seeing what he did, it's crazy,” Padilla told Eleven Warriors in August. “I remember when I was younger and watching him kill people from his size.”
Padilla plays guard and tackle for Wayne, but he profiles as a guard at the next level. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound lineman received an offer from Ohio State in March of 2021. He first knew the Buckeyes were interested when OSU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson retweeted one of Padilla’s wrestling highlights after he won his district championship in the 285-pound class.
Padilla said shortly after receiving the offer the Buckeyes were attracted to his mental toughness and willingness to be physical. According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Padilla is ranked as the 194th-best prospect in the 2023 cycle and the 10th-best interior offensive lineman.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | TY LOCKWOOD | ★★★★ | #140 NATL | #8 TE | 6-5 | 225 | Independence (Thompson's Station, TN) |
| OL | JOSHUA PADILLA | ★★★★ | #184 NATL | #9 IOL | 6-4 | 265 | Wayne (Dayton, Ohio) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports | |||||
Even though Padilla lived in Ohio, he never had attended an Ohio State game before. That changed this fall. He took a few gameday visits to Ohio State, most notably for the home opener against Oregon in September, and most recently for the Penn State game on Oct. 30. He fell in love with the atmosphere, and never looked back from there.
“My visit was great,” Padilla told Eleven Warriors after the Oregon visit. “Finally going to a game feels good knowing I couldn’t go to any games last year. I feel it opens my mind up more about Ohio State now after seeing a game.”
Maybe a certain Captain Buckeye knew about this one a few days ago. He did hint a few Booms were coming after the Penn State weekend, after all.
Great game with a couple BOOMS otw #GoBucks
— CJ KING Hicks (@imcjhicks) October 31, 2021
In his recruitment, Padilla had 15 Division 1 offers, a list that included Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Penn State, Michigan State and Oregon.
