A multi-talented prospect from Texas will be in attendance this weekend for Ohio State’s game against Purdue.
Four-star 2023 wide receiver and safety Mikal Harrison-Pilot confirmed to Eleven Warriors he will be in attendance this weekend for his first-ever visit to OSU.
“Ever since 2019, Ohio State has caught my attention,” Harrison-Pilot told Eleven Warriors.
While the 6-foot, 185-pound Harrison-Pilot plays both ways in high school, he says he has not been told by the Ohio State coaching staff which position they’d envision him playing at the next level yet.
Harrison-Pilot has 36 Division I scholarship offers, including Texas, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Oregon, Michigan, Michigan State and Cincinnati, but has not yet received an offer from Ohio State. Should that change, the Buckeyes would be near the top of the list for Harrison-Pilot, who is the 103rd-ranked prospect in the 2023 class per 247Sports' composite rankings.
“It would be amazing and they’d be a top pick for sure,” Harrison-Pilot said.
Harrison-Pilot has already visited numerous schools this fall, including USC, Houston, Texas and Texas A&M. In his most recent contest for Temple High School (Temple, Texas), Harrison-Pilot scored three touchdowns on a 30-yard catch, a 19-yard catch and a 4-yard touchdown run.
York to visit OSU
Harrison-Pilot isn’t the only prospect from Temple visiting OSU this weekend. Temple 2023 linebacker Taurean York will make his second trip to Columbus this year with Harrison-Pilot, who he’s already taken several visits with this fall.
“(This weekend will) be fun, he’s my best friend and we do everything together,” Harrison-Pilot said.
York previously camped with the Buckeyes in June.
“I’m looking forward to catching up with the coaches for sure,” York told Eleven Warriors. “Possibly meet (Ohio State wideouts) Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. They are both from Texas and Garrett is from Austin which is right down the road from Temple. He also wears No. 5 as well.”
Im extremely excited to be back in Columbus this weekend @CoachWash56 @markpantoni pic.twitter.com/qUpbrk0v1s
— Taurean A. York (@TaureanYork5x) November 8, 2021
Although York has only been offered by two Division I schools, mostly due to his height at 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, and does not hold a composite ranking, his stats this season have being eye-popping, as he’s recorded 117 tackles (14 for loss), four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 4.5 sacks, four quarterback pressures, two pass breakups and one defensive touchdown.
York has already visited Arkansas, Oklahoma, Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, Houston, North Texas and USC this fall. He says he talks to Ohio State linebackers coach Al Washington “every other week.”
“He tells me that I’m a ball player, he’ll continue to watch my film, and he’s excited to get me back up for a game,” York said.
Even though he’s from Texas, York has rooted for Ohio State since he was nine years old, after he first watched Braxton Miller’s spin move against Virginia Tech in 2015 and because he appreciated Urban Meyer’s tenure in Columbus.
“I’ll be looking for the game-day experience as a recruit and as a fan, the energy in the stadium, and watch how the players perform at home,” York said.
Nwankpa’s decision still up in air
Less than a month before 2022 safety target Xavier Nwankpa makes his decision, he’s still currently “up in the air” with his decision, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Iowa defensive back told 247Sports this week.
Nwankpa, who set a commitment date of Dec. 8, has dropped a final three of Ohio State, Notre Dame and Iowa. He’s visited all three schools this fall, with the Buckeyes getting the last visit on Oct. 30.
On his visit, Nwankpa was told by Ohio State defensive backs coach Matt Barnes, the lead recruiter of the 2022 safety target, that he’d play bullet in the Buckeyes’ defense. Barnes also pointed out the success Ronnie Hickman is having in that role this season, as Hickman currently leads the Buckeyes with 73 tackles and two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
Nwankpa’s relationships with current Ohio State commits and targets may also play a factor in the decision.
"I’m friends with a player on every single team that I might go to, but I’d probably say I’m the closest with the (Ohio State) commits through 7-on-7 and going through the recruiting process with them,” Nwankpa told 247Sports.
