In late October, Austin Siereveld only held offers from Ohio and Toledo.
Then the four-star offensive lineman picked up his third offer from Michigan State. Ohio State soon followed on Oct. 30 when Siereveld visited during OSU's 33-24 win over Penn State.
The 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive lineman's recruitment really took off from there, and although it took longer than most expected, Siereveld eventually committed to the team he grew up rooting for, giving his verbal to Ohio State on Wednesday.
Austin Siereveld commits to Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/7vXb2ccrxf
— Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) May 4, 2022
"I just want to compete and hopefully play as soon as possible... and hopefully win a natty."
— 247Sports (@247Sports) May 4, 2022
4IOL Austin Siereveld breaks down his commitment to @OhioStateFB @Bucknuts247 pic.twitter.com/zVaE2AyODR
Siereveld's OSU offer came from Ryan Day himself in person, which was a special moment for the lifelong Ohio State fan.
“I was really honored to be offered by them,” Siereveld told Eleven Warriors after receiving his offer. “The fact that they offered me in person with Coach Day was really awesome too.”
But Siereveld wasn't ready to commit, and made sure to do his due diligence. More offers followed from Division I schools such as Alabama, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Illinois, Notre Dame and West Virginia.
The Siereveld File
- Class: 2023
- Size: 6-5/315
- Pos: Offensive lineman
- School: Lakota East (Middletown, Ohio)
- Star Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #351 (#20 IOL)
Siereveld didn't even visit Ohio State again until late March, and had to reconnect with the program after his two primary recruiters, Greg Studrawa and Kerry Coombs, did not return to the Buckeyes following the 2021 season.
Fortunately for OSU, new offensive line coach Justin Frye quickly established a rapport with Siereveld on his return visit.
“He tells me all the time that he wants to coach me and I want to play for someone like that,” Siereveld said of Frye after his March visit.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OT | LUKE MONTGOMERY | ★★★★ | #43 NATL | #4 OT | 6-5 | 280 | Findlay (Findlay, OH) |
| TE | TY LOCKWOOD | ★★★★ | #100 NATL | #8 TE | 6-5 | 225 | Independence (Thompson's Station, TN) |
| IOL | JOSHUA PADILLA | ★★★★ | #136 NATL | #6 IOL | 6-4 | 265 | Wayne (Dayton, OH) |
| RB | MARK FLETCHER | ★★★★ | #155 NATL | #8 RB | 6-1 | 225 | American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, FL) |
| S | MALIK HARTFORD | ★★★★ | #204 NATL | #20 S | 6-2.5 | 175 | Lakota West (West Chester, OH) |
| S | CEDRICK HAWKINS | ★★★★ | #239 NATL | #23 S | 6-0 | 175 | Cocoa (Cocoa, FL) |
| CB | DIJON JOHNSON | ★★★★ | #280 NATL | #29 CB | 6-1 | 190 | Wharton (Tampa, FL) |
| OL | AUSTIN SIEREVELD | ★★★★ | #351 NATL | #20 IOL | 6-5 | 315 | Lakota East (Middletown, OH) |
| WR | BRYSON RODGERS | ★★★ | #370 NATL | #47 WR | 6-2 | 170 | Wiregrass Ranch (Zephyrhills, FL) |
| DL | WILL SMITH | ★★★ | #453 NATL | #57 DL | 6-3 | 260 | Dublin Coffman (Dublin, OH) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports | |||||
Siereveld returned to Columbus for Ohio State's spring game on April 16, and that visit went a long way in making him comfortable enough to give his verbal to OSU, despite also visiting Notre Dame on April 23. He picked the Buckeyes over Notre Dame and Alabama, both of whom were also in Siereveld's final three.
The Lakota East offensive lineman first impressed Buckeyes coaches by standing out in drills during an Ohio State camp on June 16. OSU's coaching staff asked him to come back for a second camp later that month. Siereveld impressed at his second camp, then returned for the Buckeye Bash & BBQ in late July and took his first game visit to the Shoe on Sept. 11 for the home opener against Oregon.
While attending both camps, Siereveld was told by OSU’s coaching staff they see him as a guard at the collegiate level, and guard or center is still his likely collegiate position.
According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Siereveld is ranked as the 351st-best prospect and the No. 20 interior offensive lineman in the 2023 class.
With Siereveld in the fold, Ohio State has 10 recruits committed for the 2023 class. He's the third offensive lineman, joining fellow four-star in-state prospects Joshua Padilla and Luke Montgomery. He becomes the fifth in-state commit in the class, joining four-star safety Malik Hartford and three-star defensive tackle Will Smith Jr.
