Happy early signing period week.
By Wednesday, Ohio State should have a good grasp on where it stands with most of its 2022 class, with possibly a few more commitments coming down the pipe in January or February.
Whenever OSU’s signing class wraps up, it will likely include somewhere between 20 to 23 players signed, depending on how everything shakes out. One big question between now and Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period, centers around Terrance Brooks and if he will honor his commitment to OSU and sign or if Texas has done enough to convince him to flip. Outside of a report from a Texas 247Sports website, there has not been much indication he will flip.
One priority Ohio State target plans to announce his commitment and sign on Wednesday, while another remains uncertain if he will make up his mind between the Buckeyes and another school by then. We delve into both of those situations below.
Branch releases top three
Anyone that has followed four-star safety Zion Branch’s recruitment over the last few weeks knows all the momentum has shifted toward USC since the Trojans hired Lincoln Riley. Branch, a Las Vegas resident, has seemingly desired to stay close to home if he can, and when OSU took the lead in his recruitment during the fall it was due to the uncertainty created by Clay Helton’s firing.
Nevertheless, the Buckeyes are in this to the end. Branch had in-home visits with both USC and Ohio State recently. He included both schools, along with Oklahoma, in a top-three list he released on Monday afternoon, when he revealed he will announce his commitment at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday on ESPN.
See u Wednesday. @OU_Football @OhioStateFB @USC_FB @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/5omW0biI8g
— Zion Branch (@zionbranch) December 13, 2021
Having already missed out on Xavier Nwankpa to Iowa last week, Ohio State would love to land Branch, even if the prospects of doing so don’t look great. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound safety is rated the 47th-best player and the sixth-best safety in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2022 class.
Branch’s most recent visit to Columbus was on Oct. 30 when Ohio State played Penn State. If Branch goes elsewhere, Ohio State will likely sign just two safeties in the 2022 class: Kye Stokes and Sonny Styles, who confirmed on Sunday that he is reclassifying into the 2022 class.
Signing my National Letter of Intent Wednesday December 15th at Pickerington High School Central in the main gym at 3:00. #GOBUCKS #Brothers4Life pic.twitter.com/Iz3LI33xiA
— Alex Sonny Styles (@sonnystyles_) December 12, 2021
Hinzman unsure if he’ll commit by Wednesday
Despite the early signing period being two days away, four-star Ohio State offensive lineman target Carson Hinzman is unsure if he’ll make a decision between Ohio State and Wisconsin by Wednesday, according to a report from Rivals.
"I feel like it's coming close to an end right now. I guess I wouldn't say if I’m going to commit yet by Wednesday,” Hinzman told Rivals. “I mean, we’ll see. Just kind of talking with my family and stuff like that. I feel like everything's been going pretty well. No complaints, really.”
Hinzman is ranked as the No. 134 overall prospect and the No. 6 interior offensive lineman in the 2022 class. The Wisconsin resident also visited OSU for the Oct. 30 game against Penn State.
OSU visits LeBlanc
After 2023 defensive lineman Derrick LeBlanc visited Ohio State three times over the summer, the four-star Florida standout did not make a return trip to Columbus for a game visit. So the Buckeyes paid a visit to his high school last weekend, according to 247Sports.
“Coach Day and coach Johnson came last week,” LeBlanc told 247Sports. “They talked to my coach. He told me they said I need to be a Buckeye.”
LeBlanc didn’t name a leader in the report, and said Ohio State, Miami and Clemson are the most active schools recruiting him at the moment. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound LeBlanc also recently teased that he could make an announcement on Jan. 6, though didn’t specify whether that would be a commitment or cutting down his top schools.
January 6th that day @Hayesfawcett3
— Derrick Leblanc (@getrightderrick) December 8, 2021
Curry to make decision Tuesday
In case you missed it last week, Ohio State will find out less than 24 hours from now whether it will land its most coveted defensive line target for the 2022 cycle. Indiana four-star defensive tackle Caden Curry will decide between Ohio State, Alabama and his home-state Indiana Hoosiers when he makes his college decision at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
While Alabama has made a late push, the Buckeyes remain the heavy favorite to land Curry, the 88th-ranked overall prospect and the 14th-ranked defensive lineman in the 2022 class.
