When four-star 2024 Texas defensive end Nigel Smith took his first visit to Ohio State in late November, he was able to spend 20 minutes with Larry Johnson as the longtime defensive line coach broke down Smith’s film with him.
At the conclusion of the breakdown, Johnson told Smith he’d eventually evaluate a full game Smith played for Melissa High School (Melissa, Texas). If Johnson liked what he saw, an offer would soon follow.
On Jan. 21, Johnson visited Smith in Texas. Johnson had some welcome news for the 6-foot-4, 245-pound prospect when he presented Smith with a scholarship offer to play for Ohio State.
“It felt great,” Smith told Eleven Warriors of the offer. “Especially the fact coach Johnson came down himself to extend that offer, it was definitely awesome. He told me ‘I told you I was going to watch a full game of yours and if it was good, I’d make my way down there and make you an offer. I loved your film, and I’d love to have you at Ohio State, congratulations.’”
Smith currently has 14 Division I offers this far, including Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida State, Ole Miss and LSU. According to 247Sports’ rankings, Smith is ranked as the 19th-best prospect and the second-best defensive lineman in the 2024 cycle. He says the Buckeyes are near the top of his schools list.
“I don’t know the exact rank, but they’re definitely a top school,” Smith said. “They’re a great defensive line school and they win a lot, so they’ll definitely be one of the top schools. Coach Johnson spits people out into the league. The development aspect, he’s developed so many defensive linemen and coach Day is an amazing coach. It’s just great over there.”
Smith hopes to visit OSU again in the spring and attend the Buckeyes’ spring game on April 16.
“Definitely, I’d like to get down there for their spring game,” Smith said. “That’s probably the soonest I could get down there.”
Parker puts OSU in top 5
Like Smith, four-star 2023 Alabama defensive end Tomarrion Parker also received his Ohio State offer on Jan. 21. Two and a half weeks later, Parker has included OSU in his top five schools list, which consists of Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Penn State and Tennessee.
All Glory to God pic.twitter.com/6dUxDjNDHB
— Tomarrion Parker (@tomarrion) February 9, 2022
Parker is considered the 88th-best prospect and the 13th-best defensive lineman in the 2023 cycle per 247Sports’ composite rankings. According to 247Sports, he will make one of his five official visits to Ohio State and plans to commit before the summer is over.
“Coach Johnson does a great job producing defensive ends,” Parker told 247Sports. “I definitely want to learn more about them and will definitely be taking an official visit up there for sure.”
Lonergan plans to visit OSU in spring
One of Ohio State’s top quarterback targets in 2023, four-star Dylan Lonergan, plans to visit Ohio State sometime this spring, his father Dan told 247Sports. Lonergan last visited OSU in September for the Oregon game and is one of six quarterbacks the Buckeyes have extended an offer to in the 2023 cycle. He is one of three who has received an Ohio State offer who remains uncommitted, along with Dante Moore and Nicholaus Iamaleava.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Georgia signal caller is considered the 85th-best prospect and the ninth-best quarterback in the 2023 class. In 13 games for Brookwood High School (Snellville, Georgia), Lonergan completed 234 of 371 passes for 3,392 yards and 32 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He also ran for 645 yards on 90 carries and scored seven touchdowns.
An important piece to Lonergan’s recruitment will be baseball, as the Georgia resident has a strong desire to be a dual-sport athlete in college and is talented enough to be an early-round pick in the 2023 MLB draft. There’s a good chance that subject will come up with Ryan Day and OSU’s coaching staff when the Lonergans take their spring visit to Columbus, and whether he can also play baseball at Ohio State could determine how seriously he considers the Buckeyes.
