When 2024 Ohio cornerback Bryce West picked up an offer from Ohio State on Dec. 3, he could hardly contain his excitement.
It was the team he grew up rooting for, and a well-established pipeline has existed from the high school West attends, Glenville High School, to OSU. Past Glenville alumni that played for Ohio State include Ted Ginn Jr., Troy Smith, Cardale Jones, Chris Worley, Marshon Lattimore and Donte Whitner. West is currently coached by Ted Ginn Sr.
After he was offered, he told Eleven Warriors Ohio State was his No. 1 school at the time. Three months later, that has not changed.
“They’re still my number one,” West said. “Especially since (OSU safeties) coach Perry Eliano is there now and I have that close relationship with the defensive backs coach. A lot of it is the big time players who came through my school. I’d love to carry on that legacy.”
There’s been a big coaching shakeup on the defensive side of the ball since West was offered, and while he has not had much dialogue with cornerbacks coach Tim Walton yet, Eliano made multiple trips to West’s high school in January. The two had a prior relationship from Eliano’s Cincinnati days.
“Last summer, we went to the Cincinnati camp and he coached me up,” West said. “He recruited me at Cincinnati too. We have a very close relationship, when he was at Cincinnati, I sent him my film and he told me what I needed to work on. When I got down there, he helped me through the camp.”
OSU is recruiting West as a cornerback, but has told him if he gets bigger as he ages he could transition to strong safety. West played at cornerback and strong and free safety for Glenville last season. He also attended the Best of the Midwest prep combine on Feb. 21 and was named the top-performing defensive back.
Had a great time yesterday at the @BOTMWCombine Thankful for Being named as the MVP of the DBs!! #Workin @TarblooderFB pic.twitter.com/XUcQ1G7JZ2
— (@bryvonny) February 22, 2022
@nxtgencertified @ACEP_Training we lit!! @CoachTerryPSU @Coach_Marve @Coach_Eliano @coachclink @BOTMWCombine #HIM pic.twitter.com/7R1GMIhFjj
— (@bryvonny) February 22, 2022
West said he plans to visit OSU with his family several times during spring practice, but doesn’t have specific dates in mind. He’ll also visit Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State and does not have a specific commitment timeline in mind as of yet.
Aguero puts OSU in top 7
One of Ohio State’s top safety targets for the class of 2023 has narrowed down his college coaches. Four-star Massachusetts safety Joenel Aguero released a top seven Wednesday consisting of Ohio State, Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia, Miami, Florida and LSU.
Blessed pic.twitter.com/d16hrgNcSF
— Joenel Aguero (@Joenel_33) March 3, 2022
The 6-foot, 195-pound Aguero is rated the 49th-best player in the 2023 class and the second-best safety nationally according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. Aguero has tentative plans to take a visit to Ohio State this weekend, so the next few days could go a long way for the Buckeyes in making an effort to land Aguero. Of the seven teams listed, Georgia is the presumed favorite for Aguero, with four Crystal Ball projections being made for the top-two safety, each of them forecasting he will wind up with the Bulldogs.
Ohio State already has a safety committed in this cycle in Cedrick Hawkins, but the Buckeyes hope to sign two more. Other top options include Caleb Downs, Malik Hartford and Daemon Fagan.
Washington high on Ohio State
An Ohio State defensive line target is tightening up his recruitment. Four-star Arizona 2023 defensive lineman A’mauri Washington told On3 this week he’s focusing primarily on five schools: Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas.
Washington was offered by OSU on Nov. 29 and is considered the 136th-best player in the 2023 class and the 19th-best defensive lineman. He’s played both defensive end and defensive tackle for Chandler High School (Chandler, Arizona). If that school sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the same high school freshman wideout Kyion Grayes attended.
“I grew up in Detroit and Ohio State was one of my favorite schools,” Washington told On3. “I have liked them since middle school and I have been talking a lot more with them recently. Coach Day is recruiting me hard, Kyion just straight up tells me to come there, and I am going to get up there soon.”
A specific date for Washington’s OSU visit has not been announced. He plans to commit at some point during his senior season.
