As of Tuesday, the dead period has been lifted and recruits are officially allowed to take visits to schools through mid-April, though coaches are not allowed to go on the road and visit prospects at their high schools.
Plenty of recruits from various classes have already locked in visits to Ohio State’s spring football practices, which will run through April 16. We’ve compiled a list of expected visitors this spring through our own intel, reports from other outlets and tweets from recruits themselves. Visits are always fluid, of course, as more names will likely be added over the next few weeks and some names expected to visit will ultimately be unable to make it for one reason or another.
You can find a complete running list of OSU visitors this spring updated daily here, but for now, here’s the expected spring visitor list as of Friday afternoon, sorted by date, name, recruiting class and position.
March 5: Desmond Umeozulu (2023 defensive end), Braydon Lee (2024 cornerback)
Columbus we onna way! @KashDez @OhioStateFB @ryandaytime @R2X_Rushmen1 @Only1CamSpence @markpantoni pic.twitter.com/SK0wnLFCKg
— Braydon Lee (@_brayofficial) March 4, 2022
March 8-10: Olaus Alinen (2023 offensive tackle), Tackett Curtis (2023 linebacker), Bryson Rodgers (2023 wide receiver), Malik Hartford (2023 safety), Christopher Vizzina (2023 quarterback), Arvell Reese (2023 linebacker), Nigel Glover (2023 linebacker), Bryce West (2024 cornerback), Jacob Smith (2024 defensive lineman), Jerod Smith (2024 defensive lineman)
I will be at THEEE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY on March 8th @OhioStateFB @ryandaytime @CoachTimWalton @CoachTonyAlford @AllenTrieu #BIA #GoBuckeyes
— (@bryvonny) March 3, 2022
March 22: Tayvion Galloway (2024 tight end)
March 24: Landon O’Connell (2024 quarterback)
March 25-27: Luke Montgomery (2023 offensive tackle), Joenel Aguero (2023 safety), Mac Markway (2023 tight end), Christian Gray (2023 cornerback), AJ Hoffler (2023 defensive lineman), Myles Graham (2024 LB), Jakorian Caffey (2024 running back), Kam Pringle (2024 offensive lineman), Ryan Montgomery (2025 quarterback)
April 1-3: Brandon Inniss (2023 wide receiver), Carnell Tate (2023 wide receiver), Sharif Denson (2023 cornerback), Daemon Fagan (2023 safety), Cormani McClain (2023 cornerback), Cedric Baxter Jr. (2023 running back), Mark Fletcher (2023 running back), Cedrick Hawkins (2023 safety), Jakorian Caffey (2024 running back), Jeremiah Smith (2024 wide receiver), Joshisa Trader (2024 wide receiver), Jake Cook (2025 offensive lineman)
April 8: Dylan Lonergan (2023 quarterback)
April 16: Cedrick Hawkins (2023 safety), S’Maje Burrell (2023 linebacker), Noah Rogers (2023 wide receiver), Daemon Fagan (2023 safety), Reece Fountain (2024 quarterback), KJ Bolden (2024 safety), Mekhai White (2024 wide receiver), Jake Cook (2025 offensive lineman)
Aguero changes visit date
One of Ohio State’s top safety targets has altered his visit plans. Four-star Massachusetts safety Joenel Aguero originally intended to visit Columbus this weekend, but instead will take his trip to OSU on March 25, according to 247Sports.
Aguero recently released his top seven, which consisted of Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, LSU, Miami, Florida and Texas A&M. The 6-foot, 190-pound prospect is ranked as the 49th-best prospect and the second-best safety in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2023 class.
“Ohio State has been on me for a while, since they first offered me my freshman year, especially since (coach) Ryan Day is a northeastern guy,” Aguero told 247Sports. “Ever since they offered me, they've been one of my favorite schools. Coach (Perry) Eliano is there now as the DB coach, and he produced damn near the best two defensive backs this year at Cincinnati so that is good for me. I feel like Ohio State, it feels like home. When I go to Ohio State, it feels good for me. It has that vibe.”
Flores on Ohio State’s radar
OSU may be kicking the tires on another 2023 quarterback.
Three-star Nebraska signal-caller Zane Flores spoke with OSU quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis this week and plans to talk to Ryan Day soon, according to The Athletic’s Mitch Sherman.
Ohio State has entered the picture with Gretna (Neb.) 2023 QB Zane Flores. Offered recently by K-State, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Pitt, Flores visited this week with Buckeyes QB coach Corey Dennis and plans to talk soon to Ryan Day.
— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) March 4, 2022
A visit to Columbus could be on the horizon.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Flores is ranked as the 782nd-best player and the 47th-best quarterback in the 2023 cycle. He currently has six Division I offers from Bowling Green, Kansas, Kansas State, Memphis, Oklahoma State and Pittsburgh.
Flores completed 232 of 331 passes for 2,885 yards with 26 touchdown passes and seven interceptions for Gretna High School (Gretna, Nebraska) last season. He also ran for 216 yards on 74 carries and scored 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Since Ohio State generally keeps its quarterback recruiting target list short, pivoting to look at other quarterbacks this cycle may be indicative of what the Buckeyes believe their chances are of landing their current top targets. As of this moment, the only 2023 quarterbacks holding an offer from OSU that remain uncommitted are Dante Moore, Nicholaus Iamaleava and Lonergan.
Oregon is now viewed as the frontrunner to land Iamaleava, who plans to commit in April. Seeing as he doesn’t have a visit to Columbus planned for this spring, it’s a pretty safe bet he won’t be committing to Ohio State. Moore also does not have a trip to Columbus currently planned.
While Lonergan plans to visit Ohio State on April 8, he’s a multi-sport athlete who could very well be a first-round pick in next year’s MLB draft, so his recruitment will be tricky. Seeing as Ryan Day likes to take a quarterback in each recruiting cycle, so who OSU targets at that position in the coming months will be worth watching.
