CJ Heard Jr. already nearly has 40 Division I offers.
But there’s one the 2024 Georgia safety is hoping for: Ohio State. This week could be when it happens, as Heard Jr. is visiting OSU on Thursday and Friday with his parents.
“It would be crazy,” Heard Jr. told Eleven Warriors regarding how he’d feel if he received an OSU offer. “I was just talking to my mom about it. Ohio State is one of the schools that I really love. It’s a school that I’ve been watching since I was a child. If they offer me, it would mean a lot. They’d be right at the top of my recruitment.”
I Will Be At THEE Ohio State University March 10.. #GoBucks @Davis33Coach @N_Murph @Coach_Eliano @MattGuerrieri @Birm @alexgleitman @CoachJimKnowles pic.twitter.com/QPolILiMwu
— Cornelius Heard Jr. (@CjHeard_) March 6, 2022
The 6-foot, 200-pound prospect is in the very beginning stages of his relationship-building with Ohio State, as he just decided last week to take a trip to Columbus. He also hasn’t spoken much to the OSU coaching staff yet.
“I’m excited to meet coach (Ryan) Day,” Heard Jr. said of his upcoming visit. “I also want to meet (OSU safeties coach) Perry Eliano. I’ve never been to Ohio State or Ohio, so I’m excited to see how it looks and how it feels.”
Heard said the biggest appeal about Ohio State is the Buckeyes’ history of success.
“It’s a winning program,” Heard Jr. said. “When you get there, you have to have a winning mentality and work like you’re a winner. It just makes you work harder and come to practice with a different mindset.”
In 10 games for Woodard Academy (Atlanta, Georgia) last season, Heard Jr. racked up 43 tackles, four pass deflections, a sack and an interception. He’s high school teammates with 2023 four-star OSU defensive line target AJ Hoffler and 2024 OSU linebacker target Myles Graham.
“I talk to Myles and AJ a lot,” Heard Jr. said. “AJ is really high on them, and Myles is too. It would be crazy to get all three of us to Ohio State.”
Overton to take official visit to OSU
The top remaining prospect in the 2022 class has scheduled an official visit to Ohio State. According to 247Sports, five-star Georgia defensive lineman Lebbeus Overton will visit Columbus on April 16 for the Buckeyes’ spring football game.
Overton reclassified from the class of 2023 to 2022 in February and is down to Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound prospect will visit Oregon this weekend, Georgia on March 20, Texas A&M on March 25 and Oklahoma will get the final visit on April 23.
A decision will come soon after his official visits are made, as Overton plans to enroll at his school of choice this summer. While Ohio State is certainly going to attempt to make the most of Overton visiting Columbus, the odds are the Buckeyes’ effort to land him is ultimately going to be in vain. Georgia or Texas A&M is the likely destination for the 18th-best player and fifth-best defensive lineman in the 2022 class, per 247Sports’ composite rankings.
Gibson picks up OSU offer
Ohio State made an offer to the top-rated running back in the 2024 class Monday. Four-star Georgia prospect Jerrick Gibson announced he picked up a scholarship opportunity from the Buckeyes on his Twitter account later that evening.
After having a conversation with coach Alford I am honored and blessed to received a D1 offer from Ohio State #blessed #greatful #Buckeye #ohiostate @OhioStateFB @CoachTonyAlford @ChadSimmons_ @247Sports @dzoloty pic.twitter.com/Sy2Etuq7S9
— Jerrick4 (@gibson_jerrick) March 7, 2022
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound prospect is ranked as the 16th-best player and the No. 1 running back in the 2024 class. He has 11 Division I offers to this point, also including Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan State and Texas. In seven games for Mundy’s Mill High School (Jonesboro, Georgia) last season, Gibson ran for 626 yards on 98 carries (6.4 YPC) and scored four rushing touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 79 yards and a receiving touchdown.
Gibson is the fourth running back OSU has offered in 2024, joining Stacy Gage, Bryan Jackson and Anthony Carrie.
