Did you really think he was going to go anywhere else?
From the moment four-star 2024 cornerback Bryce West was offered by Ohio State on Dec. 3, 2021, he’s maintained that the Buckeyes were his No. 1 school in his recruitment, a mindset that never really wavered even when OSU's archrival Michigan made a push for him for months in his recruitment.
Go Bucks https://t.co/TBLfsVITWp
— (@bryvonny) June 24, 2023
West ended any doubt when he officially committed to the Buckeyes on Saturday while on his official visit, giving the Buckeyes a massive recruiting victory and continuing OSU's upward momentum swing on the recruiting trail.
With former Glenville linebacker Arvell Reese signed and West committed to Ohio State, the Glenville-to-Ohio State pipeline has officially been re-opened, as OSU has two Tarblooders in back-to-back classes after 21 Tarblooders played for the Buckeyes from 2002 to 2017. OSU hopes to add Glenville tight end Damarion Witten to its 2024 class as well.
The West File
- Class: 2024
- Size: 5-11/177
- Pos: CB
- School: Glenville (Cleveland, OH)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #49 (#4 CB)
“What’s appealing about Ohio State is many people from my school graduated from Ohio State and played for Ohio State and went to the NFL,” West told Eleven Warriors after getting his offer. “From there, I would also love to play for them. The team is coached up very well and is very disciplined.”
West is the 15th commit in Ohio State’s 2024 class and the first cornerback to pull the trigger. According to 247Sports' composite rankings, West is considered the 49th-best prospect the fourth-rated cornerback and the top-rated Ohio player in the 2024 cycle.
OSU hopes to make multiple further additions at cornerback in the 2024 cycle, with other targets including Aaron Scott Jr. (who's on the official visit with West), Miles Lockhart, Zabien Brown and Kobe Black.
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | JEREMIAH SMITH | ★★★★★ | #2 NATL | #1 WR | 6-3 | 198 | Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Opa Locka, Florida) |
| WR | MYLAN GRAHAM | ★★★★★ | #17 NATL | #4 WR | 6-1 | 170 | New Haven (New Haven, Indiana) |
| CB | BRYCE WEST | ★★★★ | #49 NATL | #4 CB | 5-11 | 177 | Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| QB | AIR NOLAND | ★★★★ | #59 NATL | #6 QB | 6-3 | 195 | Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Georgia) |
| RB | JAMES PEOPLES | ★★★★ | #77 NATL | #6 RB | 5-10 | 192 | Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) |
| OT | IAN MOORE | ★★★★ | #112 NATL | #6 IOL | 6-5 | 295 | New Palestine (New Palestine, Indiana) |
| LB | GARRETT STOVER | ★★★★ | #138 NATL | #12 LB | 6-0 | 195 | Big Walnut (Sunbury, OH) |
| LB | PAYTON PIERCE | ★★★★ | #159 NATL | #15 LB | 6-1 | 225 | Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas) |
| S | JAYLEN McCLAIN | ★★★★ | #243 NATL | #22 S | 6-0 | 185 | Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, New Jersey) |
| TE | MAX LEBLANC | ★★★★ | #275 NATL | #14 TE | 6-4 | 222 | Baylor School (Chattanooga, Tennessee) |
| RB | JORDAN LYLE | ★★★★ | #326 NATL | #28 RB | 6-0 | 180 | St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Laderdale, Florida) |
| OT | DEONTAE ARMSTRONG | ★★★★ | #333 NATL | #30 OT | 6-6 | 280 | St. Edward (Lakewood, OH) |
| OL | DEVONTAE ARMSTRONG | ★★★★ | #359 NATL | #21 IOL | 6-4 | 265 | St. Edward (Lakewood, OH) |
| OL | MARC NAVE | ★★★ | #617 NATL | #39 IOL | 6-5 | 315 | Central Catholic (Toledo, OH) |
| RB | SAM WILLIAMS-DIXON | ★★★ | #714 NATL | #73 ATH | 5-11 | 203 | Pickerington North (Columbus, OH) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports | |||||
West visited OSU countless times over the past year in the spring, summer and fall. He attended last year's season-opening game against Notre Dame with several of his Glenville teammates, including Reese, who will suit up for the Buckeyes this fall.
“The (Notre Dame) visit was great, because when you get down there, you really get the hometown love,” West said. “The atmosphere was great, the fans love you, the coaches love you and show that love toward you. You could see a lot of young guys on that field on Saturday, so if I was to commit there, I could come down to work for a spot and get on the field as a freshman.”
As West felt a lot of love from Ohio State, the interest was certainly mutual on the Buckeyes’ end. OSU made West one of its highest priorities in the 2024 cycle and made that message clear to him on every visit.
“At many of the places, I didn't get to talk to the players, I didn't get to talk to all the coaches. At Ohio State, when I came in, I talked to every coach, all the recruiting analysts, all the players,” West said. “So that gives off a great vibe. It shows you how much they care for me and how badly they want me because not many colleges will go out of their way to do that for you.”
Lots of the love West received came from cornerbacks coach Tim Walton, who spoke with West frequently and heavily recruited the Glenville prospect.
Ohio State beat out the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Georgia, Alabama, Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Virginia Tech to land West’s commitment.
West brings a dynamic profile with the potential to be a lockdown cornerback
When West opened his junior season at Glenville, he came out wearing Ohio State gloves, sporting the team he grew up rooting for. He concluded it by helping Glenville win its first state championship in Ohio State sleeves after turning in a perfect 15-0 season. Throughout the 2022 season, West did not allow a touchdown catch to any opponent and picked off four passes on the year, which is impressive considering he wasn't targeted on many occasions last year.
“(OSU) just told me to keep improving on my game and keep shutting people down,” West said earlier in the fall. “A lot of the games, some teams don’t throw my way, and they told me to keep improving day by day."
West is also a track star, clocking in a personal best of 10.93 seconds in the 100-meter dash. His speed will allow him to cover elusive wide receivers at the next level, and his length at 5-foot-11 and 177 pounds is enough that he shouldn't have problems matching up with too many wideouts.
The Glenville product has primarily played on the outside as a man cover corner for the Tarblooders, showing a terrific nose for the ball. West has also shown no fear of laying big hits when warranted. He may need to sit for a year or two as he adds strength to his frame and learns the college game, but he has the makings of an All-Big Ten player if he fully masters his skillset.
