For the first time since Oct. 1, Ohio State will be back in Ohio Stadium as the Buckeyes are set to begin the second half of their season with a matchup against the defense-only Iowa Hawkeyes.
With every home game comes visiting recruits, and Saturday will be no different. While Ohio State’s recruiting visitor list this weekend won’t be nearly as plentiful as the Notre Dame and Wisconsin games, there still will be several names worthy of keeping an eye on as they make their trek to Columbus.
Two out-of-state OSU commits are expected to take their official visits to Columbus this weekend in Carnell Tate and Cedrick Hawkins. Tate and Hawkins have already visited Ohio State this season, the former for the Wisconsin game and the latter for the season opener against Notre Dame. Reports surfaced last week Tate was considering visiting Tennessee for the Vols’ matchup, but the IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) product did not make the trip to Knoxville and remains locked in with OSU.
Of the uncommitted prospects, 2024 four-star running back/defensive back Quinton Martin is the headliner of the weekend, making his first visit to Columbus since the spring game in April. Another key 2024 prospect visiting will be four-star safety Vaboue Toure, who the Buckeyes offered earlier this month.
see you tmr buckeyes ! #GoBucks @OhioStateFB
— Quinton Martin (@Team_Quinton) October 21, 2022
There are several other interesting prospects visiting as well that have yet to receive an offer from Ohio State. Three-star 2024 California tight end Ryner Swanson confirmed he will be making the trek to Columbus on Saturday. He holds several Power Five offers, including one from Oregon. Georgia 2025 linebacker Mantrez Walker is also visiting, and the linebacker with numerous Power Five offers told Eleven Warriors he’s considering committing on the spot should he get an offer from the Buckeyes this weekend. Local 2025 wideout Jackson Wiley, the son of former Ohio State running back Michael Wiley, is also making the trip this weekend.
IM IN COLUMBUS ALL NEXT WEEKEND! #GoBucks #BIA @ryandaytime @CoachJimKnowles @CoachKMcFarland @CoachMcGrath22 @MattGuerrieri @N_Murph @CoachM_Patrick @Coach_Eliano @CoachTimWalton @JaYHay08 @Coach_Davis22
— Mantrez Walker (@MantrezWalker) October 15, 2022
I will be at @OhioStateFB This weekend! @ryandaytime @OSUCoachKDub @bzdebski @adamgorney @GregBiggins pic.twitter.com/9lljRV0mIt
— Ryner Swanson 64 1/2 230lbs 2024 (@ryner_swanson) October 19, 2022
Excited to be in the shoe this Saturday!!@CoachJordan82 @brianhartline @ryandaytime @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/CfkWVPV8ck
— Jackson Wiley (@jackson_wiles5) October 20, 2022
Houston appreciated Day’s visit to Buford
In Thursday’s Hurry-Up, we highlighted how excited four-star 2024 defensive end KingJoseph Edwards was that both Ryan Day and Perry Eliano stopped in at Buford High School (Buford, Georgia) last week for his team’s game against Mill Creek. He wasn’t the only OSU target on Buford to appreciate the gesture.
Five-star defensive end Eddrick Houston also expressed a similar sentiment about how he was excited OSU’s head coach made the trip to Georgia.
“It means a lot to see how much coach Day cares about his recruits that he made the trip to come see us,” Houston told Eleven Warriors.
Houston visited OSU for the Notre Dame game earlier this season and enjoyed his experience at Ohio Stadium.
“It was great just to see the energy and how electric it is when the Buckeyes play,” Houston said in September. “I saw great things from the different types of schemes they run and how they try to utilize their players up front. (I liked) how they can have stand-up guys and four-point guys and still be able to rush the quarterback.”
Montgomery to visit for Michigan game
In case you missed it earlier Friday, 2025 quarterback Ryan Montgomery confirmed to Eleven Warriors he will return to Columbus for another gameday visit to Ohio Stadium when the Buckeyes host Michigan on Sept. 26.
Montgomery is one of two quarterbacks Ohio State has offered in the 2025 class along with five-star quarterback Colin Hurley, who is also expected to visit for the Michigan game. In the meantime, Montgomery and his older brother Luke, an Ohio State commit, face a must-win game in Findlay’s regular-season finale Friday to qualify for the playoffs.
