The Hurry-Up: Ohio State Offers Three-star 2023 Running Back Jamarion Wilcox, OSU Target Winston Watkins Jr. Decommits from Texas A&M

By Garrick Hodge on November 18, 2022 at 5:30 pm
Jamarion Wilcox
Twitter/@JamarionWilcox1
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Ohio State has identified one of its targets at running backs for the 2023 class.

The Buckeyes extended an offer to three-star Georgia running back Jamarion Wilcox in what could be part of Tony Alford’s plan to replace Mark Fletcher, who decommitted from Ohio State on Thursday. 

Alford has been recruiting Wilcox for months, but with a clear need for a running back in the current cycle, Ohio State felt now was the time to make a move and offer The Peach State prospect. Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Wilcox is considered the 908th-best prospect and the 61st-best running back. He’s picked up 27 Division I offers, including Kentucky, Appalachian State, Cincinnati, Clemson, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Mississippi State, Purdue and Wake Forest. 

Wilcox has had a monster senior year for South Paulding High School (Douglasville, Georgia), rushing for 2,059 yards on 229 carries (9 yards per carry) with 29 touchdowns and an average of 187.2 yards per game. He’s also caught 18 passes for 287 yards with one receiving touchdown. 

If Wilcox becomes part of the class, the Buckeyes may continue to search for another running back of a similar pedigree, such as Ohio prospect Trey Cornist. Alford will undoubtedly be pressing to get Wilcox on campus for the Michigan game on Nov. 26. Ohio State 2023 commit Jermaine Mathews has already voiced his support of the program offering the 5-foot-9, 195-pound prospect. 

Watkins decommits from Texas A&M

One of Ohio State’s top wide receiver targets in the 2025 class is officially back on the market.

Five-star Florida prospect Winston Watkins Jr. decommitted from Texas A&M on Friday, saying his recruitment is once again “100 percent open.” 

Watkins had been continuing to take other visits despite being the second prospect in the 2025 class to commit, and now he is entirely free to continue exploring his options. 

Last June, he picked up his Ohio State offer after an impressive camp performance in Columbus, consistently winning one-on-one drills and standing out in individual exercises. Watkins, the cousin of NFL wideout Sammy Watkins, knows all too well about the developmental track record of OSU wide receivers. 

“The receivers they produce,” Watkins said in June regarding Ohio State’s biggest selling point. “Every year, they always produce at least two receivers.” 

Watkins and 2023 Ohio State commit Carnell Tate will be playing a high school football game in College Park, Maryland, on Friday, one night before the Buckeyes take on Maryland. Watkins is planning to take an unofficial visit to Maryland Saturday, but it will also give him a firsthand look at the Buckeyes’ offense in person. 

Following Watkins’ decommitment, Ohio State was one of several teams the 5-foot-10, 170-pound wide receiver shouted out on social media. 

Inniss reaffirms Buckeye commitment

While five-star Ohio State 2023 wide receiver commitment Brandon Inniss’ high school teammate, Mark Fletcher, has left the Buckeyes’ current recruiting class, the Florida wideout left no doubt about his standing with OSU.

Inniss confirmed his commitment to the Buckeyes on Thursday and also added he’d be in attendance for OSU’s marquee rivalry contest next week. 

Speaking of that game, Inniss and fellow peer recruiter Luke Montgomery have made no shortage of teases that the visitor list for next week could be eye-popping. The current visitors we know so far can be found here. 

In 11 games this season for American Heritage High School (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), Inniss has caught 48 passes for 900 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

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