One of Ohio State’s most recent offers grew up extensively watching the Buckeyes every Saturday.
Fast-rising 2025 Maryland cornerback Blake Woodby said he learned a lot about the game of football by tuning into Buckeye games and taking notes weekly.
“I was a big Miami fan when I was younger, but as I started to understand football and the position I wanted to play, I realized Ohio State is DBU,” Woodby told Eleven Warriors. “I want to play at the next level, and I want to watch the next level. I wanted to watch the best and they produce the best.”
In particular, Woodby said he grew up watching and admiring Marshon Lattimore.
“When I watch corners, I try to look at players that I imitate their game,” he said. “I see a lot of me in Lattimore in terms of the style we play. He’s not the biggest or fastest guy, but week in and week out, he’s doing what he needs to do and plays with the best receivers.”
On Monday, Woodby picked up what he considered his dream offer after Ohio State safeties coach Perry Eliano extended the opportunity personally. The offer comes on the heels of a monster sophomore season for Woodby, who has scholarships on the table from other schools such as Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, South Carolina, Tennessee and USC.
“It means the world to me,” Woodby said of his offer. “Just growing up watching Ohio State and seeing all the guys they produce in the league as far as cornerbacks go, it’s just an ultimate level I want to reach one day. It means the world.”
Strangely enough, Woodby was one of four defensive backs from St. Frances (Baltimore, Maryland) Eliano offered earlier this week – the first time Ohio State offered four players from the same school on the same day since June 2021, where four players from St. John Bosco were offered.
“He asked my coach who the dawgs were, and he pointed them in the right direction,” Woodby said.
Blessed to receive an offer from my Dream school !!! The Ohio State University #SBG #BIA #Gobuckeyes @CoachJdubSFA @CoachMessay @CoachCammm @Coach_Eliano @CoachCrack5 pic.twitter.com/6tw0JT484h
— Blake Bobble Woodby (@blake_woodby) December 12, 2022
Woodby said he had a productive introductory conversation with Eliano via a phone call.
“Coach told me he watched my film, saw how I played and loved it,” Woodby said of his conversation with Eliano. “We hopped on the phone and got to talking. His first question for me was do I love football? I told him, ‘I’d die for football.' We connected on the point to where he told me he coached Sauce Gardner and told me what type of player he was on and off the field. Not only did he point out Sauce was good on the field, he pointed out Sauce had a 3.4 GPA and that you have to take care of your business off the field as well.”
Woodby is being recruited as a wide receiver by some other schools, but Ohio State sees him as a cornerback.
“My play style is whatever the coach asks me to do. Whatever my coach asks of me as a corner, I’ll do to the best of my ability. As a cornerback, you’re gonna put me on their best guy. And say, ‘My guy is better than your guy.’ Because whoever I’m lined up with, whether it’s in man or zone coverage, I’m going to have the will to beat out whoever I’m in front of.”
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound prospect said he hopes to visit Columbus in the spring, which will indicate where exactly Ohio State sits in his recruitment.
“I couldn’t say,” Woodby said when asked where Ohio State ranks compared to his other offers. “I can’t pinpoint where they would rank because I’ve never been to Columbus. Next time I see him, coach said he’s coming back in January, whenever I get a chance to go out there, I’ll definitely pinpoint where they rank as far as my other offers. Though I won’t be making any decisions any time soon.”
Carter to commit Wednesday
Ohio State’s top remaining linebacker target in the 2023 class is ready to make a decision. Four-star Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter will make his commitment at noon on Wednesday and choose from three likely finalists of Ohio State, Alabama and Tennessee.
I will be announcing my commitment tomorrow with my teammate jayden marble at Smyrna high school in the gymnasium at 12pm.
— Arion carter (@ArionCarter) December 13, 2022
Carter took his official visit to Columbus on Nov. 12 for the Indiana game and enjoyed his time at OSU.
“My visit was great,” Carter told Eleven Warriors after his official visit. “It was just great seeing how everything was and how they operated things. The culture up there is really, really good. The bonds that are already high with their coaches got built on top of that with meeting them in person … I finally got up to The Shoe. The atmosphere was crazy, even for them to just play Indiana. It was filled up to the tip. It was a great experience overall.”
When Carter decides Wednesday, Ohio State is not expected to be the school the 6-foot-1, 210-pound prospect chooses, as he will likely pick either the Crimson Tide or Tennessee.
Harvey includes OSU in top 11
A four-star defensive end in the 2024 class has narrowed down his recruitment. Maryland prospect Jaylen Harvey has narrowed his college decision to 11 schools, including Ohio State, Maryland, Tennessee, Michigan, USC, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Penn State, South Carolina, Louisville and Pittsburgh.
Recruitment is still 100% open pic.twitter.com/SJbXLPrXqT
— Backfieldgeneral (@JaylenHarvey_) December 11, 2022
Harvey, who picked up his Ohio State offer in October, is considered the 241st-best player and the 17th-ranked edge prospect per 247Sports’ composite rankings.
