It seemed like it was only a matter of time before he was in Ohio State's 2024 class.
From the moment he was offered in June of 2022, four-star cornerback Miles Lockhart made no secret about who was the favorite to land him. After consistently publicly saying Ohio State was his leader in his recruitment, Lockhart made it official on Thursday and officially committed to the Buckeyes.
“They were always the school that was No. 1 for me,” Lockhart told Eleven Warriors in a pre-commitment interview. “Ever since they offered me, they were the school that I really wanted to go to. They recruited me the hardest and I had the best relationships there. I just really felt comfortable there.”
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | JEREMIAH SMITH | ★★★★★ | #2 NATL | #1 WR | 6-3 | 198 | Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Opa Locka, Florida) |
| DT | JUSTIN SCOTT | ★★★★★ | #14 NATL | #3 DL | 6-4 | 310 | St. Ignatius (Chicago, Illinois) |
| WR | MYLAN GRAHAM | ★★★★★ | #19 NATL | #6 WR | 6-1 | 170 | New Haven (New Haven, Indiana) |
| QB | AIR NOLAND | ★★★★★ | #34 NATL | #4 QB | 6-3 | 195 | Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Georgia) |
| CB | BRYCE WEST | ★★★★ | #45 NATL | #4 CB | 5-11 | 177 | Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| RB | JAMES PEOPLES | ★★★★ | #76 NATL | #5 RB | 5-10 | 192 | Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) |
| OT | IAN MOORE | ★★★★ | #117 NATL | #8 IOL | 6-5 | 295 | New Palestine (New Palestine, Indiana) |
| LB | GARRETT STOVER | ★★★★ | #141 NATL | #10 LB | 6-0 | 195 | Big Walnut (Sunbury, OH) |
| RB | JORDAN LYLE | ★★★★ | #169 NATL | #12 RB | 6-0 | 180 | St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Laderdale, Florida) |
| LB | PAYTON PIERCE | ★★★★ | #174 NATL | #16 LB | 6-1 | 225 | Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas) |
| S | JAYLEN McCLAIN | ★★★★ | #239 NATL | #20 S | 6-0 | 185 | Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, New Jersey) |
| TE | MAX LEBLANC | ★★★★ | #269 NATL | #14 TE | 6-4 | 222 | Baylor School (Chattanooga, Tennessee) |
| OT | DEONTAE ARMSTRONG | ★★★★ | #323 NATL | #27 OT | 6-6 | 280 | St. Edward (Lakewood, OH) |
| OL | DEVONTAE ARMSTRONG | ★★★★ | #345 NATL | #22 IOL | 6-4 | 265 | St. Edward (Lakewood, OH) |
| TE | DAMARION WITTEN | ★★★★ | #347 NATL | #17 TE | 6-4 | 215 | Glenville (Cleveland, OH) |
| CB | MILES LOCKHART | ★★★★ | #365 NATL | #33 CB | 5-10 | 185 | Basha (Chandler, AZ) |
| OL | MARC NAVE | ★★★ | #623 NATL | #40 IOL | 6-5 | 315 | Central Catholic (Toledo, OH) |
| RB | SAM WILLIAMS-DIXON | ★★★ | #733 NATL | #78 ATH | 5-11 | 203 | Pickerington North (Columbus, OH) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports | |||||
Lockhart only took an official visit to Ohio State, on June 23. He canceled his official visits to two other schools. He didn’t need to go on them, because he wanted to be a Buckeye.
“Ohio State offers more than any other school could offer me," Lockhart said. "Playing for a national championship every year and getting a good education, they’re very family oriented and I love all the coaches. They have the whole package.”
Lockhart said he knew in his heart he was going to commit to Ohio State around six months ago, then pulled the trigger on the first night of his official visit, joining Bryce West and Damarion Witten, who also committed to the Buckeyes that night. However, the Arizona cornerback waited to make the announcement public a few weeks later on July 6, his grandmother’s birthday.
“I could just see myself playing there and seeing myself in the locker room and getting coached by coach Tim Walton,” Lockhart said. “It just really felt like the perfect fit for me.”
The Lockhart File
- Class: 2024
- Size: 5-10/185
- Pos: CB
- School: Basha (Chandler, Arizona)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #365 (#33 CB)
Lockhart is the 18th commitment in Ohio State's 2024 class and the second cornerback to give his verbal to the Buckeyes this cycle, joining West. Tim Walton deserves a good amount of credit for helping land Lockhart, as the pair communicated weekly. Lockhart visited Columbus multiple times, including in June for his official visit, in the fall for the Michigan game, in April for a spring visit and last summer when he picked up his offer.
Lockhart has already started peer recruiting on behalf of the Buckeyes, and there’s one target in particular he’d love to join him in the 2024 class: Four-star cornerback Aaron Scott.
“We’re gonna get Aaron,” Lockhart said. “We’ve got to get Aaron. We’re on him a lot, so we’ve got to get him. Also Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa for sure. I’d say those two dudes are the big ones, I was on my official visit with them.”
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Lockhart is considered the 365th-best prospect nationally and the 33rd-rated cornerback in the 2024 class.
In Lockhart's third season at Basha High School, he recorded 69 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss with four interceptions and 19 pass deflections. He led his team to a 12-1 record and capped off the season by winning a state championship 28-21 over Saguaro on Dec. 12. While holding the trophy, Lockhart was repping an Ohio State bandana, a few weeks after he had taken a visit for the Michigan game.
"I think I improved overall just everywhere," Lockhart said of his season. "I don't really set goals, but every year I just try to do better than what I did last year. If you compare my stats from my freshman and sophomore years, they've obviously elevated. But I think my coverage skills, I'm a lot more comfortable and that's why I've improved a lot. And just knowing where I'm supposed to be at the right time."
From his size at 5-foot-10, 185-pounds, Lockhart profiles as a player that will primarily cover the slot in Jim Knowles' defense. Lockhart is thrilled at the prospect of playing in Ohio State's system.
"I would say (coach Walton) mostly talks about me in the slot," Lockhart said. "But I can play outside. I think (it’s mostly at slot) because I’m not a 6-foot-1, 6-2 guy, more like 5-11. So that’s probably why I’ve been in the slot.
"(Basha's) defense was super good and we had guys flying around all the time. I think that’s what coach Knowles lets the team do. I think he really puts the guys in the right position and they really just have to be there and be smart enough to make the play. That’s what I took away when I was there, just the guys have to be good enough to make those plays."
Lockhart said he plans to be an early enrollee and come to Columbus at the end of the fall to participate in spring football.
“I definitely want to get my black stripe off first in my position group,” Lockhart said. “I want to stay on top of academics and fight for my spot, really. I just want to compete every day.”
