An emerging Ohio State offensive line target in the 2025 class is developing a closer bond with Justin Frye.
Entering this summer, four-star Connecticut offensive tackle Matty Augustine already was familiar with the Ohio State offensive line coach from when Frye stopped by Brunswick School (Greenwich, Connecticut) to recruit current Ohio State offensive line Miles Walker.
In turn, Frye paid more attention to Augustine in June, when he camped with the Buckeyes and earned his offer after impressing in individual drills. Nearly one month after getting the Buckeyes offer along with current high school teammate Ethan Long, Augustine returned to Columbus on July 28 and had the opportunity to get more in-depth with Frye.
“We built a relationship ever since he started recruiting Miles,” Augustine said after his visit. “It’s been like two years now, so we’ve built a pretty strong relationship. ... I think the biggest thing that keeps me coming back is the relationship I have with one of the guys on the team but also the relationship I’ve built with coach Frye over the years.”
Augustine said he’s been inspired by Walker’s journey from unranked prospect to eventual Ohio State athlete and has since viewed his former teammate as a mentor. He still asks him for advice sometimes to this day.
“When he first started to blow up a year ago, that inspired me to push myself,” Augustine said. “Because I know I have the same height as him, so I just had to work hard in the weight room and work hard on the field I could probably be someone like that.”
Augustine did not hold a 247Sports composite ranking when Ohio State first offered him in June, but has since been elevated to a four-star prospect by the recruiting network and is considered the 339th-best prospect nationally and the 27th-ranked offensive tackle in the 2025 cycle. More importantly, he’s picked up more than 25 Division I offers in total, including from the likes of Alabama, Boston College, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Wisconsin.
“Right now, I just want to go out and play a good season and put the best film out there I possibly can,” Augustine said. “Then I’ll think about my timeline, I don’t really have one right now, I’ll probably just wait until after the season.”
Kobe Black puts Ohio State in top 5
Ohio State’s top remaining cornerback target in the 2024 class has narrowed his recruitment down to five schools. Five-star Texas cornerback Kobe Black released a top five Wednesday consisting of Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Oregon and LSU.
Top 5 @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/b05V7f7uUz
— Kobe Black (@lilkb2xx) August 10, 2023
Black took official visits to Ohio State and Texas in June, with the Longhorns being perceived as the frontrunner in this recruitment. The 6-foot, 190-pound Black is likely to make a college decision sometime after his high school football season this fall.
While Texas has long been considered the leader for Black, Ohio State did make an impression on him during his visit.
“They already have the top two receivers committed there, so every day in practice I’d be going against the best,” Black told On3. “Great receivers will make me better. That’s real big for my development.”
Ohio State has three cornerbacks committed in 2024 with Aaron Scott Jr., Bryce West and Miles Lockhart. The Buckeyes don’t necessarily need to add another cornerback in this cycle but would gladly take a player of Black’s caliber.
Chance Robinson will make official visit to Ohio State
Four-star Florida wideout Chance Robinson, one of Ohio State’s top wide receiver targets in 2024, plans on taking an official visit to Columbus sometime in the fall, per Geo Milian of LifeWalletSports.
Robinson, a current Miami commit, was offered by the Buckeyes on July 30 and plays on South Florida Express, the same seven-on-seven team as Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith and formerly Brandon Inniss, Cedrick Hawkins and Carnell Tate.
OSU has two wide receivers committed in the 2024 class between Smith and Mylan Graham, but the Buckeyes would like to take at least three this cycle. Their top remaining target, Jeremiah McClellan, is set to commit on Sunday. Even if OSU lands McClellan, the Buckeyes could still take Robinson if he decides to flip from the Hurricanes.
