Ohio State wrapped up a successful recruiting weekend by impressing two priority 2024 prospects on official visits.
The Buckeyes put a full-court press on four-star defensive tackle Carlon Jones and four-star safety Koi Perich, hoping to convince both to join their class before each takes their next scheduled visit on Friday.
Having a great visit at The Ohio State pic.twitter.com/Sls2Zes62B
— carlonjones6 (@carlonjones11) December 9, 2023
Great OV at @OhioStateFB @Coach_Eliano pic.twitter.com/dPB2r3TUd3
— Koi Perich (@koiperich3) December 10, 2023
While both will still likely take their respective other visits, the Buckeyes put themselves in position to have a strong chance at landing both.
Jones told Eleven Warriors he was impressed with how OSU conducted itself during his official visit and that he enjoyed his trip with his family.
“It’s a great program with a lot of winning tradition too,” Jones said Sunday night of his main takeaway from his official visit. “The brotherhood and the family culture is what stood out the most to me.”
Jones had extensive conversations with Ohio State’s coaching staff over the weekend, including defensive line coach Larry Johnson and Ryan Day. The Buckeyes laid out their developmental plan for Jones to help him reach his NFL aspirations, highlighting the growth of past interior players that have come through the system.
“Coach Johnson is very serious about playing high-level football,” Jones said. “Coach Day is straight up with you and I like that. I would be playing at the three-technique.”
With the Cotton Bowl approaching on Dec. 29, the Buckeyes started bowl practice over the weekend. Jones was able to watch the team’s preparation for Missouri and came away impressed by the intensity displayed in practice.
“I did watch two of their practices on my visit,” Jones said. “They were very intense and everyone was focused.”
The Buckeyes were pushing for Jones to shut down his recruitment this weekend, but the Texas product may still take his official visit to USC next weekend. He’s also considering Alabama, who offered him earlier this month, but the decision will likely come down to OSU and the Trojans unless Jones schedules a visit to Tuscaloosa before his decision.
Ohio State could be in the driver’s seat for the 6-foot-3, 285-pound product. Jones has received two 247Sports Crystal Ball Projections to end up in Columbus.
“OSU is very high on my list,” Jones said of where the Buckeyes stand after his official visit.
Jones will not be an early enrollee and will arrive on the campus of his choosing during the summer, so there’s not a huge rush for him to make a decision within the next nine days. But he says it’s still a distinct possibility he will pick his team within the next week and sign on Dec. 20.
“I’m debating now on when I’m going to sign,” Jones said. “I’m 50/50 on it.”
Jones is one of two defensive linemen Ohio State is still pursuing from the prep ranks in the 2024 class, along with four-star Florida commit Amaris Williams. The Buckeyes would love to add both Jones and Williams to their defensive line corps for 2024, which currently includes only five-star defensive lineman Eddrick Houston and three-star defensive tackle Eric Mensah following five-star defensive tackle Justin Scott’s flip to Miami.
Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Jones is considered the 409th-best overall prospect and the 45th-best defensive lineman in the 2024 class.
Jones racked up 95 tackles (30 for loss) with 17.5 sacks, 23 quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery for Bay City High School (Bay City, Texas) this season. He recorded 102 tackles (29 for loss) with 13 sacks and a pass breakup in his junior year.
