It's common for an in-state prospect to be instantly drawn to Ohio State the moment he gets his offer.
It's far less likely for that to be the case for an out-of-state talent, particularly one that lives on the West Coast.
Miles Lockhart From the Desert to the Buckeye state. He is manifesting his own destiny, one strapped up wide receiver at a time. There is no shortage of energy and instincts with this guy, now hes primed and ready to be the next in a long line of outstanding Silver Bullet pic.twitter.com/kRXdfKVPqd
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 20, 2023
Nonetheless, four-star Arizona prospect Miles Lockhart was instantly smitten by the Buckeyes the moment he received his Ohio State offer in June of 2022, publicly calling them the leader in his recruitment and never once backing off that stance. In fact, it's hard to pinpoint who even finished second for him.
The Lockhart File
- Size: 5-10/185
- Pos: CB
- School: Basha (Chandler, Arizona)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #368 (#24 CB)
“Ohio State offers more than any other school could offer me," Lockhart told Eleven Warriors. "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 the start of the new year in 2023, 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. He waited to announce his decision to the public on July 6 in honor of his grandmother's birthday.
“They were always the school that was No. 1 for me,” Lockhart said of his commitment. “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.”
From his size at 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, Lockhart profiles as a player who will primarily cover the slot in Jim Knowles' defense. Lockhart says he's thrilled at the prospect of playing in Ohio State's system.
"I would say (coach Tim 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.
“I could just see myself playing (at OSU) and seeing myself in the locker room and getting coached by coach Tim Walton. It just really felt like the perfect fit for me.”
Short area quickness, track speed, and will lay the wood! https://t.co/vn2WZPz5iJ
— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) December 20, 2023
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Lockhart is considered the 368th-best prospect and the 24th-ranked cornerback in the 2024 class.
As a senior, he racked up 41 total tackles (two for loss) with a sack and seven pass deflections. In Lockhart's junior 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.
Lockhart will be an early enrollee at OSU in January and has an ambitious goal to start his Buckeye career off on the right foot.
“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.”
