Better Know a Buckeye: Jahsen Wint

Our "Better Know a Buckeye" series continues with its 18th installment. We profile Jahsen (pronounced: Jah-Sin) Wint, an athlete from Brooklyn, NY.

Wint, nicknamed "Showtime", comes to Ohio State from the same Erasmus Hall Dutchmen program that produced Curtis Samuel, who was a high four-star prospect when he enrolled in 2014. Wint's recruitment was more low-profile by comparison. He struggled to get major college offers. He chose Temple over offers from Massachusetts, SUNY Albany, Syracuse, Temple, and Towson in August of last year. However, a stellar senior season elicited interest from Ohio State's coaches. He flipped from Temple to Ohio State on January 2, 2016.

I retell this recruitment below and discuss some of the reasons that led him to flip from Temple to Ohio State. Thereafter, I provide a scouting report for an athlete prospect that Ohio State recruited as a future safety. I conclude with a projection of a redshirt and senior-year highlight film for the reader to watch at the end of the feature.

HIS RECRUITMENT

Wint flipped from Temple to Ohio State this January but his recruitment lacked a lot of the intrigue and drama of some of his classmates.

This is because Wint was a bit of a late-bloomer in terms of college recruiting. He started playing football when he was eight after his aunt enlisted him in a football program to deal with anger issues as a child, but he struggled to attract attention from college programs. New York is not exactly a haven of college football talent even if its profile has risen of late.

Wint's recruitment was largely regional. Given his region, that included programs like SUNY Albany and Wagner at lower divisions. He quietly accrued offers from programs like Massachusetts, SUNY Albany, Syracuse, Temple, and Towson before selecting Temple in August before his senior year. The Owls have been a program on the rise with coaching hires like Al Golden and Steve Addazio, concurrent with its move from the Mid-American Conference to, now, the American Athletic Conference. Wint was excited to be a part of that.

That might have been how Wint's recruitment ended, and Ohio State fans may have never heard of him, if not for a stellar senior season. He first caught the attention of Chris Ash, his designated recruiter. He later caught the attention of the head coach. Urban Meyer visited Brooklyn in October to meet Jahsen Wint. Meyer told Wint that Ohio State's coaches liked what they saw and that Wint should strive to improve even more. Chris Ash followed that visit with his own trip to meet Wint at the end of October.

A follow-up visit from both Ash and Meyer in the beginning of December encouraged Wint to take an official visit, which he made from December 11-12. He left with an appreciation of how Ohio State conducts its football program and, importantly, a scholarship offer.

Blessed to receive an Offer from Theee Ohio State University pic.twitter.com/8usOFTGZps

— Showtime Wint (@JahsenW) December 12, 2015

Wint agonized over what to do next. The Ohio State offer excited him, as did the thought of reuniting with former high school teammate Curtis Samuel in college. However, he did value Temple football, Temple coach Matt Rhule, and his word. Wint talked with Matt Rhule over the holidays and, per Wint, received a reassurance that Rhule would more than understand forgoing Temple for Ohio State.

Wint knew what he wanted to do next after the new year. He decommitted from Temple two weeks after the Ohio State visit and announced his decision a week after thereafter.

HIS COMMITMENT

Jahsen Wint announced his commitment to Ohio State on January 2nd as the 18th member of its 2016 recruiting class.

Extremely Blessed & Thankful To Say That I Am Committed To Thee Ohio State University #Showtime pic.twitter.com/mm1d485YXh

— Showtime Wint (@JahsenW) January 2, 2016

Wint expressed interest in how Ohio State develops its players, his relationship with Curtis Samuel, and how frank Ohio State's coaches were with him on the recruiting trail as reasons for the commitment.

WHERE HE EXCELS

Recruiting services list Wint as an athlete. Temple eyed him for a slot role. Ohio State sees him as a safety.

Wint has average size for a safety. By comparison, Vonn Bell enrolled at Ohio State at the same reported height with just four more pounds of weight. It's how willing Wint is as a hitter and tackler that piqued the interest of Ohio State's coaches. He may have been more effective for his high school team on offense but he seemed to play with greater enthusiasm at linebacker for his team's defense.

His frame is intriguing as well. Despite measurables comparable to Vonn Bell in his senior year, Wint is rather bulky. He thrives in the weight room. He could conceivably add even more mass in Mickey Marotti's program.

Finally, I rather like his ball skills as a potential safety. This is not a typical strength for a three-star safety prospect, but I think Wint is ahead of his peers in that category.

MUST WORK ON

Wint's potential seems largely graded on his demonstrated enthusiasm as a tackler and a hitter. However, he's raw in a few ways that need immediate correction before he sees the field.

One, much of his highlight film shows him launching, sometimes crown-first, into players. This is untenable in modern college football. Several hits look like an ejection waiting to be whistled. The much faster speed of the college game will compound this form problem.

Two, he plays a bit high. He drives most of his power through his upper body. This is also not ideal in the college game. He'll find himself whiffing on tackles or being trucked at the college level until he corrects this.

REDSHIRT?

This one is trickier than it might otherwise be for a three-star project in Ohio State's recruiting class. Coaches look to be intrigued by the idea of Wint as a first-game contributor on special teams. However, I will err on the side of a redshirt, given some of the things I think he needs to improve.

HIGHLIGHTS

Here are senior-year highlights of Jahsen Wint.