Breaking Down Ohio State’s 2018 Roster By State

By Andrew Lind on May 12, 2018 at 8:10 am
Urban Meyer
Urban Meyer
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Ohio State has finished with the nation’s second-ranked recruiting class in back-to-back years, yet there’s a large section of the fan base that feels as if the Buckeyes aren’t bringing on enough local talent each cycle.

Head coach Urban Meyer has agreed with that sentiment on numerous occasions. But, ultimately, who can blame the staff for their pursuit of the best players in the country, regardless of their location? 

That’s a big reason why Ohio State’s roster now features players from 22 different states — up from 19 states just one season ago. And, as you can see on the maps below, the Buckeyes’ on- and off-field brand resonates in all corners of the country.

Comparing the 2017 and 2018 rosters

Ohio State added its first-ever scholarship players from Idaho and Oklahoma earlier this year in defensive tackle Tommy Togiai and safety Josh Proctor, respectively. The Buckeyes also increased their presence in Missouri and Tennessee, landing a pair of top prospects in both states last cycle. 

Graduation and transfers made a significant dent in Ohio State’s foray into mid-Atlantic states like North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, meanwhile. 

The same can also be said for Ohio, as the addition of just five incoming freshman — and wide receiver C.J. Saunders’ move from walk-on to scholarship athlete — was not enough to offset the loss of 12 players to the National Football League, graduation, transfers and/or medical hardships. 

It’s likely that number continues to shrink in the coming years, too, as the Buckeyes’ recent recruiting classes have had less local and more national flavor. In fact, this year’s in-state haul was a far cry from the 16 Ohioans who signed with the program in 2012. 

With that said, we’ve compiled a state-by-state rundown of Ohio State’s 2018 roster below, and that includes the handful of freshmen set to arrive on campus next month.

OHIO - 29

  • Dante Booker, redshirt senior linebacker - Akron
  • Parris Campbell, redshirt senior wide receiver - Akron
  • C.J. Saunders, senior wide receiver - Dublin
  • Brady Taylor, redshirt senior center - Columbus
  • Rashod Berry, redshirt junior tight end - Lorain
  • Jonathon Cooper, junior defensive end - Gahanna
  • DaVon Hamilton, redshirt junior defensive tackle - Pickerington
  • Malik Harrison, junior linebacker - Columbus
  • Justin Hilliard, redshirt junior linebacker - Cincinnati
  • Dre’Mont Jones, redshirt junior defensive tackle - Cleveland
  • Robert Landers, redshirt defensive tackle - Huber Heights 
  • Liam McCullough, redshirt junior long snapper - Columbus
  • Drue Chrisman, redshirt sophomore punter - Cincinnati
  • Gavin Cupp, redshirt sophomore offensive tackle - Leipsic
  • Luke Farrell, redshirt sophomore tight end - Perry
  • Jaylen Harris, sophomore wide receiver - Cleveland Heights
  • Jake Hausmann, redshirt sophomore tight end - Cincinnati 
  • Demario McCall, redshirt sophomore running back - North Ridgeville
  • Thayer Munford, sophomore offensive guard - Cincinnati
  • Amir Riep, sophomore safety - Cincinnati
  • Brendon White, sophomore safety - Powell
  • Marcus Williamson, sophomore cornerback - Westerville
  • Jerron Cage, redshirt freshman defensive tackle - Cincinnati
  • Dallas Gant, freshman linebacker - Toledo
  • Jaelen Gill, freshman running back - Westerville
  • Josh Myers, redshirt freshman center - Miamisburg
  • L’Christian “Blue” Smith, freshman wide receiver - Huber Heights
  • Tyreke Smith, freshman defensive end - Cleveland Heights
  • Alexander Williams, freshman defensive end - Pickerington 

FLORIDA - 10

  • Johnnie Dixon - redshirt senior wide receiver - West Palm Beach
  • Damon Arnette, redshirt junior cornerback - Fort Lauderdale
  • Nick Bosa, junior defensive end - Fort Lauderdale
  • Binjimen Victor, junior wide receiver - Pompano Beach
  • Malik Barrow, redshirt sophomore defensive tackle - Tampa
  • Sevyn Banks, freshman cornerback - Orlando
  • Tyreke Johnson, freshman cornerback - Jacksonville
  • Nicholas Petit-Frere, freshman offensive tackle - Tampa 
  • Brian Snead, freshman running back - Seffner
  • Shaun Wade, redshirt freshman cornerback - Jacksonville 

TEXAS - 7

  • Demetrius Knox, redshirt senior offensive guard - Fort Worth
  • Kendall Sheffield, redshirt junior cornerback - Missouri City
  • Baron Browning, sophomore linebacker - Kennedale
  • J.K. Dobbins, sophomore running back - La Grange
  • Jeffrey Okudah, sophomore cornerback - Grand Prairie 
  • Ellijah Gardiner, redshirt freshman wide receiver - Kemp
  • Matthew Baldwin, freshman quarterback - Austin

MARYLAND - 5 

  • Isaiah Prince, senior offensive tackle - Greenbelt
  • Keandre Jones, junior linebacker - Olney
  • Dwayne Haskins, redshirt sophomore quarterback - Potomac
  • Chase Young, sophomore defensive end - Hyattsville 
  • Taron Vincent, freshman defensive tackle - Baltimore 

NEW YORK - 5

  • Malcolm Pridgeon, redshirt senior offensive guard - Central Islip
  • Blake Haubeil, sophomore kicker - Buffalo
  • Jahsen Wint, redshirt sophomore safety - Brooklyn 
  • Matthew Jones, freshman center - Brooklyn
  • Jeremy Ruckert, freshman tight end - Lindenhurst

INDIANA - 3

  • Terry McLaurin, redshirt senior wide receiver - Indianapolis
  • Austin Mack, junior wide receiver - Fort Wayne
  • Peter Werner, sophomore linebacker - Indianapolis

MICHIGAN - 3

  • Joshua Alabi, redshirt junior offensive tackle - Detroit
  • Michael Jordan, junior offensive guard - Canton
  • Mike Weber, redshirt junior running back - Detroit 

NEW JERSEY - 3

  • Jordan Fuller, junior safety - Old Tappan
  • Tyler Friday, freshman defensive end - Ramsey
  • Javontae Jean-Baptiste, freshman defensive end - Oradell

CALIFORNIA - 2

  • Wyatt Davis, redshirt freshman offensive guard - Bellflower
  • Chris Olave, freshman wide receiver - San Marcos

GEORGIA - 2

  • Antwuan Jackson Jr., redshirt sophomore defensive tackle - Ellenwood
  • Isaiah Pryor, sophomore safety - Lawrenceville

MISSOURI - 2

  • Kamryn Babb, freshman wide receiver - St. Louis
  • Cameron Brown, freshman cornerback - St. Louis

NEVADA - 2

  • Haskell Garrett, sophomore defensive tackle - Las Vegas
  • Tate Martell, redshirt freshman quarterback - Las Vegas

TENNESSEE - 2

  • Master Teague III, freshman running back - Murfreesboro 
  • Max Wray, freshman offensive tackle - Franklin

VIRGINIA - 2

  • Teradja Mitchell, freshman linebacker - Virginia Beach
  • K’Vaughan Pope, freshman linebacker - Dinwiddie

ARKANSAS - 1 

  • K.J. Hill, redshirt junior wide receiver - North Little Rock

IDAHO - 1 

  • Tommy Togiai, freshman defensive tackle - Pocatello 

ILLINOIS - 1 

  • Tuf Borland, redshirt sophomore linebacker - Bolingbrook

KENTUCKY - 1

  • Sean Nuernberger, redshirt senior kicker - Buckner

MINNESOTA - 1

  • Jashon Cornell, redshirt junior defensive tackle - St. Paul

OKLAHOMA - 1

  • Josh Proctor, freshman safety - Owasso

PENNSYLVANIA - 1

  • Marcus Hooker, freshman safety - New Castle

UTAH - 1

  • Branden Bowen, redshirt junior offensive tackle - Draper
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