Ohio State has had a host of de-commitments in recent seasons. In 2016, the Buckeyes lost the pledges of four prospects. In 2017, six players de-committed from the Buckeyes, and in 2018, four players chose to skip Columbus.
Let's take a look at some of them, and how their careers are going now.
2016
Terrell Lewis, Alabama
One time known as Terrell Hall, Lewis was the highest-rated de-commitment from Ohio State in the 2016 cycle. Hailing from Washington DC, the defensive end/linebacker hybrid suffered a torn ACL in July, and was forced to miss the 2018 season.
In 2017, his most recent playing time, he recorded 16 tackles and a sack. He will be back at Alabama this upcoming season.
Kareem Walker, Michigan (now at Mississippi State)
Walker's story is well-known. After committing to Ohio State during halftime of the National Championship victory over Oregon, he dramatically flipped to Michigan towards the conclusion of the 2016 cycle.
His stay in Ann Arbor was short lived, however. After being suspended four times in two years (and ultimately kicked off the team), he left Michigan to go to Fort Scott Community College, where he parlayed that experience into a big-time shot once again at Mississippi State.
#HAILSTATE #RingTheBell @CoachHuff @BallCoachJoeMo pic.twitter.com/3CdIgdLcbX
— AlightyReem (@_KareemWalker) November 19, 2018
Walker was bad in his limited playing time at Michigan. During the 2017 season, he rushed 20 times for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Tristen Wallace, Oregon (now at Prairie View A&M)
This de-commitment was huge for the future of Ohio State. Wallace was all set to come to Columbus and be a quarterback but decided that the position wasn't for him, and flipped to Oregon to be a wide receiver.
This decision worked out for Ohio State in the end, because it allowed the Buckeyes to go back late in the cycle and circle back on a quarterback who they had been in touch with before Wallace's pledge. That quarterback was, of course, Dwayne Haskins, who shattered all single-season passing records at Ohio State this season.
Wallace's career hasn't gone pleasantly. Late in 2016, he was barred from the Oregon campus due to allegations of sexual assault. He enrolled at Trinity Valley Community College, and ultimately ended up at Prairie View A&M, where he caught 29 passes for 474 yards and eight touchdowns a season ago.
2017:
Tyjon Lindsey, Nebraska (now at Oregon State)
Lindsey's de-commitment was a strange one. During the middle of the night a few weeks before he was set to sign, Lindsey announced that he was no longer pledged to the Buckeyes.
Many reasons were speculated as to why Lindsey de-committed from the Buckeyes, including a possible falling-out with Tate Martell (his high school teammate and friend), and possible Adidas involvement as well. Lindsey ultimately ended up at Nebraska, where (surprise!) it didn't work out.
Lindsey caught just three passes for 22 yards this season before electing to transfer. He is headed to Oregon State this upcoming season.
@BeaverFootball Beaver Combine
— T.L1NDSEY (@tyjonlindsey) March 2, 2019
SPRING BALL, YOU ARE ON DECK! pic.twitter.com/ZM91nPOTk8
Danny Clark, Kentucky (now TBD, currently in transfer portal)
Clark's recruitment was another strange one. Ohio State offered him in eighth grade, and he committed shortly after, going so far as to get a giant Block O tattoo on his arm (which he changed after his de-commitment)
Clark ended up at Kentucky, where, as we've seen seemingly every time here, it didn't work out.
Clark rode the bench in his two years in Lexington, never recording a stat. He is currently in the transfer portal.
Bruce Judson, Oregon (now in Los Angeles doing something, more info below)
This is the most wild one for sure. Judson was one of the three prospects who committed to Ohio State on the day of the national championship victory over Oregon (Kareem Walker and Shaun Wade being the other two).
Judson was committed to Ohio State for a few months, until Urban Meyer allegedly didn't recognize him at a recruiting camp in Columbus.
"Long story short, I was walking in the hallway about to go to the indoor field and work out," Judson said in an interview with SEC Country. "He was like, 'Hey.' I looked around. 'Come here.' He was like, 'How you doing, you like your visit?' I said, 'Yeah.' Then he's like, 'What up Richard LeCounte? Are you showing this guy (Judson) around?' I was like, 'Coach, I'm showing him around.' He asked me, 'Who are you?' I told him Bruce. He said, 'Oh, Bruce Judson from Florida. The speedy guy.' I was like, 'Yeah.' He said, 'I'm glad that you're on board and glad you got up here.'
The truth of this story is not confirmed. What is confirmed is that Judson pledged to South Florida before ultimately flipping to Oregon, where he never enrolled.
Judson bounced around at a few JUCO's, and is now in Los Angeles doing some random thing (per his Snapchat, where we are friends). I'm not sure if it's football related. He also recently had a baby daughter, so congratulations to him for that.
So, it appears that Ohio State honestly possibly dodged some bullets with these prospects. Only one (Lewis) is at his same university, and he has had an unspectacular career thus far. It is always interesting to see where de-commitments end up.
