Signed: Caden Curry Provides a True Game-changing Force on the Defensive Line for Ohio State

Sitting next to his mother and father Tuesday afternoon on the eve of the early signing period, four-star defensive lineman Caden Curry was asked a question from CBS Sports pertaining to the rivalry with Michigan. More particularly, if the 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive lineman had a message four them. Curry responded with a simple four words. 

"It won't happen again," Curry said of this year's loss. 

Social media reactions began pouring in. Most of them alluding to be willing to run through a brick wall for the final commit for OSU in the 2022 early signing period. Not even 24 hours later, Curry made his pledge to Ohio State official, inking his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday morning.

Welcome to the Brotherhood, @CadenCurry14

From Block O Recipient @JonathonCooper7 #BOOM22 pic.twitter.com/wMgRWRAqzN

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 15, 2021

"Just from the beginning, all their players and coaches showed me love," Curry told CBSSports Tuesday of why he picked Ohio State. "Just talking with coaching (Larry) Johnson, seeing what he can do with me considering all of the other players in the history of his coaching. I really want to see what he can do with me at the next level." 

Curry visited Ohio State twice this fall, once in September for the Oregon game and another in October for the Penn State contest. While OSU never likes to take defeat, Curry said it was a good experience to see how the Buckeyes respond to a loss. 

"Honestly it was kinda nice because you get to see them lose, normally you see them win when you visit them," Curry said. "You normally see them when everything goes great. So honestly seeing them losing showed you how much they really care about winning and how much it means to them. It's really what I want to fit into." 

Curry was offered by Ohio State in May of 2020, and was high on the Buckeyes ever since. He put them in his top five along with Oregon, Alabama, Indiana, Ohio State and Clemson. What made OSU defensive line coach Larry Johnson offer Curry was his game-wrecking ability in the trenches and his ability to play either inside or outside at the next level. 

“He’s been in the game so long he knows what he’s talking about,” Curry told Eleven Warriors of Johnson in October. “He’s seen everything from what kind of player I could be and has seen players go through the process. He has good skills and coaches them in those drills.” 

Curry attends Center Grove High School, (Greenwood, Indiana) the same school former Buckeye defensive lineman Joel Hale graduated from in 2011.

“I’ve talked to him a little bit,” Curry said of Hale in October. “He has a company called the Rushmen, so it’s kind of funny seeing that. He’s definitely a big Ohio State fan. He wants me to go there. He talks about coach (Larry) Johnson all the time and speaks of him as a good coach.”  

The four-star defensive lineman is a proven winner, having led his high school team to two straight state championships and an undefeated 28-0 record over the last two campaigns. Curry finished his senior season with 65 total tackles (24 for loss) and seven sacks. He deflected seven passes at the line of scrimmage. Curry also occasionally saw the field offensively as a running back and finished with 13 carries for 50 yards and three touchdowns on the season. When he committed on CBSSports yesterday, Curry said OSU "has a package" to put him in on offense, though that likely was said tongue in cheek. In his junior year, Curry racked up 61 tackles (21.5 for loss) with eight sacks, a pass deflection and a fumble recovery. 

When he arrives on campus, which will be in January as Curry will be an early enrollee, he figures to compete for playing time right away. His skillset and versatility, combined with Johnson's track record of playing impact true freshmen, could lead to Curry being a factor in the defensive rotation similar to what Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau did in 2021. 

He's the second OSU defensive lineman commitment in the 2022 cycle, joining four-star defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr.