While he didn’t sign with Ohio State until Friday, Gabe Powers has been destined to be a Buckeye for more than two years.
As soon as Powers received an offer from Ohio State in November 2019, when he became just the second 2022 recruit from the state of Ohio to earn an offer from the Buckeyes, it felt like only a matter of time before the Marysville High School star would become a Buckeye. After taking eight-and-a-half months to mull things over from there, Powers became the fourth commitment in Ohio State’s recruiting class of 2022 on Aug. 1, 2020, and followed through on that commitment by submitting his National Letter of Intent to the Buckeyes on the final day of the early signing period.
Gabe Powers officially signs his National Letter of Intent to Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/jhErzhp4jq
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 18, 2021
Powers, who opted to hold off on signing for two days so he could make it official at a Friday night ceremony with his family and friends, says he’s becoming a Buckeye because it feels like home.
The Powers File
- Class: 2022
- Size: 6-foot-4/230 lbs
- Pos: LB
- School: Marysville (Marysville, Ohio)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #61 (#6 LB)
“I’ve always been a Buckeye fan since I can remember,” Powers said Tuesday night during an interview on 97.1 The Fan. “I love the atmosphere, I love Coach Day, I love Coach Washington. It’s a home feeling, and I love everything about it.”
Powers did a little bit of everything at Marysville, where he was a mainstay on the field in all three phases of the game and earned Gatorade Player of the Year and USA TODAY Player of the Year honors for the state of Ohio after leading the Monarchs to the regional finals of the high school playoffs this fall. Powers ran the ball, caught the ball and blocked on offense, returned punts and kickoffs and even punted the ball himself, but where he really shined was on defense, where he’s continuing a family tradition of playing linebacker after his father was a Division II All-American at that position during his own college career at Findlay.
Welcome to the Brotherhood, @GabePowers21
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 18, 2021
From fellow linebacker @RyanShazier #BOOM22 pic.twitter.com/00bAqRnJL3
At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Powers is naturally suited to play Sam linebacker – a position Ohio State didn’t use much this season, but in part because it didn’t have a player with Powers’ skill set. Possessing the size and strength to take on blocks at the line of scrimmage but also the athleticism to play in space and drop back into coverage, Powers has the tools to play a similar role to that which Justin Hilliard and Baron Browning played in 2020 and Pete Werner played in 2019.
In new coordinator Jim Knowles’ defense, that could also mean playing the hybrid linebacker/defensive end “Leo” position that was a staple of Knowles’ defenses at Oklahoma State. Powers has said he expects to play linebacker at Ohio State, but some believe he could ultimately be better suited to play defensive end as he continues to grow. A hybrid role just might be the perfect way to play to Powers’ strengths.
“I trust them, wherever they’re going to put me is going to be the best spot for me and wherever they want me is where I’ll play,” Powers told Eleven Warriors in November.
Powers will enroll early at Ohio State in January, giving him the chance to go through spring practices and a full offseason of workouts with Mickey Marotti and his staff, and that could enable Powers to compete for real playing time as a freshman. At a minimum, Powers seems like a player who could help the Buckeyes early as a situational defender in three-linebacker formations, while he’ll also likely be a strong candidate to contribute right away on special teams.
As a lifelong Ohio State fan, Powers knows all about the Buckeyes’ rich tradition of great linebackers, and the Buckeyes will now be counting on him to help restore that tradition after a down year at the position and for the defense as a whole. As one of three top-100-ranked defenders from the state of Ohio in the 2022 class along with five-stars C.J. Hicks and Sonny Styles, Powers will be one of several local products trying to elevate the Buckeyes’ defense back to glory.
With Powers’ signing, Ohio State finished the early signing period with 18 total signees for the recruiting class of 2022.
