From the moment Deontae Armstrong and his twin brother Devontae both received offers from Ohio State, it was only a matter of time before the two of them would become Buckeyes.
The sibling offensive linemen from St. Edward High School each received offers from Ohio State on Jan. 13. Just two-and-a-half months later, on March 27, the brothers committed to OSU on the same day. They officially became Buckeyes on the same day, too, when they submitted their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.
Deontae Armstrong Tough, physical, smart not to mention championship pedigree. A Buckeye through and through. He has his hard hat and his lunch pail ready to work in the Scarlet & Gray. Welcome to THE Brotherhood Deontae.
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 20, 2023
#2THE4THE x @DeonArmstrong30 pic.twitter.com/118lA0Lg5b
For Deontae, becoming a Buckeye fulfills a dream he has long had as a child growing up in Northeast Ohio.
The Deontae Armstrong File
- Size: 6-6/280
- Pos: OT
- School: St. Edward (Lakewood, OH)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #427 (#33 OT)
“Playing for the Buckeyes has definitely been a dream,” Deontae told Eleven Warriors when he committed to Ohio State. “As a kid watching them it almost seems like an unattainable goal to have, and now that that is a reality is amazing.”
Given that they are twins who went through the recruiting process together, it’s easier to talk about their recruitments collectively than it is to write about them separately. They come to Ohio State with similar pedigrees, as both of them carry similar recruiting rankings and won three straight Division I state championships together while leading the left side of the offensive line at St. Edward.
That said, they aren’t quite identical as players and are expected to play different positions along the offensive line from one another in Columbus.
Deontae Armstrong carries the slightly higher composite recruiting ranking of the two as the No. 427 overall prospect in the 2024 class. The longer and leaner of the two brothers, Deontae manned the left tackle position for St. Edward for the past two seasons after starting at right tackle as a sophomore. He weighs in at 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds, making him likely to continue playing on the edge for the Buckeyes.
While he will still need to add weight as most offensive linemen do when they start their collegiate careers, Deontae – like his brother – already looks the part of a grown man ahead of his January enrollment at Ohio State. His combination of length and athleticism gives him high upside as an offensive tackle. His high school film shows a player who actively seeks to get downfield and block defenders at the second level while also pancaking defenders with his power at the line of scrimmage.
Deontae will likely need some time to hone his technique before he’ll be ready to play a major role at offensive tackle for Ohio State, but the technical development he expects to get from offensive line coach Justin Frye is one reason why he chose to become a Buckeye in the first place.
“The way he coaches, I love it,” Deontae said when he committed. “I know it’s going to push me to be the best player I can be, and I love the tough love aspect he has. I always watch how he interacts with his players off the field and I can tell he has a great relationship with them and they like him not only as a coach but as a person.”
