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LGHL Business was BOOOOMing for the Buckeyes on Monday as football, men’s basketball get commitments
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Business was BOOOOMing for the Buckeyes on Monday as football, men’s basketball get commitments
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
BOOOOM!! Four-star DL Maxwell Roy commits to Ohio State
Dan Hessler, Land-Grant Holy Land
Maxwell Roy is a Buckeye: The impact
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
What commitment of Maxwell Roy means for Ohio State (paywall)
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row
Social media reacted after defensive lineman Maxwell Roy committed to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
Burning Questions: Will Ryan Day let Chip Kelly cook?
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
Five Buckeyes are Walter Camp Preseason All-Americans
Ohio State Athletics
Buckeyes litter Phil Steele preseason All-Big Ten teams
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
You’re Nuts: Burning Questions - Who is the biggest remaining recruiting target for Ohio State?
Josh Dooley and Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
BOOM! 2025 four-star guard, Cleveland native Dorian Jones commits to Ohio State
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
As Dorian Jones chose Ohio State, mom’s intuition proved accurate
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Guard Scott Thomas Eager to Represent Ohio State in The Basketball Tournament, Says Experience Valuable for 2024 Carmen’s Crew Squad
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
How Ross Bjork prepared to take over as OSU athletic director
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Feldman and Morbitzer Recognized with B1G Sportsmanship Awards
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Ice Hockey: Powell Selected by Flyers in NHL Draft
Ohio State Athletics
Baseball: Bosiokovic Called Up by Cardinals
Ohio State Athletics
Central Ohio athletes headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
I don’t watch wrestling very often, but I am really digging the Wyatt Six anytime I see them on social media.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
BOOOOM!! Four-star DL Maxwell Roy commits to Ohio State
Dan Hessler, Land-Grant Holy Land
Maxwell Roy is a Buckeye: The impact
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
What commitment of Maxwell Roy means for Ohio State (paywall)
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row
Social media reacted after defensive lineman Maxwell Roy committed to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
Burning Questions: Will Ryan Day let Chip Kelly cook?
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
Five Buckeyes are Walter Camp Preseason All-Americans
Ohio State Athletics
Buckeyes litter Phil Steele preseason All-Big Ten teams
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
You’re Nuts: Burning Questions - Who is the biggest remaining recruiting target for Ohio State?
Josh Dooley and Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
BOOM! 2025 four-star guard, Cleveland native Dorian Jones commits to Ohio State
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
As Dorian Jones chose Ohio State, mom’s intuition proved accurate
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Guard Scott Thomas Eager to Represent Ohio State in The Basketball Tournament, Says Experience Valuable for 2024 Carmen’s Crew Squad
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Outside the Shoe and Schott
How Ross Bjork prepared to take over as OSU athletic director
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Feldman and Morbitzer Recognized with B1G Sportsmanship Awards
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Ice Hockey: Powell Selected by Flyers in NHL Draft
Ohio State Athletics
Baseball: Bosiokovic Called Up by Cardinals
Ohio State Athletics
Central Ohio athletes headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
And now for something completely different...
I don’t watch wrestling very often, but I am really digging the Wyatt Six anytime I see them on social media.
Continue reading...
LGHL BOOOOM!! Four-star DL Maxwell Roy commits to Ohio State
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- 1 Replies
BOOOOM!! Four-star DL Maxwell Roy commits to Ohio State
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2025 four-star DL Maxwell Roy | via big.max.77 on Instagram
The Ohio State football and men’s basketball teams each earned commitments from blue-chip prospects Monday.
Ohio State is dominating the recruiting headlines. After a very successful June, which saw the program earn eight verbal commitments, the Buckeyes now sit atop the recruiting rankings for the 2025 class.
If there were any concerns surrounding Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson, they should be all but quelled now. To end the month, the Buckeyes earned two commitments alongside the defensive front in four-star edge Zion Grady and four-star defensive lineman Trajen Odom.
The duo marked four defensive lineman in Ohio State’s 2025 class, and was a crucial way to end the month. Johnson and the Buckeyes were not done though, and to begin July, Ohio State earned another commitment along the defensive line in four-star DL Maxwell Roy (Philadelphia, PA / St. Joseph’s Prep School) who chose the Buckeyes over Rutgers and Michigan.
Roy is the No. 26 DL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 229 overall recruit. He is also the No. 8 recruit out of Pennsylvania.
Ohio State first offered Roy in May of 2023. Following the offer, he made his way to Ohio State’s campus numerous times, including an unofficial visit for the Maryland game last season and an official visit last month the weekend of June 14.
Johnson and Ohio State have long made it known Roy was someone they wanted in this class, and on Monday their hard work paid off. Roy now marks the fifth commitment along the defensive line for the Buckeyes in this class, and they may not be done adding to it.
In what some view as the most important recruit still left on Ohio State’s big board, four-star DE Justin Hill is scheduled to announce his commitment this week on July 3. The Ohio native has long been recruited by the Buckeyes, and because of this, they were recipients of an official visit from Hill along with USC, Alabama and Oregon.
Ohio State sits in a great position in Hill’s recruitment, and if he joins Roy in committing to the Buckeyes this week, the coaching staff will have one of the better hauls on the defensive front in recent memory.
For more on what Roy is bringing to Ohio State, here is what 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst Brian Dohn has to say about him:
Ohio State is hoping to add multiple commitments to its 2025 class this week. With multiple priority targets set to announce this week, the Buckeyes are sitting patiently and hoping their hard work the last couple months pays off.
Ohio State learned another priority target in its 2025 class will be announcing their commitment this week in four-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn (McKinney, TX / McKinney) who also announced a top four schools list on Monday.
Pettijohn included Ohio State in his top schools alongside Texas A&M, USC and Texas — the four schools he took official visits to this summer. Ohio State got the first visit with him and Texas A&M received the last one. However it is neither of those schools that are viewed as the favorites to land him this week, as the other hometown school, Texas, looks to have the lead in this race.
Ohio State, led by Jim Knowles and James Laurinatis, has done everything it could in this recruitment. They have made it known on numerous occasions Pettijohn is someone they would love to join its 2025 class. However, Pettijohn seems to want to play close to home, and the Buckeyes never had a shot when it comes to that.
Pettijohn is the No. 4 LB in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 31 overall prospect. He is also the No. 9 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Texas.
Continue reading...
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2025 four-star DL Maxwell Roy | via big.max.77 on Instagram
The Ohio State football and men’s basketball teams each earned commitments from blue-chip prospects Monday.
Ohio State is dominating the recruiting headlines. After a very successful June, which saw the program earn eight verbal commitments, the Buckeyes now sit atop the recruiting rankings for the 2025 class.
If there were any concerns surrounding Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson, they should be all but quelled now. To end the month, the Buckeyes earned two commitments alongside the defensive front in four-star edge Zion Grady and four-star defensive lineman Trajen Odom.
The duo marked four defensive lineman in Ohio State’s 2025 class, and was a crucial way to end the month. Johnson and the Buckeyes were not done though, and to begin July, Ohio State earned another commitment along the defensive line in four-star DL Maxwell Roy (Philadelphia, PA / St. Joseph’s Prep School) who chose the Buckeyes over Rutgers and Michigan.
Roy is the No. 26 DL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 229 overall recruit. He is also the No. 8 recruit out of Pennsylvania.
Ohio State first offered Roy in May of 2023. Following the offer, he made his way to Ohio State’s campus numerous times, including an unofficial visit for the Maryland game last season and an official visit last month the weekend of June 14.
Johnson and Ohio State have long made it known Roy was someone they wanted in this class, and on Monday their hard work paid off. Roy now marks the fifth commitment along the defensive line for the Buckeyes in this class, and they may not be done adding to it.
In what some view as the most important recruit still left on Ohio State’s big board, four-star DE Justin Hill is scheduled to announce his commitment this week on July 3. The Ohio native has long been recruited by the Buckeyes, and because of this, they were recipients of an official visit from Hill along with USC, Alabama and Oregon.
Ohio State sits in a great position in Hill’s recruitment, and if he joins Roy in committing to the Buckeyes this week, the coaching staff will have one of the better hauls on the defensive front in recent memory.
For more on what Roy is bringing to Ohio State, here is what 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst Brian Dohn has to say about him:
Top Ohio State LB target to commit July 6
Ohio State is hoping to add multiple commitments to its 2025 class this week. With multiple priority targets set to announce this week, the Buckeyes are sitting patiently and hoping their hard work the last couple months pays off.
Ohio State learned another priority target in its 2025 class will be announcing their commitment this week in four-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn (McKinney, TX / McKinney) who also announced a top four schools list on Monday.
Pettijohn included Ohio State in his top schools alongside Texas A&M, USC and Texas — the four schools he took official visits to this summer. Ohio State got the first visit with him and Texas A&M received the last one. However it is neither of those schools that are viewed as the favorites to land him this week, as the other hometown school, Texas, looks to have the lead in this race.
Ohio State, led by Jim Knowles and James Laurinatis, has done everything it could in this recruitment. They have made it known on numerous occasions Pettijohn is someone they would love to join its 2025 class. However, Pettijohn seems to want to play close to home, and the Buckeyes never had a shot when it comes to that.
Pettijohn is the No. 4 LB in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 31 overall prospect. He is also the No. 9 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Texas.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State was not only busy making recruiting headlines on the gridiron Monday, as Jake Diebler and the Ohio State men’s basketball team got their first commitment in the 2025 cycle. Four-star shooting guard Dorian Jones (Cleveland, OH / Richmond Heights) announced his commitment to Ohio State Monday afternoon, choosing the Buckeyes over Rutgers, Michigan and Missouri.
- Switching back to football, Ohio State four-star wide receiver target Daylan McCutcheon (Lovejoy, TX / Lovejoy) announced he will be committing to his school of choice July 13. McCutcheon took an official visit with the Buckeyes the weekend of May 31, and is down to Ohio State, USC, Florida State, SMU and Texas, with the Seminoles viewed as the favorites in this one.
NEWS: 4️ Top247 WR Daylan McCutcheon will announce his college decision on July 13, per @ZBlostein247.
The elite receiver prospect is down to Ohio State, USC, Florida State, SMU, and Texas.
MORE https://t.co/z3RfmRjpRJ pic.twitter.com/u94nGN0dyr
— 247Sports (@247Sports) July 1, 2024
Continue reading...
LGHL BOOM! 2025 four-star guard, Cleveland native Dorian Jones commits to Ohio State
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BOOM! 2025 four-star guard, Cleveland native Dorian Jones commits to Ohio State
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy Dorian Jones on Instagram (d1.reaper)
The 216 to 614 pipeline remains strong with Jake Diebler’s second high school commitment as head coach.
While Ohio State has already locked up one commitment from an elite Ohio prospect in 2026 guard Marcus Johnson (Garfield Heights), the 2025 class is even more loaded with highly talented players than the class after it. Many of those players are either from Ohio or have Ohio ties, which makes the Buckeye state one of the most targeted areas for high major coaches at the moment.
One of the most highly sought after Ohioans in the 2025 class went off the board on Monday morning, as combo guard Dorian Jones out of Richmond Heights High School in Cleveland announced he will sign with head coach Jake Diebler and the Buckeyes. Jones is the second major commitment for Diebler and staff since he was hired, after Johnson committed in April.
Jones is the second-highest ranked player in the state of Ohio in 2025, is the No. 12 shooting guard in the class, and the No. 72 overall player in the class, per 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is the first member of Ohio State’s 2025 class, which is almost certain to be a small one considering there are 10 players on this year’s team who could return in 2025. The Buckeyes are likely to take at least one more player in the 2025 class, but that may be all for that cycle.
At 6-foot-4 and 165 pounds, Jones is growing into a long, athletic guard, but will need to add some weight before next summer. His Instagram account and Twitter both use the moniker “D.1 Reaper” as a reference to his tall, lanky frame. Jones picked Ohio State after cutting his list down to a final four of Rutgers, Missouri, Michigan, and the Buckeyes. Jones visited all of those programs in an official capacity except Michigan.
Ohio State has been involved with the recruitment of Jones for longer than any of the other finalists, having offered him a scholarship in the spring of 2022. He has visited campus in an unofficial capacity several times, but his official visit in May of the year was more to get to know Diebler’s new staff and talk about Jones “as a person” rather than as a basketball.
“Just them worrying about me as a person, instead of just growing as a basketball player. Worrying about me as a man.” Jones told the Columbus Dispatch in May.
Jones also told the Dispatch after his OV that the staff spent time with him watching film and working on how to be more dangerous without the ball in his hands, and that Diebler reached out almost immediately after he was hired to re-establish that they still wanted him to be a Buckeye, even though a different head coach made him his Ohio State offer two years ago.
The rising senior was named first team All-Ohio in Division IV last season, helping lead Richmond Heights to a state championship at UD Arena this spring. He averaged 14.1 points last season and scored 13 points in the state championship game. Jones plays AAU basketball for the All-Ohio Red program, which is the same summer team that current Buckeye Devin Royal played for, as well as fellow Ohio State target and Richmond Heights teammate, TJ Crumble (2026).
Jones projects as a high-level shooter who can also guard multiple positions because of his 6-foot-10 wingspan but relatively thin frame. This fits the mold of the “3 and D” wings teams love to draft in the modern NBA.
In the short term, Jones could join a backcourt next year that would include a fourth-year Bruce Thornton, third-year Taison Chatman, and second-year Juni Mobley. While he may not be asked to step in and play major minutes, Chatman’s injury history also means that Jones could slide in and earn some valuable minutes right away on Jake Diebler’s second team ever.
Ohio State is now the fourth Big Ten program to land a 2025 commitment and the only Big Ten program to have a 2025 and 2026 commitment.
You can check out some of Jones’ highlights at the City of Palms Classic from earlier this year below:
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy Dorian Jones on Instagram (d1.reaper)
The 216 to 614 pipeline remains strong with Jake Diebler’s second high school commitment as head coach.
While Ohio State has already locked up one commitment from an elite Ohio prospect in 2026 guard Marcus Johnson (Garfield Heights), the 2025 class is even more loaded with highly talented players than the class after it. Many of those players are either from Ohio or have Ohio ties, which makes the Buckeye state one of the most targeted areas for high major coaches at the moment.
One of the most highly sought after Ohioans in the 2025 class went off the board on Monday morning, as combo guard Dorian Jones out of Richmond Heights High School in Cleveland announced he will sign with head coach Jake Diebler and the Buckeyes. Jones is the second major commitment for Diebler and staff since he was hired, after Johnson committed in April.
Jones is the second-highest ranked player in the state of Ohio in 2025, is the No. 12 shooting guard in the class, and the No. 72 overall player in the class, per 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is the first member of Ohio State’s 2025 class, which is almost certain to be a small one considering there are 10 players on this year’s team who could return in 2025. The Buckeyes are likely to take at least one more player in the 2025 class, but that may be all for that cycle.
At 6-foot-4 and 165 pounds, Jones is growing into a long, athletic guard, but will need to add some weight before next summer. His Instagram account and Twitter both use the moniker “D.1 Reaper” as a reference to his tall, lanky frame. Jones picked Ohio State after cutting his list down to a final four of Rutgers, Missouri, Michigan, and the Buckeyes. Jones visited all of those programs in an official capacity except Michigan.
Ohio State has been involved with the recruitment of Jones for longer than any of the other finalists, having offered him a scholarship in the spring of 2022. He has visited campus in an unofficial capacity several times, but his official visit in May of the year was more to get to know Diebler’s new staff and talk about Jones “as a person” rather than as a basketball.
“Just them worrying about me as a person, instead of just growing as a basketball player. Worrying about me as a man.” Jones told the Columbus Dispatch in May.
Jones also told the Dispatch after his OV that the staff spent time with him watching film and working on how to be more dangerous without the ball in his hands, and that Diebler reached out almost immediately after he was hired to re-establish that they still wanted him to be a Buckeye, even though a different head coach made him his Ohio State offer two years ago.
The rising senior was named first team All-Ohio in Division IV last season, helping lead Richmond Heights to a state championship at UD Arena this spring. He averaged 14.1 points last season and scored 13 points in the state championship game. Jones plays AAU basketball for the All-Ohio Red program, which is the same summer team that current Buckeye Devin Royal played for, as well as fellow Ohio State target and Richmond Heights teammate, TJ Crumble (2026).
Jones projects as a high-level shooter who can also guard multiple positions because of his 6-foot-10 wingspan but relatively thin frame. This fits the mold of the “3 and D” wings teams love to draft in the modern NBA.
In the short term, Jones could join a backcourt next year that would include a fourth-year Bruce Thornton, third-year Taison Chatman, and second-year Juni Mobley. While he may not be asked to step in and play major minutes, Chatman’s injury history also means that Jones could slide in and earn some valuable minutes right away on Jake Diebler’s second team ever.
Ohio State is now the fourth Big Ten program to land a 2025 commitment and the only Big Ten program to have a 2025 and 2026 commitment.
You can check out some of Jones’ highlights at the City of Palms Classic from earlier this year below:
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Burning Questions - Who is the biggest remaining recruiting target for Ohio State?
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You’re Nuts: Burning Questions - Who is the biggest remaining recruiting target for Ohio State?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Five-star 2025 OT David Sanders Jr. | @DavidLSandersJr on Twitter
The Buckeyes’ 2025 class has a few holes still to fill.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the most important questions yet unanswered for the season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content and our ”Burning Questions” articles here.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
June was a busy recruiting month for the Ohio State football program; One that also turned out to be rather successful, with Ryan Day and Co. adding eight verbal commitments to their 2025 recruiting class. But the summer recruiting fun likely didn’t end yesterday, as a handful of other recruits are scheduled to announce their commitment(s) in July, beginning with Justin Hill on Wednesday.
Also coming in July is/are Burning Questions courtesy of LGHL. How’s that for a segue? In all seriousness, though the Buckeyes crushed the month of June, there are still several (burning) questions about or pertaining to OSU’s 2025 class. Such as: How big will it be or get? Can Justin Frye land an out-of-state blue chip? And should any current commits be on flip watch? Surely there are others as well, but in the interest of time, Gene and I are going to address one that has been on both of our minds.
The burning question that we are attempting to answer today is: Who is Ohio State’s biggest/most important remaining target in the 2025 class?
While I think I know what – or, technically speaking, who – most people’s answer to this question is or would be, I am going to try and put Gene on his heels a bit with my response... So I’ll say that I believe Justin Hill is OSU’s biggest remaining target. For several reasons.
First and foremost, Hill is a beast. Every major recruiting service currently has him as a top-10 edge and a top-5 player in the state of Ohio. If those guys are in your backyard, you go get ‘em. On that topic...
Hill is an Ohio native, and the Buckeyes simply must get the best players in their own state. They just watched Dorian Brew (originally from Ohio) commit to Oregon, and it seems like Trey McNutt (OSU legacy!) will be joining him sooner rather than later. So not only does Ohio State want/arguably need to keep Hill in Ohio, but the program also needs to prevent Oregon and Kentucky from stealing homegrown talent.
Additionally, Hill plays a position of need for the Buckeyes. Or, better yet, he plays positions (plural) of need. The Winton Woods product is listed as an edge, but could theoretically move to linebacker. Or... Or... He could eventually develop into the best Jack of all time, should OSU finally commit to utilizing the hybrid role with which Jim Knowles seems to be obsessed. Hill profiles as a freakishly athletic jack of all trades (no pun intended), and those types of players are good to have on any roster.
And finally, did I mention that Ohio State needs to keep Hill in Ohio — away from freaking Oregon!? The Ducks are (also) listed as one of Hill’s four finalists, and to lose him to a new conference rival with championship aspirations would be really... shitty, for lack of a better word. Brew was already a big loss, but if McNutt and Hill join him, that would be especially tough.
Simply put, Justin Hill is an elite prospect who could potentially play multiple positions for the Buckeyes. The fact that he is from Ohio should put him at the top of OSU’s list of remaining needs. Yes, even above or over a certain unnamed offensive lineman with crazy potential.
While I do agree that Hill is tremendously important to this Ohio State class, based both on his being an in-state prospect as well as Oregon being the biggest in-conference threat both in that recruitment and on the field, I will gladly take the layup Josh has provided me here to say that David Sanders Jr. is the biggest remaining target for the Buckeyes.
It is certainly not going out on a limb to say that landing the No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 2 overall player by the 247Sports Composite would be an impressive feat for Justin Frye and the program. Ohio State has not landed a five-star offensive lineman since Donovan Jackson in the 2021 class, and it has not even secured a top-100 nationally ranked player in the position group in either of the last two cycles — be it at guard or at tackle.
Needless to say, Sanders’ commitment would be massive. This past season, perhaps the thing that held the Buckeyes back that most was poor play in the trenches, more specifically on the offensive side of the football. Years of recruiting misses have come back to haunt Ohio State, and while they’ve been able to plug some of the gaps with transfers like Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin, it would help have guys you know you can depend on in-house.
Sanders would obviously fit that bill, and could potentially even start as a freshman with incumbent starter Josh Fryar entering his senior year and Simmons draft eligible. Listed at 6-foot-6, 290 pounds, the North Carolina native is already getting future First Round NFL Draft projections. While he will have to add a little bit of weight at the next level, he is already putting up big numbers in the weight room — reportedly power cleaned 335 — and his athleticism and intangibles give him an incredibly high ceiling.
I don't think I really have to belabor the point here. Ohio State and Frye have gotten off to a great start in the 2025 class along the offensive line, with commitments from near-five-star tackle Carter Lowe and in-state center Jake Cook, but there is much more work to be done. Sanders would be one of the biggest recruiting wins for the Buckeyes in the modern era, and so he remains the most important target on the board as things stand to begin July.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Five-star 2025 OT David Sanders Jr. | @DavidLSandersJr on Twitter
The Buckeyes’ 2025 class has a few holes still to fill.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about the most important questions yet unanswered for the season. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content and our ”Burning Questions” articles here.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Who is the biggest remaining target for Ohio State?
Josh’s Take
June was a busy recruiting month for the Ohio State football program; One that also turned out to be rather successful, with Ryan Day and Co. adding eight verbal commitments to their 2025 recruiting class. But the summer recruiting fun likely didn’t end yesterday, as a handful of other recruits are scheduled to announce their commitment(s) in July, beginning with Justin Hill on Wednesday.
Also coming in July is/are Burning Questions courtesy of LGHL. How’s that for a segue? In all seriousness, though the Buckeyes crushed the month of June, there are still several (burning) questions about or pertaining to OSU’s 2025 class. Such as: How big will it be or get? Can Justin Frye land an out-of-state blue chip? And should any current commits be on flip watch? Surely there are others as well, but in the interest of time, Gene and I are going to address one that has been on both of our minds.
The burning question that we are attempting to answer today is: Who is Ohio State’s biggest/most important remaining target in the 2025 class?
While I think I know what – or, technically speaking, who – most people’s answer to this question is or would be, I am going to try and put Gene on his heels a bit with my response... So I’ll say that I believe Justin Hill is OSU’s biggest remaining target. For several reasons.
First and foremost, Hill is a beast. Every major recruiting service currently has him as a top-10 edge and a top-5 player in the state of Ohio. If those guys are in your backyard, you go get ‘em. On that topic...
Hill is an Ohio native, and the Buckeyes simply must get the best players in their own state. They just watched Dorian Brew (originally from Ohio) commit to Oregon, and it seems like Trey McNutt (OSU legacy!) will be joining him sooner rather than later. So not only does Ohio State want/arguably need to keep Hill in Ohio, but the program also needs to prevent Oregon and Kentucky from stealing homegrown talent.
Additionally, Hill plays a position of need for the Buckeyes. Or, better yet, he plays positions (plural) of need. The Winton Woods product is listed as an edge, but could theoretically move to linebacker. Or... Or... He could eventually develop into the best Jack of all time, should OSU finally commit to utilizing the hybrid role with which Jim Knowles seems to be obsessed. Hill profiles as a freakishly athletic jack of all trades (no pun intended), and those types of players are good to have on any roster.
And finally, did I mention that Ohio State needs to keep Hill in Ohio — away from freaking Oregon!? The Ducks are (also) listed as one of Hill’s four finalists, and to lose him to a new conference rival with championship aspirations would be really... shitty, for lack of a better word. Brew was already a big loss, but if McNutt and Hill join him, that would be especially tough.
Simply put, Justin Hill is an elite prospect who could potentially play multiple positions for the Buckeyes. The fact that he is from Ohio should put him at the top of OSU’s list of remaining needs. Yes, even above or over a certain unnamed offensive lineman with crazy potential.
Gene’s Take
While I do agree that Hill is tremendously important to this Ohio State class, based both on his being an in-state prospect as well as Oregon being the biggest in-conference threat both in that recruitment and on the field, I will gladly take the layup Josh has provided me here to say that David Sanders Jr. is the biggest remaining target for the Buckeyes.
It is certainly not going out on a limb to say that landing the No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 2 overall player by the 247Sports Composite would be an impressive feat for Justin Frye and the program. Ohio State has not landed a five-star offensive lineman since Donovan Jackson in the 2021 class, and it has not even secured a top-100 nationally ranked player in the position group in either of the last two cycles — be it at guard or at tackle.
Needless to say, Sanders’ commitment would be massive. This past season, perhaps the thing that held the Buckeyes back that most was poor play in the trenches, more specifically on the offensive side of the football. Years of recruiting misses have come back to haunt Ohio State, and while they’ve been able to plug some of the gaps with transfers like Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin, it would help have guys you know you can depend on in-house.
Sanders would obviously fit that bill, and could potentially even start as a freshman with incumbent starter Josh Fryar entering his senior year and Simmons draft eligible. Listed at 6-foot-6, 290 pounds, the North Carolina native is already getting future First Round NFL Draft projections. While he will have to add a little bit of weight at the next level, he is already putting up big numbers in the weight room — reportedly power cleaned 335 — and his athleticism and intangibles give him an incredibly high ceiling.
I don't think I really have to belabor the point here. Ohio State and Frye have gotten off to a great start in the 2025 class along the offensive line, with commitments from near-five-star tackle Carter Lowe and in-state center Jake Cook, but there is much more work to be done. Sanders would be one of the biggest recruiting wins for the Buckeyes in the modern era, and so he remains the most important target on the board as things stand to begin July.
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