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LGHL Former Kentucky forward Ajae Petty transfers to Ohio State
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Former Kentucky forward Ajae Petty transfers to Ohio State
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
The Kentucky Wildcat who averaged a double-double joins the Buckeyes for her last season of eligibility
On Sunday, Ohio State women’s basketball added its first transfer of the portal season. Guard Chance Gray, out of the Oregon Ducks, joined the Buckeyes to help fill gaps in perimeter shooting left by graduating seniors. Now, head coach Kevin McGuff has added another name to address a key area of concern for Ohio State, as former Kentucky Wildcats forward Ajae Petty announced on Monday that she would be joining the Buckeyes.
It took a while for Petty to make a substantial impact at the collegiate level, but last season she delivered. In the forward’s first four years in college basketball, she split it with two years as an LSU Tiger and two seasons in Kentucky.
In her first three seasons, Petty had 60 appearances, but no starts, across the two SEC sides. In those appearances, Petty averaged 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds with an average of 10 minutes played per game. Last year though, Petty finally got the chance to start and she made the best of it.
Starting all 32 games for the Wildcats, Petty had a career season. The forward averaged 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds for the struggling Kentucky side. In those 32 games were 18 double-double performances, ending the season third in the conference in rebounds (339) and rebounds per game.
Now, Petty joins an Ohio State side that has struggled to grab missed shots for the last four seasons. Each year, the Buckeyes ended the season with a negative rebounding differential, and no year was worse than the 2023-24 season. The Scarlet and Gray ended the year with a -2.4 rebounding differential, good for the second-worst mark in the conference. It especially hurt Ohio State in the postseason.
Against the Maryland Terrapins, in the Buckeyes’ lone game of the Big Ten Tournament, the Terrapins outrebounded Ohio State 55-31 in an 82-61 lopsided Maryland win. Then, in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, the Duke Blue Devils held the Scarlet and Gray to only 20 rebounds, grabbing 18 more than the No. 2 seed.
Adding Petty helps lessen that rebounding gap to Ohio State’s opponents. The graduate senior joins senior Taylor Thierry, junior Cotie McMahon, and sophomore center Faith Carson in the group of forwards. Also, Eboni Walker might have an extra year of eligibility due to an injury sustained in the 2021-22 season when she played for the Syracuse Orange, but McGuff and company are still waiting on a ruling from the NCAA.
The Buckeyes also have a group of incoming freshmen which includes forwards Ella Hobbs and Elsa Lemmila. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-6 respectively, they add to an OSU post presence that’s more formidable than in years past.
The transfer portal will remain open until May 1, giving McGuff more time to add names to the Buckeyes roster. With Petty, Ohio State is up to 13 players on its 2024-25 roster, with a few potential spots yet to fill.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
The Kentucky Wildcat who averaged a double-double joins the Buckeyes for her last season of eligibility
On Sunday, Ohio State women’s basketball added its first transfer of the portal season. Guard Chance Gray, out of the Oregon Ducks, joined the Buckeyes to help fill gaps in perimeter shooting left by graduating seniors. Now, head coach Kevin McGuff has added another name to address a key area of concern for Ohio State, as former Kentucky Wildcats forward Ajae Petty announced on Monday that she would be joining the Buckeyes.
It took a while for Petty to make a substantial impact at the collegiate level, but last season she delivered. In the forward’s first four years in college basketball, she split it with two years as an LSU Tiger and two seasons in Kentucky.
In her first three seasons, Petty had 60 appearances, but no starts, across the two SEC sides. In those appearances, Petty averaged 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds with an average of 10 minutes played per game. Last year though, Petty finally got the chance to start and she made the best of it.
Starting all 32 games for the Wildcats, Petty had a career season. The forward averaged 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds for the struggling Kentucky side. In those 32 games were 18 double-double performances, ending the season third in the conference in rebounds (339) and rebounds per game.
Now, Petty joins an Ohio State side that has struggled to grab missed shots for the last four seasons. Each year, the Buckeyes ended the season with a negative rebounding differential, and no year was worse than the 2023-24 season. The Scarlet and Gray ended the year with a -2.4 rebounding differential, good for the second-worst mark in the conference. It especially hurt Ohio State in the postseason.
Against the Maryland Terrapins, in the Buckeyes’ lone game of the Big Ten Tournament, the Terrapins outrebounded Ohio State 55-31 in an 82-61 lopsided Maryland win. Then, in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, the Duke Blue Devils held the Scarlet and Gray to only 20 rebounds, grabbing 18 more than the No. 2 seed.
Adding Petty helps lessen that rebounding gap to Ohio State’s opponents. The graduate senior joins senior Taylor Thierry, junior Cotie McMahon, and sophomore center Faith Carson in the group of forwards. Also, Eboni Walker might have an extra year of eligibility due to an injury sustained in the 2021-22 season when she played for the Syracuse Orange, but McGuff and company are still waiting on a ruling from the NCAA.
The Buckeyes also have a group of incoming freshmen which includes forwards Ella Hobbs and Elsa Lemmila. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-6 respectively, they add to an OSU post presence that’s more formidable than in years past.
The transfer portal will remain open until May 1, giving McGuff more time to add names to the Buckeyes roster. With Petty, Ohio State is up to 13 players on its 2024-25 roster, with a few potential spots yet to fill.
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LGHL 2024 Ohio State Spring Game: Three pleasant surprises
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2024 Ohio State Spring Game: Three pleasant surprises
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are a few things that stood out from Saturday’s Spring Game.
The annual Ohio State Spring Game has come and gone. Team Scarlet nipped Team Gray, 34-33, in front of a crowd of 80,012 at the Horseshoe. However, since the Spring Game isn’t really a football game these days, the score and winning side is almost immaterial — except that all wholesome, correct-thinking individuals will always root for Team Scarlet, but I digress.
As always, there were plenty of talking points, and here are three of the things that stood out to me on Saturday.
It was interesting to see a running game emerge during the Spring Game. With many players considered “down” when touched — or even just at the threat of it happening — it’s unusual for the running backs to stand out, but that’s what happened on Saturday, as the final tally was 243 rushing yards. That’s pretty good when most players don’t have the option to break tackles and gain extra yards after contact (although some did, as it was a mixture of live action and “thud tempo”).
There was good jump in the legs of both presumed starters, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, but they weren’t the only ones who looked good. With Dallan Hayden moving on, I was interested in seeing what the Buckeyes have behind Henderson and Judkins, and I wasn’t disappointed.
James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon showed their skills, and the Buckeyes look like they’ll be OK in the depth department this season. Peoples ran for 36 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, but he always looked threatening in an if-this-game-was-for-real-things-might-be-different kind of way. Williams-Dixon did even better, running for 75 yards and a score on 11 attempts.
Both players look like they’ll be able to help out if needed in 2024. Plus, TC Caffey looks healthy again.
It wasn’t lost on me that the quarterbacks combined for 46 of those rushing yards, and I expect we’ll see more quarterback running in 2024 than we have over the past several seasons.
Linebackers CJ Hicks and Sonny Styles tallied a combined 14 tackles in the Spring Game, and it seemed like more. Both guys were around the ball a lot, with Hicks finishing with eight stops and Styles ending the day with six.
There will be snaps for new faces at linebacker in 2024, and it’s a good look for Hicks and Styles to contribute. Sure, it’s just the Spring Game, but it’s still good to see them stepping up with Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers departing.
Speaking of linebackers, Mitchell Melton also flashed in this game. Can this guy just stay healthy for a season — please? I’m interested to know what a season with a completely healthy Melton looks like.
It wasn’t exactly surprising that Ohio State’s secondary was good on Saturday. The defensive backs were up against opposing quarterbacks that were either inexperienced, new to the program, or both. But they were also competing against an insanely talented wide receivers group, and it seemed like everyone was making plays.
Calvin Simpson-Hunt, Inky Jones, Jaylen McClain, and Dianté Griffin all got their hands on an interception on Saturday. Jones was everywhere, finishing with seven tackles, while freshman cornerback Aaron Scott made six stops. Veteran Davison Igbinosun had terrific blanket coverage for most of his snaps, too.
One can never put too much stock in Spring Game performances, but that’s all the live Ohio State football we get until the fall, so it’s still worth watching.
Which players impressed you?
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are a few things that stood out from Saturday’s Spring Game.
The annual Ohio State Spring Game has come and gone. Team Scarlet nipped Team Gray, 34-33, in front of a crowd of 80,012 at the Horseshoe. However, since the Spring Game isn’t really a football game these days, the score and winning side is almost immaterial — except that all wholesome, correct-thinking individuals will always root for Team Scarlet, but I digress.
As always, there were plenty of talking points, and here are three of the things that stood out to me on Saturday.
Running Back Depth
It was interesting to see a running game emerge during the Spring Game. With many players considered “down” when touched — or even just at the threat of it happening — it’s unusual for the running backs to stand out, but that’s what happened on Saturday, as the final tally was 243 rushing yards. That’s pretty good when most players don’t have the option to break tackles and gain extra yards after contact (although some did, as it was a mixture of live action and “thud tempo”).
There was good jump in the legs of both presumed starters, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, but they weren’t the only ones who looked good. With Dallan Hayden moving on, I was interested in seeing what the Buckeyes have behind Henderson and Judkins, and I wasn’t disappointed.
James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon showed their skills, and the Buckeyes look like they’ll be OK in the depth department this season. Peoples ran for 36 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, but he always looked threatening in an if-this-game-was-for-real-things-might-be-different kind of way. Williams-Dixon did even better, running for 75 yards and a score on 11 attempts.
Both players look like they’ll be able to help out if needed in 2024. Plus, TC Caffey looks healthy again.
It wasn’t lost on me that the quarterbacks combined for 46 of those rushing yards, and I expect we’ll see more quarterback running in 2024 than we have over the past several seasons.
Hicks, Styles Looked the Part
Linebackers CJ Hicks and Sonny Styles tallied a combined 14 tackles in the Spring Game, and it seemed like more. Both guys were around the ball a lot, with Hicks finishing with eight stops and Styles ending the day with six.
There will be snaps for new faces at linebacker in 2024, and it’s a good look for Hicks and Styles to contribute. Sure, it’s just the Spring Game, but it’s still good to see them stepping up with Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers departing.
Speaking of linebackers, Mitchell Melton also flashed in this game. Can this guy just stay healthy for a season — please? I’m interested to know what a season with a completely healthy Melton looks like.
One Serious Secondary
It wasn’t exactly surprising that Ohio State’s secondary was good on Saturday. The defensive backs were up against opposing quarterbacks that were either inexperienced, new to the program, or both. But they were also competing against an insanely talented wide receivers group, and it seemed like everyone was making plays.
Calvin Simpson-Hunt, Inky Jones, Jaylen McClain, and Dianté Griffin all got their hands on an interception on Saturday. Jones was everywhere, finishing with seven tackles, while freshman cornerback Aaron Scott made six stops. Veteran Davison Igbinosun had terrific blanket coverage for most of his snaps, too.
One can never put too much stock in Spring Game performances, but that’s all the live Ohio State football we get until the fall, so it’s still worth watching.
Which players impressed you?
Continue reading...
C Aaron Bradshaw (transfer to Memphis)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Alumni
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Aaron Bradshaw, Kentucky Wildcats, Center (BK)
Aaron Bradshaw is a 7-0, 207-pound Center from Roselle, NJ.
247sports.com
Aaron Bradshaw
Aaron Bradshaw was viewed as the top center prospect in the national class of 2023. He was 7-feet plus, mobile, and athletic with good hands, a soft touch that extended out to the three-point line, and shot-blocking ability. Production didn’t always live up to his potential though, with his motor and physicality both being clear works-in-progress during his high school years.It was more of the same this year at Kentucky, especially after his transition to the college game was impeded by an injury that cost him the first few weeks of the season. While he made an immediate impact upon returning in early December, he saw his role diminish as the season went on. He finished the season averaging just 4.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 13.8 minutes per night.
While there is unfortunately now a pattern of underachieving, what is debatable is how much of that is contextual, after playing on teams built around DJ Wagner throughout high school. What remains undeniable is that Bradshaw’s ceiling remains high if he ever fully commits himself to maximizing his potential. There just aren’t many seven-footers who can space the floor vertically and with their shooting while simultaneously being able to protect the rim and move their feet laterally.
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LGHL BOOM! Kentucky transfer, former five-star recruit Aaron Bradshaw will transfer to Ohio State
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BOOM! Kentucky transfer, former five-star recruit Aaron Bradshaw will transfer 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
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
The rising sophomore averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for Kentucky last season.
Let Jake Diebler cook.
On Monday afternoon, Ohio State landed a commitment from Aaron Bradshaw, a 7-foot-1, 225-pound center who is a rising sophomore and played sparingly at Kentucky during his freshman season. Bradshaw averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season while playing just under 14 minutes per game. He shot 57.6% overall, but only took 3.3 shot attempts per game.
He visited Ohio State this past weekend, April 13-14. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Bradshaw committed to Diebler and the Buckeyes while on his visit.
Per 247Sports, Bradshaw was the No. 4 overall player and a consensus five-star recruit in the class of 2023. He was the top center in the class and the top player in the state of New Jersey, just ahead of high school (Camden) and Kentucky teammate DJ Wagner. News broke on April 7 that UK head coach John Calipari was leaving Kentucky after 15 seasons to take the same job at Arkansas. By the next day, Bradshaw had opted to transfer.
Bradshaw’s best performance of the season was a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double against Penn on December 9. Both marks were career-highs for the freshman, whose role dwindled over the final nine games of the season. From February 17 onward, Bradshaw averaged just 5.6 minutes per game, and only played four minutes in Kentucky’s 80-76 loss to Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The talented freshman was expected to be a key rotation piece for the Wildcats, but sustained a foot fracture in late June, which took over five months to fully heal. He missed the entire pre-season as well as the first seven games of the regular season, and once he returned, a good chunk of the minutes at center went to Ugonna Onyenso, Zvonimir Ivišić, and Tre Mitchell.
Bradshaw was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on January 8, following a win over Florida where he scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds, had two steals, and blocked one shot. He scored all 10 points in the final 9:05 of the game.
Aside from the fact that Bradshaw is perhaps the most talented center — from a pure skills standpoint — to don the scarlet and gray since Greg Oden, the big question is how Bradshaw fits with the current roster. Felix Okpara — Ohio State’s starting center this past season — announced he was coming back on April 1. Zed Key, who was the primary backup at center, transferred to Dayton on Monday morning. Rising sophomore Austin Parks, a 6-foot-10, 250 pound big man who was also pursued by Illinois and Michigan State, has not entered the transfer portal or given any indication that he will do so.
So where does Bradshaw fit in? With his talent, it’s unlikely that he would opt to go somewhere that couldn’t give him plenty of minutes. At the same time, Okpara may not have come back if he knew that he would be relegated to the bench, especially after playing the best basketball of his career at the end of the season.
While Bradshaw is taller than Okpara by two inches, he has not shown the same shot-blocking prowess in high school or at Kentucky that Okpara — who was second in the Big Ten in blocks this season — already has. Okpara also finished 14th in rebounds in the Big Ten this season, despite playing just 24 minutes per game.
Okpara has not and may never develop an outside shot, nor does the ball wind up in his hands very often other than below the basket. Bradshaw, on the other hand, was touted as a big who can stretch the floor coming out of Camden High School, as well as a player who can handle the ball reasonably well. He only took 14 three-point attempts as a freshman at Kentucky and hit four of them (28.6%), but scouting reports in high school described him as someone who can shoot from range and move his feet on the perimeter.
Without hearing it directly from Diebler, it sure looks like the first-year head coach is scheming up a way to play both bigs at the same time, with Austin Parks waiting in reserve. Chris Holtmann tried this at times with Okpara and Key, but Bradshaw has the mobility and shooting potential that Key did not, which makes a “twin towers” lineup more feasible with Bradshaw. Even if Bradshaw doesn’t start right away, he will easily play more than the 13.7 minutes per game he played at Kentucky last season.
With the addition of Bradshaw, Ohio State now has two scholarships remaining. They will likely add another guard, and a wing who can be plugged in to play at forward alongside Devin Royal or Evan Mahaffey.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
The rising sophomore averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for Kentucky last season.
Let Jake Diebler cook.
On Monday afternoon, Ohio State landed a commitment from Aaron Bradshaw, a 7-foot-1, 225-pound center who is a rising sophomore and played sparingly at Kentucky during his freshman season. Bradshaw averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season while playing just under 14 minutes per game. He shot 57.6% overall, but only took 3.3 shot attempts per game.
He visited Ohio State this past weekend, April 13-14. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Bradshaw committed to Diebler and the Buckeyes while on his visit.
Per 247Sports, Bradshaw was the No. 4 overall player and a consensus five-star recruit in the class of 2023. He was the top center in the class and the top player in the state of New Jersey, just ahead of high school (Camden) and Kentucky teammate DJ Wagner. News broke on April 7 that UK head coach John Calipari was leaving Kentucky after 15 seasons to take the same job at Arkansas. By the next day, Bradshaw had opted to transfer.
Bradshaw’s best performance of the season was a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double against Penn on December 9. Both marks were career-highs for the freshman, whose role dwindled over the final nine games of the season. From February 17 onward, Bradshaw averaged just 5.6 minutes per game, and only played four minutes in Kentucky’s 80-76 loss to Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The talented freshman was expected to be a key rotation piece for the Wildcats, but sustained a foot fracture in late June, which took over five months to fully heal. He missed the entire pre-season as well as the first seven games of the regular season, and once he returned, a good chunk of the minutes at center went to Ugonna Onyenso, Zvonimir Ivišić, and Tre Mitchell.
Bradshaw was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on January 8, following a win over Florida where he scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds, had two steals, and blocked one shot. He scored all 10 points in the final 9:05 of the game.
The Fit
Aside from the fact that Bradshaw is perhaps the most talented center — from a pure skills standpoint — to don the scarlet and gray since Greg Oden, the big question is how Bradshaw fits with the current roster. Felix Okpara — Ohio State’s starting center this past season — announced he was coming back on April 1. Zed Key, who was the primary backup at center, transferred to Dayton on Monday morning. Rising sophomore Austin Parks, a 6-foot-10, 250 pound big man who was also pursued by Illinois and Michigan State, has not entered the transfer portal or given any indication that he will do so.
So where does Bradshaw fit in? With his talent, it’s unlikely that he would opt to go somewhere that couldn’t give him plenty of minutes. At the same time, Okpara may not have come back if he knew that he would be relegated to the bench, especially after playing the best basketball of his career at the end of the season.
While Bradshaw is taller than Okpara by two inches, he has not shown the same shot-blocking prowess in high school or at Kentucky that Okpara — who was second in the Big Ten in blocks this season — already has. Okpara also finished 14th in rebounds in the Big Ten this season, despite playing just 24 minutes per game.
Okpara has not and may never develop an outside shot, nor does the ball wind up in his hands very often other than below the basket. Bradshaw, on the other hand, was touted as a big who can stretch the floor coming out of Camden High School, as well as a player who can handle the ball reasonably well. He only took 14 three-point attempts as a freshman at Kentucky and hit four of them (28.6%), but scouting reports in high school described him as someone who can shoot from range and move his feet on the perimeter.
Without hearing it directly from Diebler, it sure looks like the first-year head coach is scheming up a way to play both bigs at the same time, with Austin Parks waiting in reserve. Chris Holtmann tried this at times with Okpara and Key, but Bradshaw has the mobility and shooting potential that Key did not, which makes a “twin towers” lineup more feasible with Bradshaw. Even if Bradshaw doesn’t start right away, he will easily play more than the 13.7 minutes per game he played at Kentucky last season.
With the addition of Bradshaw, Ohio State now has two scholarships remaining. They will likely add another guard, and a wing who can be plugged in to play at forward alongside Devin Royal or Evan Mahaffey.
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LGHL Ohio State’s BOOOOMing weekends gives it the No. 1 class in the country
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Ohio State’s BOOOOMing weekends gives it the No. 1 class in the country
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Four-star Ohio State TE commit Nate Roberts with position coach Keenan Bailey | @nateroberts2025 on Twitter
The Buckeyes added two more commitments to their 2025 class on Saturday.
With Saturday’s spring game now in the books, it marks the end of Ohio State’s spring practice period. While the action on the field will slow down significantly over the next few months, the Buckeyes will likely be busier than ever on the recruiting trail.
On top of continuing to build in both the 2025 and 2026 classes, Ohio State can also look to fill any remaining holes when the transfer portal window re-opens on Monday. Players will be able to enter the transfer portal now through April 30, with graduate transfers having until May 1.
We already know Ohio State will be losing running back Dallan Hayden during this window, and there is a good chance a few other names deeper on the depth chart will like to find a new home as well. On the flip side, the Buckeyes can potentially look to bulk up their offensive line, in addition to already having a Crystal Ball for UMass transfer RB Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams.
But before transfer portal madness 2.0 begins, let’s talk about another big weekend for Ohio State in the traditional recruiting sense. Ryan Day and his staff earned two commitments in the 2025 class on Saturday, and both are big editions.
Chronologically, the first new pledge for the Buckeyes is a name that has been linked to the program for quite some time now in four-star tight end Nate Roberts.
Roberts comes in as the No. 5 TE and the No. 118 player nationally in the 2025 class, per the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-4 Oklahoma native picked Ohio State out of nearly 40 offers, having initially committed to Notre Dame last June before re-opening his recruitment in August. The Buckeyes ultimately beat out his other top five schools, which included Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon and Penn State.
“I was always telling myself to stay home and to go 20 minutes away at Oklahoma, but the opportunities at Ohio State put them on top,” Roberts told On3. “It is the best fit for me. Over time, I made that decision. They can develop me into a next level tight end and get me where I need to be to be drafted into to the NFL.”
“Ohio State is where I want to be, and if I want to win a national championship, that is where I need to be,” Roberts said. “Ohio State proved to me I was their guy and my recruitment is 100% locked down and Ohio state is my place.”
Roberts knows what it takes to win, as his Washington Warriors went undefeated and won the state championship in both his sophomore and junior seasons. In those two seasons, Roberts hauled in a combined 1,521 yards and 19 total touchdowns. A multi-sport athlete, the tight end also played for Washington’s baseball team, and was a member of the school’s back-to-back Oklahoma 3A state championships in 2022-23.
On the other side of the ball, Ohio State landed a commitment from in-state safety Cody Haddad.
It wasn’t too long ago that the Cleveland native was a member of Wisconsin’s recruiting class, having committed to the Badgers on Jan. 17. However, things changed when the Ohio State offer rolled in on Jan. 20, and after de-committing from Wisconsin on April 1, he is now a member of the Buckeyes’ 2025 supremely talented group.
Officially listed as an athlete, Haddad ranks as the No. 30 ATH and No. 16 player out of Ohio per the 247Sports Composite, but his film shows a prospect with a much higher ceiling than his ranking would indicate. He is also a candidate to see his stock rise during his senior season, as an injury limited him to just four games as a junior. Even still, the nearly two dozen offers to his name and significant interest from the OSU defensive coaching staff should be enough to convince of his talent.
Here is what 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu had to say of Haddad’s abilities:
The fifth defensive back and second safety in Ohio State’s 2025 class, Haddad’s relationship with new safeties coach Matt Guerrieri seemed to be the leading factor in him re-opening his recruitment and returning home to join the Buckeyes.
“They offered me there and for me, it was kind of a shock,” Haddad told Lettermen Row back in February. “I was like ‘Wow I’ve been here two times and didn’t get shown any love the first two visits’ and then Coach G came in and kind of opened the eyes of the other coaches. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles loved my film and came to the school before that visit in January.”
With both Haddad and Roberts in the fold, the Buckeyes are up to 13 total commitments. Surpassing Notre Dame, who has 19 commits, Ohio State now owns the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in 2025. In addition, the Buckeyes also lay claim to the highest average player rating at 94.69. There is still work to be done, of course, for Ryan Day and his staff, but this cycle is off to an incredibly strong start — especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Four-star Ohio State TE commit Nate Roberts with position coach Keenan Bailey | @nateroberts2025 on Twitter
The Buckeyes added two more commitments to their 2025 class on Saturday.
With Saturday’s spring game now in the books, it marks the end of Ohio State’s spring practice period. While the action on the field will slow down significantly over the next few months, the Buckeyes will likely be busier than ever on the recruiting trail.
On top of continuing to build in both the 2025 and 2026 classes, Ohio State can also look to fill any remaining holes when the transfer portal window re-opens on Monday. Players will be able to enter the transfer portal now through April 30, with graduate transfers having until May 1.
We already know Ohio State will be losing running back Dallan Hayden during this window, and there is a good chance a few other names deeper on the depth chart will like to find a new home as well. On the flip side, the Buckeyes can potentially look to bulk up their offensive line, in addition to already having a Crystal Ball for UMass transfer RB Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams.
But before transfer portal madness 2.0 begins, let’s talk about another big weekend for Ohio State in the traditional recruiting sense. Ryan Day and his staff earned two commitments in the 2025 class on Saturday, and both are big editions.
Chronologically, the first new pledge for the Buckeyes is a name that has been linked to the program for quite some time now in four-star tight end Nate Roberts.
Roberts comes in as the No. 5 TE and the No. 118 player nationally in the 2025 class, per the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-4 Oklahoma native picked Ohio State out of nearly 40 offers, having initially committed to Notre Dame last June before re-opening his recruitment in August. The Buckeyes ultimately beat out his other top five schools, which included Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon and Penn State.
“I was always telling myself to stay home and to go 20 minutes away at Oklahoma, but the opportunities at Ohio State put them on top,” Roberts told On3. “It is the best fit for me. Over time, I made that decision. They can develop me into a next level tight end and get me where I need to be to be drafted into to the NFL.”
“Ohio State is where I want to be, and if I want to win a national championship, that is where I need to be,” Roberts said. “Ohio State proved to me I was their guy and my recruitment is 100% locked down and Ohio state is my place.”
Roberts knows what it takes to win, as his Washington Warriors went undefeated and won the state championship in both his sophomore and junior seasons. In those two seasons, Roberts hauled in a combined 1,521 yards and 19 total touchdowns. A multi-sport athlete, the tight end also played for Washington’s baseball team, and was a member of the school’s back-to-back Oklahoma 3A state championships in 2022-23.
On the other side of the ball, Ohio State landed a commitment from in-state safety Cody Haddad.
It wasn’t too long ago that the Cleveland native was a member of Wisconsin’s recruiting class, having committed to the Badgers on Jan. 17. However, things changed when the Ohio State offer rolled in on Jan. 20, and after de-committing from Wisconsin on April 1, he is now a member of the Buckeyes’ 2025 supremely talented group.
Officially listed as an athlete, Haddad ranks as the No. 30 ATH and No. 16 player out of Ohio per the 247Sports Composite, but his film shows a prospect with a much higher ceiling than his ranking would indicate. He is also a candidate to see his stock rise during his senior season, as an injury limited him to just four games as a junior. Even still, the nearly two dozen offers to his name and significant interest from the OSU defensive coaching staff should be enough to convince of his talent.
Here is what 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu had to say of Haddad’s abilities:
The fifth defensive back and second safety in Ohio State’s 2025 class, Haddad’s relationship with new safeties coach Matt Guerrieri seemed to be the leading factor in him re-opening his recruitment and returning home to join the Buckeyes.
“They offered me there and for me, it was kind of a shock,” Haddad told Lettermen Row back in February. “I was like ‘Wow I’ve been here two times and didn’t get shown any love the first two visits’ and then Coach G came in and kind of opened the eyes of the other coaches. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles loved my film and came to the school before that visit in January.”
With both Haddad and Roberts in the fold, the Buckeyes are up to 13 total commitments. Surpassing Notre Dame, who has 19 commits, Ohio State now owns the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in 2025. In addition, the Buckeyes also lay claim to the highest average player rating at 94.69. There is still work to be done, of course, for Ryan Day and his staff, but this cycle is off to an incredibly strong start — especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Quick Hits
- While there was never any doubt this commitment would hold based on he and his family’s public comments about Ohio State as well as their peer recruiting efforts, five-star cornerback commit Devin Sanchez announced on Saturday that he would no longer be taking visits elsewhere as his recruitment is fully closed.
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LGHL Former Oregon Duck Chance Gray commits to Ohio State women’s basketball
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Former Oregon Duck Chance Gray commits to Ohio State women’s basketball
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes add a three-point shooting guard from the transfer portal, out of Cincinnati
For Ohio State women’s basketball, the transfer period’s been decidedly one-sided since it opened on March 18. Following a Second Round exit in the NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes lost three players to the transfer portal. Guards Rikki Harris, Emma Shumate and Diana Collins all left Columbus, seeking new opportunities. On Sunday, Ohio State added a deep shooting sophomore in Chance Gray, filling one of the vacated spots.
On social media, the Cincinnati, Ohio native announced her commitment to the Buckeyes, with at least two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Since entering the NCAA ranks with the Oregon Ducks, Gray started all 66 games she appeared in for the soon-to-be Big Ten side. In the 22/23 season, Gray won a spot on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team. That year, Gray averaged 10.3 points and 2.2 assists with the Ducks.
This season, Gray increased her productivity across the board. Gray scored 13.9 points per game and had 3.0 assists per game. Both good enough for second best in scoring and first in assists for the Ducks.
In terms of finding a like-for-like comparison in Ohio State, Gray’s play mirrors that of now graduated guard Jacy Sheldon. Like the former Buckeye, Gray can score at all three levels. The guard can pull up from deep, averaging the same amount of threes made per game as Sheldon with 1.9, and use her speed and ball handling to charge towards the basket.
With two years, the ceiling is high for Gray to excel in head coach Kevin McGuff’s system. It’s also the return of a player who McGuff recruited prior to her introductory 22/23 season. Gray had an official visit to Ohio State as a high school recruit, and included the Buckeyes in her top 11 schools before choosing the Ducks.
The decision to come to Columbus helps shore up perimeter shooting for Coach McGuff. An area that McGuff shared is a place the Buckeyes needed to improve, the addition of Gray doesn’t improve the team but helps fill a void left by Sheldon’s offensive production.
Gray is the second Oregon Duck to transfer to Ohio State in the last three years. Before the 21/22 season, Ohioan Taylor Mikesell joined a team that recruited her in high school out of the Ducks. What followed was the most consistent force on offense for the Buckeyes in her final two years of eligibility.
With Gray, the Buckeyes now have a backcourt featuring two guards with NCAA experience in Gray and redshirt graduate senior Madison Greene. Plus the addition of the No. 2 overall recruit, and No. 1 point guard, in the 2024 recruiting class in Jaloni Cambridge.
May 1st is when the transfer portal season ends for NCAA women’s basketball. Expect the Buckeyes to add more than Gray in the coming weeks. Another interesting transfer prospect out of Oregon is another Ohioan in forward Grace VanSlooten. Although the Toledo, Ohio native didn’t have an official visit with the Buckeyes during her high school recruitment, she’s a name to watch.
Also, Kentucky Forward Ajae Petty. The former LSU Tiger and Kentucky Wildcat has one year remaining and had an official visit to Ohio State this weekend. With the Tigers, Petty averaged a double-double this season, with 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Another potential transfer who would improve an area of struggle for the Buckeyes, this time with rebounding.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes add a three-point shooting guard from the transfer portal, out of Cincinnati
For Ohio State women’s basketball, the transfer period’s been decidedly one-sided since it opened on March 18. Following a Second Round exit in the NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes lost three players to the transfer portal. Guards Rikki Harris, Emma Shumate and Diana Collins all left Columbus, seeking new opportunities. On Sunday, Ohio State added a deep shooting sophomore in Chance Gray, filling one of the vacated spots.
On social media, the Cincinnati, Ohio native announced her commitment to the Buckeyes, with at least two seasons of eligibility remaining.
So excited to be a buckeye!!#home #Committed @OhioStateWBB pic.twitter.com/8xYQ78i9T0
— chance gray (@chancegrayy) April 14, 2024
Since entering the NCAA ranks with the Oregon Ducks, Gray started all 66 games she appeared in for the soon-to-be Big Ten side. In the 22/23 season, Gray won a spot on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team. That year, Gray averaged 10.3 points and 2.2 assists with the Ducks.
This season, Gray increased her productivity across the board. Gray scored 13.9 points per game and had 3.0 assists per game. Both good enough for second best in scoring and first in assists for the Ducks.
In terms of finding a like-for-like comparison in Ohio State, Gray’s play mirrors that of now graduated guard Jacy Sheldon. Like the former Buckeye, Gray can score at all three levels. The guard can pull up from deep, averaging the same amount of threes made per game as Sheldon with 1.9, and use her speed and ball handling to charge towards the basket.
With two years, the ceiling is high for Gray to excel in head coach Kevin McGuff’s system. It’s also the return of a player who McGuff recruited prior to her introductory 22/23 season. Gray had an official visit to Ohio State as a high school recruit, and included the Buckeyes in her top 11 schools before choosing the Ducks.
The decision to come to Columbus helps shore up perimeter shooting for Coach McGuff. An area that McGuff shared is a place the Buckeyes needed to improve, the addition of Gray doesn’t improve the team but helps fill a void left by Sheldon’s offensive production.
Gray is the second Oregon Duck to transfer to Ohio State in the last three years. Before the 21/22 season, Ohioan Taylor Mikesell joined a team that recruited her in high school out of the Ducks. What followed was the most consistent force on offense for the Buckeyes in her final two years of eligibility.
With Gray, the Buckeyes now have a backcourt featuring two guards with NCAA experience in Gray and redshirt graduate senior Madison Greene. Plus the addition of the No. 2 overall recruit, and No. 1 point guard, in the 2024 recruiting class in Jaloni Cambridge.
May 1st is when the transfer portal season ends for NCAA women’s basketball. Expect the Buckeyes to add more than Gray in the coming weeks. Another interesting transfer prospect out of Oregon is another Ohioan in forward Grace VanSlooten. Although the Toledo, Ohio native didn’t have an official visit with the Buckeyes during her high school recruitment, she’s a name to watch.
Also, Kentucky Forward Ajae Petty. The former LSU Tiger and Kentucky Wildcat has one year remaining and had an official visit to Ohio State this weekend. With the Tigers, Petty averaged a double-double this season, with 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Another potential transfer who would improve an area of struggle for the Buckeyes, this time with rebounding.
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