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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.
Continue reading...
LGHL BOOOOM! Trajen Odom commits to Ohio State, another DL commitment on the way?
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BOOOOM! Trajen Odom commits to Ohio State, another DL commitment on the way?
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State 2025 commit Trajen Odom (center) with coaches Larry Johnson (left) and LaAllen Clark (right). | via @traajenn on Twitter
Plus, a Buckeyes defensive back target commits elsewhere.
June has now come to a close, and it couldn’t have gone much better for Ohio State on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes added eight new members to their 2025 class this past month, bringing the total to 21 commits for a group ranked No. 1 in the country. The latest addition came on Friday, when Larry Johnson secured another big name in his unit.
That commitment came from four-star defensive lineman Trajen Odom, the No. 31 DL and No. 284 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
The defensive tackle from North Carolina chose the Buckeyes out of a top six schools list that included Colorado, Georgia, Oregon, UCLA and USC. Listed at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, Odom quickly became a priority target for Ohio State on the interior. Odom was originally offered by Johnson back in January, and after making his first visit to campus in March, returned again in May before his official visit on June 7. That OV, as well as his relationship with Johnson, was enough to sway him towards Columbus.
“Being in Columbus, the visit was great,” Odom told Eleven Warriors following his visit in March. “The atmosphere and the area were cool. I liked the relationships I built with coach Day, coach Johnson and the whole defensive staff was great. [...] A big thing is the developmental piece that coach Johnson has put into his players and everything. It’s really a brotherhood there and a great relationship between the players and staff.”
Odom’s commitment gives Ohio State now four total pledges along the defensive line, joining fellow recent commit Zion Grady as well as Zahir Mathis and London Merritt. The Buckeyes really need a big haul at the position in this class, especially with both Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau set to go pro after this upcoming season. Johnson is off to a great start, but there is still some more work to be done.
One of the bigger names still in play is none other than Ohio native Justin Hill. Ranked as the No. 7 EDGE and No. 72 overall prospect in the cycle, the Winton Woods product is a must-get for Ohio State. James Laurinaitis and Tim Walton, his primary recruiters with Hill being recruited as the ‘Jack’ position, will find out if their hard work has paid off when Hill announces his commitment this week on July 3.
There are no Crystal Ball predictions for Hill on 247Sports, but the Buckeyes are far and away the leader in the clubhouse according to On3, with all four RPMs in Ohio State’s favor — including from Steve Wiltfong in early June. Despite being an in-state prospect, it is certainly not a slam dunk for him to end up in Columbus, and the Buckeyes will have to seal the deal in a battle against Alabama, Oregon and USC for Hill’s services. The Ducks are likely Ohio State’s biggest competition in this one.
Elsewhere along the defensive line, Johnson and company are still working on Maxwell Roy, who is set to announce his commitment on Monday afternoon. The defensive tackle plays his prep ball at St. Joseph’s Prep in Pennsylvania, the same school that produced Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kyle McCord, in addition to current OSU running back commit Isaiah West. Roy, the No. 19 DL and No. 152 overall prospect per 247Sports, received a flurry of Crystal Ball predictions in Ohio State’s favor just last week, and they are the clear favorite over rival Michigan — the original favorite in Roy’s recruitment.
While pretty much everything has gone Ohio State’s way on the trail over the last month, there was one negative this past weekend, as defensive back target Dorian Brew committed to Oregon over the Buckeyes.
At one point considered a near-lock to Ohio State, the No. 5 CB and No. 27 overall prospect is instead taking his talents to Eugene. Despite being a five-star prospect, Brew would have been the No. 3 guy at the position in the Buckeyes’ class behind fellow five-stars Devin Sanchez (No. 1 CB) and Na’eem Offord (No. 2 CB). While Tim Walton obviously would have loved to add Brew to that group, it appears Brew would prefer to be the clear top dog elsewhere.
Ohio State certainly isn’t hurting for defensive backs in this class, with an elite corner duo of Sanchez and Offord as well as a trio of talented safeties in Faheem Delane, DeShawn Stewart and Cody Haddad. There are still clear targets out there at safety, including five-stars Tre McNutt and Jonah Williams. However, with their top remaining cornerback target now off the board, Tim Walton and the staff will have to look elsewhere for depth.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State 2025 commit Trajen Odom (center) with coaches Larry Johnson (left) and LaAllen Clark (right). | via @traajenn on Twitter
Plus, a Buckeyes defensive back target commits elsewhere.
June has now come to a close, and it couldn’t have gone much better for Ohio State on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes added eight new members to their 2025 class this past month, bringing the total to 21 commits for a group ranked No. 1 in the country. The latest addition came on Friday, when Larry Johnson secured another big name in his unit.
That commitment came from four-star defensive lineman Trajen Odom, the No. 31 DL and No. 284 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
The defensive tackle from North Carolina chose the Buckeyes out of a top six schools list that included Colorado, Georgia, Oregon, UCLA and USC. Listed at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, Odom quickly became a priority target for Ohio State on the interior. Odom was originally offered by Johnson back in January, and after making his first visit to campus in March, returned again in May before his official visit on June 7. That OV, as well as his relationship with Johnson, was enough to sway him towards Columbus.
“Being in Columbus, the visit was great,” Odom told Eleven Warriors following his visit in March. “The atmosphere and the area were cool. I liked the relationships I built with coach Day, coach Johnson and the whole defensive staff was great. [...] A big thing is the developmental piece that coach Johnson has put into his players and everything. It’s really a brotherhood there and a great relationship between the players and staff.”
Odom’s commitment gives Ohio State now four total pledges along the defensive line, joining fellow recent commit Zion Grady as well as Zahir Mathis and London Merritt. The Buckeyes really need a big haul at the position in this class, especially with both Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau set to go pro after this upcoming season. Johnson is off to a great start, but there is still some more work to be done.
One of the bigger names still in play is none other than Ohio native Justin Hill. Ranked as the No. 7 EDGE and No. 72 overall prospect in the cycle, the Winton Woods product is a must-get for Ohio State. James Laurinaitis and Tim Walton, his primary recruiters with Hill being recruited as the ‘Jack’ position, will find out if their hard work has paid off when Hill announces his commitment this week on July 3.
There are no Crystal Ball predictions for Hill on 247Sports, but the Buckeyes are far and away the leader in the clubhouse according to On3, with all four RPMs in Ohio State’s favor — including from Steve Wiltfong in early June. Despite being an in-state prospect, it is certainly not a slam dunk for him to end up in Columbus, and the Buckeyes will have to seal the deal in a battle against Alabama, Oregon and USC for Hill’s services. The Ducks are likely Ohio State’s biggest competition in this one.
Elsewhere along the defensive line, Johnson and company are still working on Maxwell Roy, who is set to announce his commitment on Monday afternoon. The defensive tackle plays his prep ball at St. Joseph’s Prep in Pennsylvania, the same school that produced Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kyle McCord, in addition to current OSU running back commit Isaiah West. Roy, the No. 19 DL and No. 152 overall prospect per 247Sports, received a flurry of Crystal Ball predictions in Ohio State’s favor just last week, and they are the clear favorite over rival Michigan — the original favorite in Roy’s recruitment.
While pretty much everything has gone Ohio State’s way on the trail over the last month, there was one negative this past weekend, as defensive back target Dorian Brew committed to Oregon over the Buckeyes.
At one point considered a near-lock to Ohio State, the No. 5 CB and No. 27 overall prospect is instead taking his talents to Eugene. Despite being a five-star prospect, Brew would have been the No. 3 guy at the position in the Buckeyes’ class behind fellow five-stars Devin Sanchez (No. 1 CB) and Na’eem Offord (No. 2 CB). While Tim Walton obviously would have loved to add Brew to that group, it appears Brew would prefer to be the clear top dog elsewhere.
Ohio State certainly isn’t hurting for defensive backs in this class, with an elite corner duo of Sanchez and Offord as well as a trio of talented safeties in Faheem Delane, DeShawn Stewart and Cody Haddad. There are still clear targets out there at safety, including five-stars Tre McNutt and Jonah Williams. However, with their top remaining cornerback target now off the board, Tim Walton and the staff will have to look elsewhere for depth.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State running back target Shekai Mills-Knight released his top eight schools over the weekend, with the Buckeyes making the cut alongside Alabama, Auburn, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Ole Miss and Tennessee. Mills-Knight, the No. 31 RB and the No. 13 player out of his home state of Tennessee, would be an excellent addition to a group that already includes Bo Jackson and the aforementioned West. Of note, Mills-Knight was position coach Carlos Locklyn’s first official offer upon his arrival at Ohio State.
Committing soonwhere’s home ?? pic.twitter.com/sGcdGDe21c
— Shekai Mills-Knight️ (@sk_begreat) June 29, 2024
- Ohio State will also be hoping to add to its recruiting class on the basketball side of things on Monday, with four-star shooting guard Dorian Jones set to announce his commitment. The Cleveland native is the No. 12 SG and No. 72 overall prospect per the 247Sports Composite, and is set to choose between Ohio State, Michigan, Missouri and Rutgers.
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