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2025 CA LB Noah Karim Mikhail (Texas A&M Signee)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 6 Replies
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Class: 2025
Position: LB/ATH
School: La Verne(CA) Bonita
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 205lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2025
Position: LB/ATH
School: La Verne(CA) Bonita
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 205lbs
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LGHL This is finally the year at Ohio State! The Year of the Tight End is upon us
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This is finally the year at Ohio State! The Year of the Tight End is upon us
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK
The yearly conversation is back after Ohio State’s tight ends met with media, this year is going to be different
One of the most influential offseason conversations every year for Ohio State is about the tight end position. Year after year the Buckeyes have a group of talented individuals at the position, and the fanbase always wants to see more production. New tight ends coach Keenan Bailey coming from the receiver room, should bring even more expectations that Ohio State is going to throw to the tight ends.
For years, I have not jumped on the bandwagon of needing better tight end production. If the position group blocks well and is able to catch the ball when it’s thrown their way, the success is in the job being done right. But this doesn’t stop people from wanting to see the stat sheet filled. Last season, Cade Stover had more catches than any tight end since Rickey Dudley and was the third-leading receiver in receptions last year.
That being said there is always a want for more, and this season I am fully on board with 2023 being “The Year of the Tight End” movement. This season Ohio State will finally have a tight end that is not only serviceable but an absolute weapon. As a group, there is more talent in the room than there has been for a long time.
Now looking back, Ohio State has had its share of solid tight ends who have not only been great Buckeyes but have carved out solid careers in the NFL. Being “pro-ready” is not necessarily the ideal thing for a college Te, but there is a reason Jeremy Ruckert was a second-round pick.
Every year, fans clamored for Ruckert to be utilized as the weapon that made the one-hand snag in the Big Ten title, which never came. After a huge success last season, I want to make a promise that as a collective unit, the Buckeyes will be the best tight end room in the country.
Last year, Cade Stover was about to break the landmark set by Ohio State’s former basketball player turned football tight end Rickey Dudley, but was knocked out of the College football playoff matchup. Dudley and his 37 catches still lead the tight end position as the most in OSU history, and that was all the way back in 1995.
With all the talented tight ends that have been through the program, there feels like there should be zero reasons that Ohio State has not had a tight end with more catches than 37. Stover’s 36 catches were the most since that season, and the Buckeyes definitely had him in the game plan early against the Bulldogs.
The only way this doesn’t work out is if the Buckeyes get additional production from the rest of the room. Ohio State only had nine catches outside of Stover last season between the trio of Mitch Rossi, Gee Scott Jr., and Joe Royer. This offseason has been filled with confidence growing in Scott Jr. and Royer, which might not bode well for the catch total of Stover.
What it does bode well for is the “Year of the Tight End,” adding to the two other tight ends is the talented, supremely athletic Jelani Thurman. As a group of four this unit will have the most tight end production in a long time. A big reason is the safety valve role this position has played, and the Buckeyes using this as a weapon against opposing defenses.
Ohio State has been utilizing its tight ends to attack additional holes in the defense that the elite receiver room opens up. Last season, when Ohio State made teams plan for stopping Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming, Stover was utilized to find the holes that opened up because of this.
Using some clips from last season, we can see how the Buckeyes were able to find easy completions as well as big plays with the tight end group. Early in the season, a staple of the downfield passing attack’s foundation was laid. Ohio State would push downfield vertically with their receivers, fake a stretch toss play, and after faking a block would sneak out Stover on a wheel route. Stover clears the linebacker covering the flat, and the first overall pick C.J. Stroud delivered a perfect ball to the tight end running by himself.
via GIPHY
In the next play, Stover showed what happens when the safety is forced to not only monitor the tight end but also be available to help on the receiver to the same side of the field. Ohio State runs a soft play-action with a show fake on their wide zone. Stover beats the linebacker up the field and the safety widens to help outside. The safety is expecting a stronger reroute, without that Stover has the space to split the two safeties and make another big play. That moment of hesitation to help the receivers is all a player like Stover needs to get into space to make a play.
via GIPHY
In the last play, Ohio State goes back to basics at the goal line. The Buckeyes sell a hard run fake, each player on the line of scrimmage down blocks to the left, and Stover gives a hard chip to sell the run-action. Stroud sells a hard-run fake on the naked boot which draws the defenders forward. This leaves the easiest touchdown of both Stroud and Stover’s seasons.
via GIPHY
Ohio State was incredibly creative in how they utilized Stover last season, and with the receivers returning this should create a lot of opportunities for the Buckeye tight ends. For the Buckeyes, defenses will have to pick who beats them and many teams will take their chances with the tight ends. When that happens it is up to the tight ends to make the plays when their name is called for the “Year of the Tight End.”
Last season Ohio State struggled in short-yardage situations and a reason for that was Stover’s struggles blocking upfield at the second level. When the Buckeyes were using Stover as in-line blocker, he was fine and was an extension of the offensive line. The issues came on bubble screens and when he had to cut off the back side linebacker.
Looking at the run game struggles Stover was not the only part of the issue, but with a young offensive line the importance of the tight end as a run-blocker has more importance this season. Stover had a 70.5 run blocking grade according to PFF which is a solid, but to the ire of the fanbase blocking is the most important part of this tight end position.
With Ryan Day running a significant amount of 12-personnel, the loss of Mitch Rossi hurts as he had an 82.3 run blocking grade, Losing the second part of that tandem is going to be a big hole to fill for Keenan Bailey. Filling the Rossi void is going to fall on Royer or Scott Jr., both guys had run locking grades under 60, and to be blunt that is not good enough.
The strength of Kevin Wilson as teaching the blocking aspects of the position, that leaves Bailey in an interesting place with expectations for this position. There will be raised expectations on catching the ball, but sticking to what the Buckeyes truly need from this position is the real task at hand. For the “Year of the Tight End” to be fully successful, dominant run blocking is a significant part of it.
After the tight ends had their availability this week, Baily spoke about challenging them to all become more versatile football players. For the tight end position to be successful they have to be what the position was designed to be, a weapon in the blocking scheme and as a pass catcher. When talking about this, he cited the expertise of both offensive line coach Justin Frye and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline with where they need to be at both skills.
“When you come here and play tight end at Ohio State, you’re gonna get coached like Jaxon got coached and like Paris Johnson got coached,” Bailey said.
For Ohio State, the “Year of the Tight End” means the unit truly embodies both parts of the position. As Ryan Day always says, the tight ends need to be elite blockers to get on the field. We’ve seen the offensive staff reward tight ends for their dirty work, and we also saw that they are trusted as a weapon when defenses overcommit.
This year, I want to see the Dudley catch total finally fall, I want a new trivia question to answer. But with that being said, a successful year for the tight ends won’t fully be defined by one player having 38 catches. The real success of this group will come when they spring off a long touchdown with a great block in space or pick up a huge third down in a crucial moment of a game.
This year will be the year of the tight end, and I will stake my entire reputation on that.
Continue reading...
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK
The yearly conversation is back after Ohio State’s tight ends met with media, this year is going to be different
One of the most influential offseason conversations every year for Ohio State is about the tight end position. Year after year the Buckeyes have a group of talented individuals at the position, and the fanbase always wants to see more production. New tight ends coach Keenan Bailey coming from the receiver room, should bring even more expectations that Ohio State is going to throw to the tight ends.
For years, I have not jumped on the bandwagon of needing better tight end production. If the position group blocks well and is able to catch the ball when it’s thrown their way, the success is in the job being done right. But this doesn’t stop people from wanting to see the stat sheet filled. Last season, Cade Stover had more catches than any tight end since Rickey Dudley and was the third-leading receiver in receptions last year.
That being said there is always a want for more, and this season I am fully on board with 2023 being “The Year of the Tight End” movement. This season Ohio State will finally have a tight end that is not only serviceable but an absolute weapon. As a group, there is more talent in the room than there has been for a long time.
Now looking back, Ohio State has had its share of solid tight ends who have not only been great Buckeyes but have carved out solid careers in the NFL. Being “pro-ready” is not necessarily the ideal thing for a college Te, but there is a reason Jeremy Ruckert was a second-round pick.
Every year, fans clamored for Ruckert to be utilized as the weapon that made the one-hand snag in the Big Ten title, which never came. After a huge success last season, I want to make a promise that as a collective unit, the Buckeyes will be the best tight end room in the country.
A Tight End with more catches than Rickey Dudley
Last year, Cade Stover was about to break the landmark set by Ohio State’s former basketball player turned football tight end Rickey Dudley, but was knocked out of the College football playoff matchup. Dudley and his 37 catches still lead the tight end position as the most in OSU history, and that was all the way back in 1995.
With all the talented tight ends that have been through the program, there feels like there should be zero reasons that Ohio State has not had a tight end with more catches than 37. Stover’s 36 catches were the most since that season, and the Buckeyes definitely had him in the game plan early against the Bulldogs.
The only way this doesn’t work out is if the Buckeyes get additional production from the rest of the room. Ohio State only had nine catches outside of Stover last season between the trio of Mitch Rossi, Gee Scott Jr., and Joe Royer. This offseason has been filled with confidence growing in Scott Jr. and Royer, which might not bode well for the catch total of Stover.
What it does bode well for is the “Year of the Tight End,” adding to the two other tight ends is the talented, supremely athletic Jelani Thurman. As a group of four this unit will have the most tight end production in a long time. A big reason is the safety valve role this position has played, and the Buckeyes using this as a weapon against opposing defenses.
Tight ends as safety valves and downfield weapons
Ohio State has been utilizing its tight ends to attack additional holes in the defense that the elite receiver room opens up. Last season, when Ohio State made teams plan for stopping Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming, Stover was utilized to find the holes that opened up because of this.
Using some clips from last season, we can see how the Buckeyes were able to find easy completions as well as big plays with the tight end group. Early in the season, a staple of the downfield passing attack’s foundation was laid. Ohio State would push downfield vertically with their receivers, fake a stretch toss play, and after faking a block would sneak out Stover on a wheel route. Stover clears the linebacker covering the flat, and the first overall pick C.J. Stroud delivered a perfect ball to the tight end running by himself.
via GIPHY
In the next play, Stover showed what happens when the safety is forced to not only monitor the tight end but also be available to help on the receiver to the same side of the field. Ohio State runs a soft play-action with a show fake on their wide zone. Stover beats the linebacker up the field and the safety widens to help outside. The safety is expecting a stronger reroute, without that Stover has the space to split the two safeties and make another big play. That moment of hesitation to help the receivers is all a player like Stover needs to get into space to make a play.
via GIPHY
In the last play, Ohio State goes back to basics at the goal line. The Buckeyes sell a hard run fake, each player on the line of scrimmage down blocks to the left, and Stover gives a hard chip to sell the run-action. Stroud sells a hard-run fake on the naked boot which draws the defenders forward. This leaves the easiest touchdown of both Stroud and Stover’s seasons.
via GIPHY
Ohio State was incredibly creative in how they utilized Stover last season, and with the receivers returning this should create a lot of opportunities for the Buckeye tight ends. For the Buckeyes, defenses will have to pick who beats them and many teams will take their chances with the tight ends. When that happens it is up to the tight ends to make the plays when their name is called for the “Year of the Tight End.”
Run Blocking is still vital, especially with a young offensive line
Last season Ohio State struggled in short-yardage situations and a reason for that was Stover’s struggles blocking upfield at the second level. When the Buckeyes were using Stover as in-line blocker, he was fine and was an extension of the offensive line. The issues came on bubble screens and when he had to cut off the back side linebacker.
Looking at the run game struggles Stover was not the only part of the issue, but with a young offensive line the importance of the tight end as a run-blocker has more importance this season. Stover had a 70.5 run blocking grade according to PFF which is a solid, but to the ire of the fanbase blocking is the most important part of this tight end position.
With Ryan Day running a significant amount of 12-personnel, the loss of Mitch Rossi hurts as he had an 82.3 run blocking grade, Losing the second part of that tandem is going to be a big hole to fill for Keenan Bailey. Filling the Rossi void is going to fall on Royer or Scott Jr., both guys had run locking grades under 60, and to be blunt that is not good enough.
The strength of Kevin Wilson as teaching the blocking aspects of the position, that leaves Bailey in an interesting place with expectations for this position. There will be raised expectations on catching the ball, but sticking to what the Buckeyes truly need from this position is the real task at hand. For the “Year of the Tight End” to be fully successful, dominant run blocking is a significant part of it.
After the tight ends had their availability this week, Baily spoke about challenging them to all become more versatile football players. For the tight end position to be successful they have to be what the position was designed to be, a weapon in the blocking scheme and as a pass catcher. When talking about this, he cited the expertise of both offensive line coach Justin Frye and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline with where they need to be at both skills.
“When you come here and play tight end at Ohio State, you’re gonna get coached like Jaxon got coached and like Paris Johnson got coached,” Bailey said.
For Ohio State, the “Year of the Tight End” means the unit truly embodies both parts of the position. As Ryan Day always says, the tight ends need to be elite blockers to get on the field. We’ve seen the offensive staff reward tight ends for their dirty work, and we also saw that they are trusted as a weapon when defenses overcommit.
This year, I want to see the Dudley catch total finally fall, I want a new trivia question to answer. But with that being said, a successful year for the tight ends won’t fully be defined by one player having 38 catches. The real success of this group will come when they spring off a long touchdown with a great block in space or pick up a huge third down in a crucial moment of a game.
This year will be the year of the tight end, and I will stake my entire reputation on that.
Continue reading...
LGHL Catching up with Ohio State’s men’s and women’s lacrosse teams
- News
- 0 Replies
Catching up with Ohio State’s men’s and women’s lacrosse teams
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
With spring sports now taking center stage, we see where the Buckeye lacrosse teams stand with a couple weeks left in the regular season.
With basketball, hockey, and other winter sports having concluded, now it is time to turn our attention to those that are still in session. While baseball still has a decent amount of games left, we are already nearing the end of the regular season for lacrosse. The Ohio State men’s and women’s teams both will be playing their regular season home finales within the next nine days.
The Buckeye men’s team’s 5-5 record is a bit deceiving because of the quality of opponents they have played this year. On Sunday, Ohio State traveled to State College to take on Penn State, who entered the game ranked 11th in the country. This marked the fifth time this season the Buckeyes had taken on a team who was ranked higher, as Ohio State was ranked 16th. In their 10 games this year, the Buckeyes have faced seven teams that have been ranked at the time they squared off.
After opening up the season with three-straight wins, Ohio State dropped three-straight games. Over their last four games, the Buckeyes have alternated wins and losses. The latest came on Sunday, when they were defeated 17-9 by Penn State. Ohio State scored first in the game when Kyle Borda found the back of the net, but that would be their only lead of the game. The Nittany Lions held a 4-2 lead at the end of the first period, and a 10-6 advantage heading into halftime.
Borda would score a third of Ohio State’s goals in the contest, notching his third hat trick of the year. The Fairfield transfer currently sits second on the team with 16 goals this season, three behind Ed Shean. The 16 goals by Borda also match a career-high, which he set last season with the Stags. While Shean leads the team in goals, he has failed to score in the last three games.
Shean has done a lot of his scoring damage in three games, scoring five goals against Cleveland State and Denver, and four goals against Cornell. Jack Myers leads the Buckeyes with 31 overall points, 13 of those being goals, and a team-high 18 assists.
Ohio State’s schedule doesn’t get any easier over their final three games. The Buckeyes will play their final home game of the regular season on Friday when they host Maryland. Following the battle with the Terrapins, the Buckeyes hit the road to take on Johns Hopkins and Michigan before the Big Ten Tournament.
By the end of the regular season, it’s a very real possibility that 10 of their 13 regular season games will have been against ranked teams. With such a tough schedule, Ohio State could get an edge if they are fighting any other teams for an NCAA Tournament spot.
It has been a little tougher season for the Ohio State’s women’s lacrosse team, with Tuesday’s 13-12 loss at Marquette dropping the Buckeyes to 5-8. Marquette led 5-4 after the first period, and 9-7 at halftime. Even though Ohio State fell behind one of the best teams in the country, the Buckeyes fought hard until the end of the game.
There was a milestone that was reached in the loss on Tuesday. Nicole Ferrara scored three goals in the game, with the first of those goals being her 100th career goal at Ohio State. Ferrara now has 33 goals on the season, which leads the team by a wide margin. Along with Ferrara, Annie Hargravs also scored three goals against Marquette, while Maddie Barhorst and Zoe Coleman each put in two goals in the loss.
The second-highest scoring Buckeye is Jamie Lasda, who has netted 19 goals. Even though Ferrara leads the team in goals, Lasda is the leader in total points, with her 24 assists giving her a three-point edge over Ferrara. Jamie Level and Casey Roberts have also reached double digits in goals this year, with both players scoring 14 goals this season.
Another strong performance in the loss to Marquette came from goalie Regan Alexander, who registered a career-high 15 saves The mark eclipsed her previous high of 14 saves, which she recorded twice so far this season. Alexander has started 12 games this year. posting an 11.26 goals against average, saving 124 shots for a .490 save percentage. The junior was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in late February.
Prior to the loss to the Golden Eagles, Ohio State had beaten Louisville 16-6, which snapped a five-game losing streak. The Buckeyes play on Saturday at Maryland before returning home for their final home game of the regular season next Saturday against Northwestern.
After posting a 9-7 record last year, Ohio State is going to have to win their final two regular season games, as well as do some damage in the Big Ten Tournament if they want to at least match their win output from last season. The good news for the Buckeyes is the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals and Final is at Ohio State’s new stadium, so if they are able to advance they’ll have a bit of a home-field advantage.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
With spring sports now taking center stage, we see where the Buckeye lacrosse teams stand with a couple weeks left in the regular season.
With basketball, hockey, and other winter sports having concluded, now it is time to turn our attention to those that are still in session. While baseball still has a decent amount of games left, we are already nearing the end of the regular season for lacrosse. The Ohio State men’s and women’s teams both will be playing their regular season home finales within the next nine days.
Men’s lacrosse
The Buckeye men’s team’s 5-5 record is a bit deceiving because of the quality of opponents they have played this year. On Sunday, Ohio State traveled to State College to take on Penn State, who entered the game ranked 11th in the country. This marked the fifth time this season the Buckeyes had taken on a team who was ranked higher, as Ohio State was ranked 16th. In their 10 games this year, the Buckeyes have faced seven teams that have been ranked at the time they squared off.
After opening up the season with three-straight wins, Ohio State dropped three-straight games. Over their last four games, the Buckeyes have alternated wins and losses. The latest came on Sunday, when they were defeated 17-9 by Penn State. Ohio State scored first in the game when Kyle Borda found the back of the net, but that would be their only lead of the game. The Nittany Lions held a 4-2 lead at the end of the first period, and a 10-6 advantage heading into halftime.
Borda would score a third of Ohio State’s goals in the contest, notching his third hat trick of the year. The Fairfield transfer currently sits second on the team with 16 goals this season, three behind Ed Shean. The 16 goals by Borda also match a career-high, which he set last season with the Stags. While Shean leads the team in goals, he has failed to score in the last three games.
Shean has done a lot of his scoring damage in three games, scoring five goals against Cleveland State and Denver, and four goals against Cornell. Jack Myers leads the Buckeyes with 31 overall points, 13 of those being goals, and a team-high 18 assists.
Ohio State’s schedule doesn’t get any easier over their final three games. The Buckeyes will play their final home game of the regular season on Friday when they host Maryland. Following the battle with the Terrapins, the Buckeyes hit the road to take on Johns Hopkins and Michigan before the Big Ten Tournament.
By the end of the regular season, it’s a very real possibility that 10 of their 13 regular season games will have been against ranked teams. With such a tough schedule, Ohio State could get an edge if they are fighting any other teams for an NCAA Tournament spot.
Women’s lacrosse
It has been a little tougher season for the Ohio State’s women’s lacrosse team, with Tuesday’s 13-12 loss at Marquette dropping the Buckeyes to 5-8. Marquette led 5-4 after the first period, and 9-7 at halftime. Even though Ohio State fell behind one of the best teams in the country, the Buckeyes fought hard until the end of the game.
There was a milestone that was reached in the loss on Tuesday. Nicole Ferrara scored three goals in the game, with the first of those goals being her 100th career goal at Ohio State. Ferrara now has 33 goals on the season, which leads the team by a wide margin. Along with Ferrara, Annie Hargravs also scored three goals against Marquette, while Maddie Barhorst and Zoe Coleman each put in two goals in the loss.
The second-highest scoring Buckeye is Jamie Lasda, who has netted 19 goals. Even though Ferrara leads the team in goals, Lasda is the leader in total points, with her 24 assists giving her a three-point edge over Ferrara. Jamie Level and Casey Roberts have also reached double digits in goals this year, with both players scoring 14 goals this season.
Another strong performance in the loss to Marquette came from goalie Regan Alexander, who registered a career-high 15 saves The mark eclipsed her previous high of 14 saves, which she recorded twice so far this season. Alexander has started 12 games this year. posting an 11.26 goals against average, saving 124 shots for a .490 save percentage. The junior was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in late February.
Prior to the loss to the Golden Eagles, Ohio State had beaten Louisville 16-6, which snapped a five-game losing streak. The Buckeyes play on Saturday at Maryland before returning home for their final home game of the regular season next Saturday against Northwestern.
After posting a 9-7 record last year, Ohio State is going to have to win their final two regular season games, as well as do some damage in the Big Ten Tournament if they want to at least match their win output from last season. The good news for the Buckeyes is the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals and Final is at Ohio State’s new stadium, so if they are able to advance they’ll have a bit of a home-field advantage.
Continue reading...
LGHL Buckeyes offer latest in-state 2026 prospect, rumblings surround four-star CB target
- News
- 0 Replies
Buckeyes offer latest in-state 2026 prospect, rumblings surround four-star CB target
Caleb Houser 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
The beat goes on as the Buckeyes continued to make serious recruiting moves on Wednesday.
Putting their money where the mouth is in terms of keeping Ohio a continued recruiting priority, Ohio State sent out their latest in-state offer to 2026 prospect, Sam Greer. A 6-foot-8, 290 pound high school freshman, Greer is not your typical 15-year-old athlete. Already the size of a college-ready lineman, Greer still has three full years of development to not only continue maturing physically, but also in his football skillset.
Seeing the potential of what Sam can be at the next level, the Buckeyes saw to it to not waste any time and pulled the trigger by offering only the second in-state lineman in the 2026 class thus far. Of the many things the staff has going for them in regard to where they’ll stand with Greer, being the first to offer has to stick out among the most important.
Maybe the most impressive feat with Greer is also seeing his athleticism on the basketball court and how that can translate to the offensive line, especially when it comes to footwork. Not that it’s a perfect comparison, but knowing how the Dawand Jones experiment went with his basketball background, you can see why it’s easy to like Greer and all that he can bring to the table.
It’s extremely early of course, but with the caliber of program he comes from at Akron Hoban, Greer will likely be one of the higher ranked offensive line targets when those rankings come available. Until then, Ohio State is looking down the road at keeping another one of their talented Ohioans at home.
The last several days have been very exciting for Ohio State football as the recruiting efforts have been paying off in major ways. Additions to the 2024 class from the likes of Deontae Armstrong, Devontae Armstrong, James Peoples and Mylan Graham all within the past 10 days shows the staff is really crushing it on the trail, but there’s still smoke in the air, and it points toward the Buckeyes staying hot and keeping every bit of their momentum in this 2024 cycle.
In this regard, the topic is in-state 2024 defensive back target Aaron Scott, the No. 71 player nationally and the ninth best cornerback in the country per the 247Sports Composite. Fresh off another unofficial visit to see Ohio State, the Springfield, Ohio four-star has been pretty vocal on social media that this latest visit to Columbus was another successful stop, though it’s only a short trek from home.
That said, it hasn’t taken long at all for rumors starting to swirl that something serious could be in the works for Scott, and that may have been his own doing.
Per his Instagram story, Scott has a “huge decision coming Sunday” and while this could simply just be a top schools list, it also wouldn’t be a major surprise to see Scott shut down his recruitment and end up committing. Many times these announcements end up being a narrowing down of options, but with the way Ohio State has been the last two weeks anything is possible.
Important to note too, this visit included the other half to what the Buckeyes are hoping to be a dynamic duo as Bryce West, the No. 49 player nationally and the fourth ranked cornerback per the 247Sports Composite, was also on site with Scott and the two have no trouble being linked to one another.
Sunday will answer a lot of questions, but when current commits like Jeremiah Smith are doing their best to peer recruit the pair of these guys to Columbus, that not only shows the importance of keeping both of these elite defensive backs at home, but also that Smith is solid to the Buckeyes amid any worries and this class is really starting to take shape.
Certainly doesn’t hurt either to see former Buckeye greats like Braxton Miller also taking to Twitter to show Scott some love in support of him staying home and picking Ohio State. At any rate, these are exciting times.
A 6-foot-3, 225 pound tight-end, LeBlanc has over 30 offers to his name, so narrowing it down to four shows he is serious about getting close to a final decision. With zero crystal ball predictions submitted, the Buckeyes really do have a chance here for the No. 347 player nationally and 17th best tight-end in the country per the 247Sports Composite.
With how important offensive line recruiting is every year, it’s nice to see the Buckeyes hosting these young players early and often as they try to build lasting relationships.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser 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
The beat goes on as the Buckeyes continued to make serious recruiting moves on Wednesday.
Buckeyes offer in-state 2026 lineman
Putting their money where the mouth is in terms of keeping Ohio a continued recruiting priority, Ohio State sent out their latest in-state offer to 2026 prospect, Sam Greer. A 6-foot-8, 290 pound high school freshman, Greer is not your typical 15-year-old athlete. Already the size of a college-ready lineman, Greer still has three full years of development to not only continue maturing physically, but also in his football skillset.
Seeing the potential of what Sam can be at the next level, the Buckeyes saw to it to not waste any time and pulled the trigger by offering only the second in-state lineman in the 2026 class thus far. Of the many things the staff has going for them in regard to where they’ll stand with Greer, being the first to offer has to stick out among the most important.
Maybe the most impressive feat with Greer is also seeing his athleticism on the basketball court and how that can translate to the offensive line, especially when it comes to footwork. Not that it’s a perfect comparison, but knowing how the Dawand Jones experiment went with his basketball background, you can see why it’s easy to like Greer and all that he can bring to the table.
It’s extremely early of course, but with the caliber of program he comes from at Akron Hoban, Greer will likely be one of the higher ranked offensive line targets when those rankings come available. Until then, Ohio State is looking down the road at keeping another one of their talented Ohioans at home.
More smoke in the air surrounding a top 2024 target
The last several days have been very exciting for Ohio State football as the recruiting efforts have been paying off in major ways. Additions to the 2024 class from the likes of Deontae Armstrong, Devontae Armstrong, James Peoples and Mylan Graham all within the past 10 days shows the staff is really crushing it on the trail, but there’s still smoke in the air, and it points toward the Buckeyes staying hot and keeping every bit of their momentum in this 2024 cycle.
In this regard, the topic is in-state 2024 defensive back target Aaron Scott, the No. 71 player nationally and the ninth best cornerback in the country per the 247Sports Composite. Fresh off another unofficial visit to see Ohio State, the Springfield, Ohio four-star has been pretty vocal on social media that this latest visit to Columbus was another successful stop, though it’s only a short trek from home.
That said, it hasn’t taken long at all for rumors starting to swirl that something serious could be in the works for Scott, and that may have been his own doing.
Per his Instagram story, Scott has a “huge decision coming Sunday” and while this could simply just be a top schools list, it also wouldn’t be a major surprise to see Scott shut down his recruitment and end up committing. Many times these announcements end up being a narrowing down of options, but with the way Ohio State has been the last two weeks anything is possible.
Important to note too, this visit included the other half to what the Buckeyes are hoping to be a dynamic duo as Bryce West, the No. 49 player nationally and the fourth ranked cornerback per the 247Sports Composite, was also on site with Scott and the two have no trouble being linked to one another.
Sunday will answer a lot of questions, but when current commits like Jeremiah Smith are doing their best to peer recruit the pair of these guys to Columbus, that not only shows the importance of keeping both of these elite defensive backs at home, but also that Smith is solid to the Buckeyes amid any worries and this class is really starting to take shape.
Certainly doesn’t hurt either to see former Buckeye greats like Braxton Miller also taking to Twitter to show Scott some love in support of him staying home and picking Ohio State. At any rate, these are exciting times.
Quick Hits
- As if Wednesday wasn’t busy enough, there’s more positive Ohio State recruiting news in the 2024 class as Tennessee product Max LeBlanc took to his social media account to share the latest update in his recruitment. Trimming his list down to a final four schools, LeBlanc included Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio State in the mix as programs still in play for his commitment.
A 6-foot-3, 225 pound tight-end, LeBlanc has over 30 offers to his name, so narrowing it down to four shows he is serious about getting close to a final decision. With zero crystal ball predictions submitted, the Buckeyes really do have a chance here for the No. 347 player nationally and 17th best tight-end in the country per the 247Sports Composite.
TOP 4@ErikKimrey @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong247 @adamgorney pic.twitter.com/LQCVhVz75d
— Max LeBlanc (@MaxenceLeblanc5) April 5, 2023
- Back to the 2026 class, Texas native Hunter Caudill will be in town on Friday to check out Ohio State for an unofficial visit. A 6-foot-3, 265 pound lineman, Caudill does not currently have a 247Sports ranking or offer list yet, but taking recent trips to both TCU and Notre Dame show he’s a prospect that will have his share of interest in the near future.
With how important offensive line recruiting is every year, it’s nice to see the Buckeyes hosting these young players early and often as they try to build lasting relationships.
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