Caleb Houser
Guest
BOOOM!!! Ohio State lands their 2024 QB in Will Howard, five-star DB target set to announce commitment on Saturday
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
Ohio State is making moves and looking for more.
In case you missed it, the Buckeyes got some major news on Thursday evening when Kansas State transfer Will Howard announced he’s committed to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility. The sixth-best quarterback in the portal, Howard comes to the Buckeyes as a player looking to boost his stock before his plans of entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
With a Big 12 championship on his resume, Howard is a guy the Buckeyes identified as someone who can bring a wealth of experience to the position room with how many career starts he’s had, but also a player who can elevate is game even further. There seems to be a successful formula with guys leaving their first school for a second program with better talent around them.
Take Bo Nix or Michael Penix for example, and you see guys that were solid signal callers at their original school of choice, but transferring elsewhere to a place with more weapons as a supporting cast you saw their level of play increased greatly. Ohio State is hoping they can cash in on the same caliber of experience. Knowing the numbers Howard put up at Kansas State with his teammates, you see the potential knowing the talent the Buckeyes have now and coming in at the skill spots.
A 6-foot-5, 242 pound athlete, Howard is not the typical quarterback Ohio State has had recently. A more accurate arm in comparison to arm strength, the Buckeyes are getting a guy who not only can extend plays with his mobility, but is also pretty quick in his own right. With his size, you wouldn’t expect great speed, but Howard has no problem of making plays with his feet, with nine rushing touchdowns last season for the Wildcats and 19 in his career. Maybe the most exciting area of his game, imagine the red zone possibilities with his size down near the goal line.
Overall, the Buckeyes seem to have got their guy. Both Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz remain on the roster, and will certainly compete for the job in the spring alongside Air Noland, but it’s hard to believe the Buckeyes haven’t at least given him the inside track at the job considering other programs such as USC were also very much wanting Howard on their roster. Either way, this certainly boosts the level of play in the quarterback room, and that’s exactly what Ohio State needed to do.
The rumors had been swirling for a few days and now it’s official: Will Howard is a Buckeye!
Hoping to keep the positive news going, the Buckeyes await the decision of five-star cornerback target Devin Sanchez, which is coming tomorrow. The No. six player nationally and the second best cornerback in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Sanchez has had it narrowed down to just three schools since early November, and set his decision date for Jan. 6 at the All-American Bowl festivities.
Down to just Alabama, Texas A&M, and Ohio State, it’s been the Buckeyes who have led the way for some time now as the favorite to land the elite Texas native. A nearly perfect cornerback prospect, Sanchez is a long 6-foot-2 athlete who has the range, coverage, speed, and ball-skills to play for any top team in the country. With every 247Sports Crystal Ball in favor of Ohio State, the Buckeyes and position coach Tim Walton are ready to hear their name called if Sanchez makes it official.
Currently, Ohio State’s 2025 class with just four commits ranks 11th nationally, but an addition of Sanchez would jump them three spots into the top 10 with only five guys in the fold. To make that stand out even more, every class currently in the top 10 has at least seven or eight commits, so being able to jump several programs with just five once again shows the quality of player the Buckeyes are bringing in.
It’s not a done deal yet of course, but it would be a surprise to see Sanchez pick anyone but Ohio State tomorrow.
A player that has come under some scrutiny for his snaps in the CFP Semifinal, McLaughlin is still a very solid player and may even project higher at the guard position. Once again, it’s important to note that the Buckeyes are at least doing their due diligence. Fans want the coaching staff to be aggressive in adding guys to the roster, and that’s what they’re trying to do.
Whether an elite player or not, he’s still a guy with tons of experience in the SEC, and if he does end up moving to guard, surely his play would rise up the ranks. A visit to Ole Miss for McLaughlin is still scheduled, but look for Ohio State to do their best to add him to the fold and soon.
A 6-foot-8, 300 pound athlete, Rucci could play multiple spots up front and is looking to do so at a new home. Having Big Ten experience, this makes sense for the staff to reach out, and it wouldn’t be a shock if in the next few days he is also on the list of guys who may be heading to Columbus to see what Ohio State has to offer.
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
Ohio State is making moves and looking for more.
In case you missed it, the Buckeyes got some major news on Thursday evening when Kansas State transfer Will Howard announced he’s committed to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility. The sixth-best quarterback in the portal, Howard comes to the Buckeyes as a player looking to boost his stock before his plans of entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
With a Big 12 championship on his resume, Howard is a guy the Buckeyes identified as someone who can bring a wealth of experience to the position room with how many career starts he’s had, but also a player who can elevate is game even further. There seems to be a successful formula with guys leaving their first school for a second program with better talent around them.
Take Bo Nix or Michael Penix for example, and you see guys that were solid signal callers at their original school of choice, but transferring elsewhere to a place with more weapons as a supporting cast you saw their level of play increased greatly. Ohio State is hoping they can cash in on the same caliber of experience. Knowing the numbers Howard put up at Kansas State with his teammates, you see the potential knowing the talent the Buckeyes have now and coming in at the skill spots.
A 6-foot-5, 242 pound athlete, Howard is not the typical quarterback Ohio State has had recently. A more accurate arm in comparison to arm strength, the Buckeyes are getting a guy who not only can extend plays with his mobility, but is also pretty quick in his own right. With his size, you wouldn’t expect great speed, but Howard has no problem of making plays with his feet, with nine rushing touchdowns last season for the Wildcats and 19 in his career. Maybe the most exciting area of his game, imagine the red zone possibilities with his size down near the goal line.
Overall, the Buckeyes seem to have got their guy. Both Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz remain on the roster, and will certainly compete for the job in the spring alongside Air Noland, but it’s hard to believe the Buckeyes haven’t at least given him the inside track at the job considering other programs such as USC were also very much wanting Howard on their roster. Either way, this certainly boosts the level of play in the quarterback room, and that’s exactly what Ohio State needed to do.
The rumors had been swirling for a few days and now it’s official: Will Howard is a Buckeye!
Buckeyes await the decision of five-star defensive back
Hoping to keep the positive news going, the Buckeyes await the decision of five-star cornerback target Devin Sanchez, which is coming tomorrow. The No. six player nationally and the second best cornerback in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Sanchez has had it narrowed down to just three schools since early November, and set his decision date for Jan. 6 at the All-American Bowl festivities.
Down to just Alabama, Texas A&M, and Ohio State, it’s been the Buckeyes who have led the way for some time now as the favorite to land the elite Texas native. A nearly perfect cornerback prospect, Sanchez is a long 6-foot-2 athlete who has the range, coverage, speed, and ball-skills to play for any top team in the country. With every 247Sports Crystal Ball in favor of Ohio State, the Buckeyes and position coach Tim Walton are ready to hear their name called if Sanchez makes it official.
Currently, Ohio State’s 2025 class with just four commits ranks 11th nationally, but an addition of Sanchez would jump them three spots into the top 10 with only five guys in the fold. To make that stand out even more, every class currently in the top 10 has at least seven or eight commits, so being able to jump several programs with just five once again shows the quality of player the Buckeyes are bringing in.
It’s not a done deal yet of course, but it would be a surprise to see Sanchez pick anyone but Ohio State tomorrow.
Quick Hits
- Case and point of Ohio State upping their aggression in the transfer portal, along with Will Howard being on campus yesterday, the Buckeyes also played host to Alabama offensive line transfer Seth McLaughlin.
A player that has come under some scrutiny for his snaps in the CFP Semifinal, McLaughlin is still a very solid player and may even project higher at the guard position. Once again, it’s important to note that the Buckeyes are at least doing their due diligence. Fans want the coaching staff to be aggressive in adding guys to the roster, and that’s what they’re trying to do.
Whether an elite player or not, he’s still a guy with tons of experience in the SEC, and if he does end up moving to guard, surely his play would rise up the ranks. A visit to Ole Miss for McLaughlin is still scheduled, but look for Ohio State to do their best to add him to the fold and soon.
- Sticking with the trend of talking offensive line portal targets, on Thursday another name surfaced that Ohio State should definitely consider bringing in for at least a visit. Wisconsin’s Nolan Rucci is in the portal, and being a five-star talent in the 2021 class, the Buckeyes should be reaching out if improving the current unit is really a priority.
A 6-foot-8, 300 pound athlete, Rucci could play multiple spots up front and is looking to do so at a new home. Having Big Ten experience, this makes sense for the staff to reach out, and it wouldn’t be a shock if in the next few days he is also on the list of guys who may be heading to Columbus to see what Ohio State has to offer.
Continue reading...