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LGHL Buckeyes set to host major 2026 target before one of the bigger recruiting weekends in June

Caleb Houser

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Buckeyes set to host major 2026 target before one of the bigger recruiting weekends in June
Caleb Houser
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Syndication: Tallahassee Democrat

Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State will have some of the best receivers in the country on site this weekend.

A week into the busiest recruiting month of the year, Ohio State’s coaching staff is putting in some grueling hours, and the rest of this week will be no different. Hosting some of the biggest commits and targets, the Buckeyes in the month of June have really only just gotten started.

Smith heading back to Columbus​


Ohio State’s highest rated recruit in their 2024 class needs no introduction. The top receiver in the country, Jeremiah Smith is known by everyone, and that many times is both a blessing and a curse if you’re the team that owns his commitment. Knowing how talented he is and all that he brings to the table, trying to keep other top programs away from him is certainly no walk in the park. The Buckeyes have been fending off plenty of premier schools, and that won’t change until pen hits paper.

The Buckeyes would love Smith to just shut it down and ignore every other program that talks to him, but they also know that Smith has been clear and up front that he’s solid to Ohio State and just doing his due diligence in the meantime in case anything were to happen down the road to this coaching staff. Nowadays, the many visits these top players take mean extra money in their pockets, and you can’t fault him if that’s the case.

At any rate, Smith is fresh off an official visit to Florida and just saw Georgia last month, with plans to see Florida State and Miami soon as well. But this weekend it’s all about the Buckeyes and getting him back to where he plans to spend his college career. Arriving tomorrow, Jeremiah will be in town until Sunday, and Brian Hartline will be doing what he does best and that’s recruiting. Continuing to show him why Ohio State is the best place for his development, Smith will see everything he already knows to be true and that’s why his commitment is with the Buckeyes.

He knows what Hartline can do for him, and while it may be worrisome to see him visit and entertain other schools, it’s been said that as long as Hartline and Day are in Columbus, Smith will keep his pledge. That does seem like the safe bet here, and this weekend may prove that.

pic.twitter.com/OfPuAfWMip

— Jeremiah Smith ✞ (@Jermiah_Smith1) June 7, 2023

Another visit for a top in-state 2026 target​


Speaking of high profile receivers, Ohio State has it better than anyone since Hartline has been at the helm of the position, and that good fortune doesn’t look to be running out any time soon. Sure, the current 2024 class and the 2025 class take a lot of the priority right now, but in 2026, the Buckeyes already have their guy picked out. Fortunately, they don’t have to travel far for the Cincinnati, Ohio native.

Chris Henry Jr. may be just a high school freshman, but with nearly 30 offers to his name and a 6-foot-5 frame, he’s one of the best players in his entire class. The Buckeyes have already hosted Chris a few times now, but once again Henry Jr. will make his way back to campus today to see the coaching staff. At this rate, you have to love the chances Ohio State has at running away with this recruitment with how solid the relationship aspect between the two will be. Relationships are everything in recruiting, and the comfortability he has with this staff is only growing with each return visit.

Thanks to Bill Kurelic’s early submission, the Buckeyes have the lone 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction, and while there’s plenty of time still to go in this recruitment, the more he’s around this coaching staff the more it does seem he will eventually be a Buckeye. Certainly having Hartline as a position coach doesn’t hurt either.

Quick Hits​

  • On campus Wednesday, Ohio State played host to 2026 safety prospect, Jireh Edwards. A 6-foot-1, 194 pound Maryland native, Edwards is only one year into his prep career, but already holds offers from nearly 20 schools including the likes of LSU, Georgia, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio State and more.

A guy Perry Eliano is already making a priority this early on in the process, getting him to Columbus yesterday to see the sites was a major win and it looks as if all things went pretty well on his visit. Unranked right now on his 247Sports profile, it won’t be a surprise to see him listed amongst the top safeties in the country when the rankings are updated for his class.

Had a Great visit in Columbus today can’t wait to be back ! @Coach_Eliano @ryandaytime # pic.twitter.com/2fMvl5cXvY

— Jireh Edwards ✟ (@jaygolive1k) June 8, 2023

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