Ben van Ooyen
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Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 8/26/2016
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Welcome to your tri-weekly look at all things Ohio State recruiting. Let’s get started!
Top 2018 Athlete Decommits
Jermaine Eskridge, a 4-star athlete from Tampa, Florida shocked quite a few people last month when he committed to the University of South Florida after releasing a top 5 a week before that did not include USF. Well Monday he rescinded that commitment and reopened his recruitment.
I can't keep everybody happy at the end of the day it's my decision. pic.twitter.com/ifx2gTmW6w
— EJ2 (@Iam_Jermaine4) August 22, 2016
What does this have to do with Ohio State you ask? Well the Buckeyes were included in his original top 5 along with Oregon, Florida, Alabama and Miami. In his note above he states that USF is still #1 on his list, although when a recruit decommits from a school they rarely end up back there. This remains one to watch for the Buckeyes as his decision was made kind of hastily after his visit there. The Buckeyes are always looking for dynamic playmakers, and with the class of 2017 pretty much wrapped up at wide receiver, they can turn their attention to the class of 2018 and beyond.
2017 Tight End receives Buckeye Offer
It was believed that the Buckeyes would be passing on the tight end position in the class of 2017, as they landed three last year. That thought process might have changed when they offered 4-star Josh Falo out of Sacramento, California this week. Falo is ranked as the #4 overall tight end in the class of 2017 and has 24 offers to date. He had previously released a top 10 before he received the Buckeye offer and it included the schools: Michigan, USC, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Alabama, Oregon, Colorado, Miami, Auburn, and UCLA.
Very blessed to say that I have received a scholarship to The Ohio State University!!! #BuckeyeNation #ZONE6 pic.twitter.com/Qa8weuqPuF
— Josh K. Falo ® (@Josh_falo) August 24, 2016
Would the Buckeyes be on the take for a tight end in this class? I still think that they will pass on the position for this recruiting cycle and focus of 2018 for the position, but offering one at this junction might mean that the Buckeyes have more room in this class than we think.
Jaylen Harris Still a Buckeye?
In case you missed it on Monday, the Buckeyes landed two of the top wide receivers in the country in Tyjon Lindsey and Trevon Grimes. Most experts believe this puts a bow on 2017 wide receiver recruiting for the Buckeyes as scholarship numbers are tight, and these two more than fill the need at the position. However, there remains the mysterious case of Jaylen Harris. Harris told SEC Country that the recent additions of Grimes and Lindsey to the Buckeyes hasn’t made him think any differently about Ohio State.
“I know spots are tight, but at the end of the day I feel like if a spot was to open up and I wanted to go to Ohio State, I would. If that’s where I wanted to go it wouldn’t be a problem with whatever receiver is there because I feel like I know I’m going to compete and compete hard and outwork everybody at my position.”
While I don’t expect Harris to end up in Scarlet and Grey unless there is some magical solution to get 24-25 guys in the class of 2017, he is certainly a playmaker that the Buckeyes could use even in addition to Grimes and Lindsey. Harris still has a top 5 of Ohio State, Tennessee, Penn State, Alabama, and Michigan State. I predicted that he would end up in Knoxville playing for Butch Jones last week and I still feel like that will be the case.
More on Okudah
Probably the highest recruit still left on the Buckeye recruiting board is Texas star Jeffrey Okudah. Okudah planned on making his decision in August, and with the month coming to and end here shortly, it does not look like that will be happening. It sounds like he will be taking his time and making some official visits before settling down and making a decision on his future.
His final 6 schools included Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma, Florida State, USC and Georgia. Oklahoma is perceived as the team battling it out with the Buckeyes for the commitment, and he scheduled his first visit for the weekend the Buckeyes invade Norman to battle the Sooners.
He told ESPN ($$) Tuesday that he will be visiting Ohio State, Florida State, Clemson and Oklahoma for sure. He also said that he has scheduled his visit to Florida State for the weekend of October 29th when they face off against Clemson.
“I’m working on a Clemson visit right now, but it will probably sometime in November, and Ohio State for the Michigan game possibly,” he said.
Here is what Okudah told ESPN about Ohio State: “They are still my leader. They are recruiting me the hardest and have really got close to my family, my coaches and my trainer. They have been giving me the all-out, full-court recruitment for the longest. They have given me the full-court recruitment even though they have the No. 1 class with a lot of really good players.”
He also said that he will sit down after the Ohio State official visit (if it goes according to plan), and make his final decision. I expect the Buckeyes to remain on top in this one, and secure his commitment for next year adding to an already loaded class of 2017.
The post Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 8/26/2016 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Welcome to your tri-weekly look at all things Ohio State recruiting. Let’s get started!
Top 2018 Athlete Decommits
Jermaine Eskridge, a 4-star athlete from Tampa, Florida shocked quite a few people last month when he committed to the University of South Florida after releasing a top 5 a week before that did not include USF. Well Monday he rescinded that commitment and reopened his recruitment.
I can't keep everybody happy at the end of the day it's my decision. pic.twitter.com/ifx2gTmW6w
— EJ2 (@Iam_Jermaine4) August 22, 2016
What does this have to do with Ohio State you ask? Well the Buckeyes were included in his original top 5 along with Oregon, Florida, Alabama and Miami. In his note above he states that USF is still #1 on his list, although when a recruit decommits from a school they rarely end up back there. This remains one to watch for the Buckeyes as his decision was made kind of hastily after his visit there. The Buckeyes are always looking for dynamic playmakers, and with the class of 2017 pretty much wrapped up at wide receiver, they can turn their attention to the class of 2018 and beyond.
2017 Tight End receives Buckeye Offer
It was believed that the Buckeyes would be passing on the tight end position in the class of 2017, as they landed three last year. That thought process might have changed when they offered 4-star Josh Falo out of Sacramento, California this week. Falo is ranked as the #4 overall tight end in the class of 2017 and has 24 offers to date. He had previously released a top 10 before he received the Buckeye offer and it included the schools: Michigan, USC, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Alabama, Oregon, Colorado, Miami, Auburn, and UCLA.
Very blessed to say that I have received a scholarship to The Ohio State University!!! #BuckeyeNation #ZONE6 pic.twitter.com/Qa8weuqPuF
— Josh K. Falo ® (@Josh_falo) August 24, 2016
Would the Buckeyes be on the take for a tight end in this class? I still think that they will pass on the position for this recruiting cycle and focus of 2018 for the position, but offering one at this junction might mean that the Buckeyes have more room in this class than we think.
Jaylen Harris Still a Buckeye?
In case you missed it on Monday, the Buckeyes landed two of the top wide receivers in the country in Tyjon Lindsey and Trevon Grimes. Most experts believe this puts a bow on 2017 wide receiver recruiting for the Buckeyes as scholarship numbers are tight, and these two more than fill the need at the position. However, there remains the mysterious case of Jaylen Harris. Harris told SEC Country that the recent additions of Grimes and Lindsey to the Buckeyes hasn’t made him think any differently about Ohio State.
“I know spots are tight, but at the end of the day I feel like if a spot was to open up and I wanted to go to Ohio State, I would. If that’s where I wanted to go it wouldn’t be a problem with whatever receiver is there because I feel like I know I’m going to compete and compete hard and outwork everybody at my position.”
While I don’t expect Harris to end up in Scarlet and Grey unless there is some magical solution to get 24-25 guys in the class of 2017, he is certainly a playmaker that the Buckeyes could use even in addition to Grimes and Lindsey. Harris still has a top 5 of Ohio State, Tennessee, Penn State, Alabama, and Michigan State. I predicted that he would end up in Knoxville playing for Butch Jones last week and I still feel like that will be the case.
More on Okudah
Probably the highest recruit still left on the Buckeye recruiting board is Texas star Jeffrey Okudah. Okudah planned on making his decision in August, and with the month coming to and end here shortly, it does not look like that will be happening. It sounds like he will be taking his time and making some official visits before settling down and making a decision on his future.
His final 6 schools included Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma, Florida State, USC and Georgia. Oklahoma is perceived as the team battling it out with the Buckeyes for the commitment, and he scheduled his first visit for the weekend the Buckeyes invade Norman to battle the Sooners.
He told ESPN ($$) Tuesday that he will be visiting Ohio State, Florida State, Clemson and Oklahoma for sure. He also said that he has scheduled his visit to Florida State for the weekend of October 29th when they face off against Clemson.
“I’m working on a Clemson visit right now, but it will probably sometime in November, and Ohio State for the Michigan game possibly,” he said.
Here is what Okudah told ESPN about Ohio State: “They are still my leader. They are recruiting me the hardest and have really got close to my family, my coaches and my trainer. They have been giving me the all-out, full-court recruitment for the longest. They have given me the full-court recruitment even though they have the No. 1 class with a lot of really good players.”
He also said that he will sit down after the Ohio State official visit (if it goes according to plan), and make his final decision. I expect the Buckeyes to remain on top in this one, and secure his commitment for next year adding to an already loaded class of 2017.
The post Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 8/26/2016 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...