Dan Hessler
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Ohio State recruiting: State Secrets - OSU lands 3 major recruits Monday, still not finished
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
With three verbal commitments and two flipped recruits, the Buckeyes are back on top in the 2016 recruiting class, and the best may still be yet to come.
As soon as everybody thought that Ohio State's recruiting class was starting to falter, Urban Meyer and the Buckeye recruiting staff delivered one of the biggest recruiting days in recent memory. Earning verbal commitments from three different four-star recruits, Ohio State once again has the top recruiting class for 2016, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, jumping ahead of both LSU and Michigan. Just how it should be.
Victor leads off
Four-star WR Binjimen Victor woke up Monday morning and decided to let everyone know that he had reached a decision and his final three schools were West Virginia, Tennessee and Ohio State. The Buckeyes had been the projected favorite to land the No. 12 WR of his class for a while, but deciding to announce just days after visiting Tennessee made many wonder if he would become a Volunteer. After roughly four hours of speculation, Victor announced that he would be playing football for Ohio State next season.
The addition of Victor adds great talent to a position of need for the Buckeyes. After losing both Michael Thomas and Jalin Marshall to the NFL Draft, and with only one true commitment at the position with four-star Austin Mack, it was obvious the Buckeyes had a need at WR. But not anymore.
Victor comes in with the physical skills to dominate at the next level and the intelligence and character to go along with it. Standing at 6'4, 177 lbs., Victor has the size to catch the ball in traffic and then has the speed to break away from opposing defenders. Throughout his high school career, Victor has shown the ability to jump up and make catches, that frankly, he shouldn't be able to make. He also has pristine footwork making him an excellent target for the back of the end zone.
Ohio State hasn't had a WR with this kind of raw talent in quite some time, and with the résumé Buckeye WR coach Zach Smith is building by developing receivers, Victor's potential is sky high.
Urban flips 2 Terrapins
We've mentioned numerous times about how uncanny Urban Meyer has become at flipping recruits down the stretch. Well, he's done it again. Both four-star QB Dwayne Haskins and four-star LB Keandre Jones decided they wanted to rescind their verbal commitment to Maryland in favor of Ohio State.
Rumors began to float around the Twittersphere Sunday night that Jones would be playing for Ohio State, but nothing was ever officially announced. Following a weekend visit in Columbus, it seemed favorable for the Buckeyes, but as time continued to pass and no confirmation followed, it seemed it wasn't a done deal.
Ironically, Jones was the last Buckeye commitment to be officially confirmed Monday, as Dwayne Haskins announced he would be playing for Ohio State, saying it was a dream of his. Haskins is a huge pick-up for Ohio State, especially after losing four-star QB Tristen Wallace to Oregon a month ago. The 6'3, 198-pounder comes in ranked as the No. 7 pro-style QB, according to 247Sports.
Shortly after his announcement, Haskins confirmed Jones would be following him to Ohio State. That gives the Buckeyes their 21st commitment of the class.
Keandre and I are like brothers. Blessed to say he's family and joining me at Ohio State #BuckeyeNation pic.twitter.com/9lgLxVuX7E
— Dwayne Haskins, Jr ♚ (@dh_simba7) January 18, 2016
OSU coaches not done yet
Despite the craziness that ensued Monday, the biggest commitment, both in terms of need and size, for the 2016 recruiting class may be still yet to come. Urban Meyer, Greg Schiano and Larry Johnson will be traveling to Louisiana to visit five-star DT Rashard Lawrence this morning, as reported by 247Sports.
Lawrence, who visited LSU last weekend, has made it known that he will be announcing Friday between LSU and Ohio State. Given that DT is a position of great need in this class, the 6'3, 305-pounder is arguably the most important recruit left on the Buckeyes' board. Therefore, Meyer has decided to send the house in a last chance effort to sway the 20th best player in the class. The Tigers are the favorite to land Lawrence but with the way things have been going in Columbus, you can never count out Ohio State.
Hardman Jr. adds Ohio State to top schools
The nation's top athlete of the 2016 class took an official visit to Ohio State last weekend, and by the looks of things, it couldn't have gone any better.
Admittedly, the Buckeyes got off to a slow start in recruiting Mecole Hardman, Jr. In fact, up until Monday, the five-star ATH didn't even have Ohio State in his top schools to play for. It is amazing how much one official visit can affect a recruit's decision. What is more amazing, is that this late in the recruiting season, Meyer has given the Buckeyes a real shot at landing one of the best players in high school football.
Realistically, Alabama has got to be the favorite to land Hardman. They have been his top school for some time now, and the 5'10, 169-pound speedster will be visiting Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide this coming weekend. The visit will be telling, and as we get one week closer to National Signing Day, we will learn more about what Hardman is thinking.
What we do know is that Ohio State's 12-star recruiting Monday has given Hardman something to think about. He said so himself.
@dh_simba7 Just think what gone happen next weekend can happen for 4 years
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@iiAm_Mesho) January 18, 2016
Both Hardman and Dwayne Haskins will be playing in the International Bowl next weekend in Dallas, Texas.
Parting Shots
Continue reading...
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
With three verbal commitments and two flipped recruits, the Buckeyes are back on top in the 2016 recruiting class, and the best may still be yet to come.
As soon as everybody thought that Ohio State's recruiting class was starting to falter, Urban Meyer and the Buckeye recruiting staff delivered one of the biggest recruiting days in recent memory. Earning verbal commitments from three different four-star recruits, Ohio State once again has the top recruiting class for 2016, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, jumping ahead of both LSU and Michigan. Just how it should be.
Victor leads off
Four-star WR Binjimen Victor woke up Monday morning and decided to let everyone know that he had reached a decision and his final three schools were West Virginia, Tennessee and Ohio State. The Buckeyes had been the projected favorite to land the No. 12 WR of his class for a while, but deciding to announce just days after visiting Tennessee made many wonder if he would become a Volunteer. After roughly four hours of speculation, Victor announced that he would be playing football for Ohio State next season.
The addition of Victor adds great talent to a position of need for the Buckeyes. After losing both Michael Thomas and Jalin Marshall to the NFL Draft, and with only one true commitment at the position with four-star Austin Mack, it was obvious the Buckeyes had a need at WR. But not anymore.
Victor comes in with the physical skills to dominate at the next level and the intelligence and character to go along with it. Standing at 6'4, 177 lbs., Victor has the size to catch the ball in traffic and then has the speed to break away from opposing defenders. Throughout his high school career, Victor has shown the ability to jump up and make catches, that frankly, he shouldn't be able to make. He also has pristine footwork making him an excellent target for the back of the end zone.
Ohio State hasn't had a WR with this kind of raw talent in quite some time, and with the résumé Buckeye WR coach Zach Smith is building by developing receivers, Victor's potential is sky high.
(@BinjimenVictor) Urban flips 2 Terrapins
We've mentioned numerous times about how uncanny Urban Meyer has become at flipping recruits down the stretch. Well, he's done it again. Both four-star QB Dwayne Haskins and four-star LB Keandre Jones decided they wanted to rescind their verbal commitment to Maryland in favor of Ohio State.
Rumors began to float around the Twittersphere Sunday night that Jones would be playing for Ohio State, but nothing was ever officially announced. Following a weekend visit in Columbus, it seemed favorable for the Buckeyes, but as time continued to pass and no confirmation followed, it seemed it wasn't a done deal.
Ironically, Jones was the last Buckeye commitment to be officially confirmed Monday, as Dwayne Haskins announced he would be playing for Ohio State, saying it was a dream of his. Haskins is a huge pick-up for Ohio State, especially after losing four-star QB Tristen Wallace to Oregon a month ago. The 6'3, 198-pounder comes in ranked as the No. 7 pro-style QB, according to 247Sports.
Shortly after his announcement, Haskins confirmed Jones would be following him to Ohio State. That gives the Buckeyes their 21st commitment of the class.
Keandre and I are like brothers. Blessed to say he's family and joining me at Ohio State #BuckeyeNation pic.twitter.com/9lgLxVuX7E
— Dwayne Haskins, Jr ♚ (@dh_simba7) January 18, 2016
OSU coaches not done yet
Despite the craziness that ensued Monday, the biggest commitment, both in terms of need and size, for the 2016 recruiting class may be still yet to come. Urban Meyer, Greg Schiano and Larry Johnson will be traveling to Louisiana to visit five-star DT Rashard Lawrence this morning, as reported by 247Sports.
Lawrence, who visited LSU last weekend, has made it known that he will be announcing Friday between LSU and Ohio State. Given that DT is a position of great need in this class, the 6'3, 305-pounder is arguably the most important recruit left on the Buckeyes' board. Therefore, Meyer has decided to send the house in a last chance effort to sway the 20th best player in the class. The Tigers are the favorite to land Lawrence but with the way things have been going in Columbus, you can never count out Ohio State.
Hardman Jr. adds Ohio State to top schools
The nation's top athlete of the 2016 class took an official visit to Ohio State last weekend, and by the looks of things, it couldn't have gone any better.
Admittedly, the Buckeyes got off to a slow start in recruiting Mecole Hardman, Jr. In fact, up until Monday, the five-star ATH didn't even have Ohio State in his top schools to play for. It is amazing how much one official visit can affect a recruit's decision. What is more amazing, is that this late in the recruiting season, Meyer has given the Buckeyes a real shot at landing one of the best players in high school football.
Realistically, Alabama has got to be the favorite to land Hardman. They have been his top school for some time now, and the 5'10, 169-pound speedster will be visiting Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide this coming weekend. The visit will be telling, and as we get one week closer to National Signing Day, we will learn more about what Hardman is thinking.
What we do know is that Ohio State's 12-star recruiting Monday has given Hardman something to think about. He said so himself.
@dh_simba7 Just think what gone happen next weekend can happen for 4 years
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@iiAm_Mesho) January 18, 2016
Both Hardman and Dwayne Haskins will be playing in the International Bowl next weekend in Dallas, Texas.
Parting Shots
- Four-star 2017 LB Antjuan Simmons announced his top 11 schools Monday. Included on the list was Ohio State.
- Buckeye coach Kerry Coombs visited 2016 four-star CB commit Wayne Davis Monday.
- Ohio State now has more 2016 Rivals Top 100 commits than any other school.
Continue reading...