THE HURRY UP: CORNERBACKS MILES BROOKS, JAYLON JONES AND R.J. MICKENS RECAP FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS VISITS WHILE OHIO STATE OFFERS LINEBACKER SAV'ELL SMALLS
Ohio State has signed just one scholarship player from the state of Washington, running back Kevin Griffin from Kirkland Juanita in 1994. The Buckeyes made their play for a second on Sunday night when the staff extended a scholarship offer to Seattle Garfield five-star linebacker Sav’ell Smalls.
“I wasn’t even expecting the offer,” Smalls told Eleven Warriors, noting he called director of player personnel Mark Pantoni just to relay his interest in the program. “I just wanted to let him know my interest is real. I was like, ‘Oh, wow!’ It’s great.”
The 6-foot-3, 227-pound Smalls is considered the top-rated outside linebacker and No. 3 prospect overall in the Class of 2020, as he recorded 90 tackles and nine sacks for the Bulldogs last season to be named their league’s most valuable player. He holds nearly two dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Stanford, Tennessee, UCLA, USC and Washington, but Ohio State holds a special card in its back pocket.
Smalls’ mother is actually from Cleveland, but moved to the Pacific Northwest when she was in elementary school. Several family members remain in the area, and they’re all huge fans of the Buckeyes.
“[Pantoni] told me they don’t really offer West Coast players like that. To think I’m someone who would come to Columbus to play is great,” Smalls said. “There’s a lot of tradition there, and just the opportunity to play in front that side of my family is huge.”
Smalls will be back in Ohio in two weeks to visit that family, but won’t be able to stop by campus or meet with the coaches because of the aforementioned dead period. He plans to return for a game in the fall, however.
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