And with 2022 recruits, those recruiting pitches have already been made, with one of the most recent examples coming when Las Vegas safety Zion Branch got on the phone with Matt Barnes on Friday and then had a conference call with several other coaches, including Ryan Day and Kerry Coombs, later that day.
“(My dad and I) spoke to the head of social media and personal branding,” Branch told Eleven Warriors. “We spoke about Chase Young and The Predator, on how they started branding him early.
“We talked about what the school itself has to offer, so the academics and also the business and brand marketing side. Coach Coombs and Coach Barnes are really cool guys, for the first time meeting them I made a great connection with them.”
Those aspects of the conversation left an impression on Branch, a top-75 overall player and the nation’s No. 3-ranked safety in the 2022 cycle, who says the Buckeyes are now firmly on his radar.
“I know how big of a school Ohio State is athletically, but more importantly how big of a school they are academically,” Branch said. “They offer some important things that a lot of schools don’t offer, which is talking about life after football. They really impressed my family and I. Ohio State will definitely be a school that I consider when it comes down to making my final decision.”
