Ohio State recruiting: State Secrets, 8/6 - Latest on Curtis Samuel

Ohio State's class of 2014 is impressive thus far, but still has a way to go before the final National Letters of Intent are sent in and the verbal commits truly become Buckeyes. While the class sits at 16 commits, the most recent being '14 ATH Malik Hooker, the coaching staff continues to stay hard at work trying to bring in the best talent possible. The next commit for Ohio State could potentially show up in the form of '14 ATH Curtis Samuel.

Checking in at 6'0", 185-pounds, Samuel fits the mold as a typical playmaker-type of athlete that Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has consistently pursued. Samuel has been clocked at a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash and can play multiple positions, including running back and safety. In the 2012 season, Samuel carried the ball 91 times for 1,047 yards and 13 touchdowns. Samuel also had 12 catches out of the backfield for 187 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, Samuel had a solid 33 tackles and one interception on the year, but also returned two punts for touchdowns, proving his dangerous speed in the open field and terrific vision.

hearing #Buckeyes and should be soon @zachattack_1: @rivalsmike Any word on when Curtis Samuel is going to commit? #Buckeyes #Rutgers

— Mike Farrell (@rivalsmike) August 5, 2013

In addition to the tweet from Mike Farrell of Rivals, NJ.com posted an article covering some recruits that Rutgers has expressed interest in or are in the running for that recruit's services. In the case of Samuel, a Brooklyn, New York native, here's what NJ.com had to say:

The Scarlet Knights, perceived as the versatile receiver's second choice at the moment, had a lot of ground to make up after Samuel's trek to Friday Night Lights in Columbus, last weekend.

But instead of rolling out the red carpet for Samuel, he was provided a realistic view of the opportunities he would have at Rutgers, from both an academic and athletic standpoint. However, Ohio State still appears to be the favorite in the two-team race for the 6-0, 180-pounder, who will make his official decision in the coming weeks.

It's apparent now that Ohio State is the team to beat for Samuel, and it looks like we won't have to wait very long to find out what the 4-star's final decision will be.

In the championship game of the adidas Nations tournament, Ohio State commitment '14 SG D'Angelo Russell just missed a double-double in his team's 81-77 victory on Monday night. Russell finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists while going 5-15 from the floor and 1-4 from three-point range. We'll be sure to keep an eye on the progress he continues to make.

QUICK HITS:

• Malik Hooker, mentioned above, visited Ohio State on Monday.
• '15 QB Brandon Wimbush and his teammate 5-star CB Minkah Fitzpatrick tell our own Austin Kemp that they are planning a trip to Columbus this fall.