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On Thursday, class of 2015 offensive guard and Ohio State target Matthew Burrell received his U.S. Army All-American jersey during a ceremony held at his high school. While that is pretty impressive, it was something else that ended up stealing the headlines.
According to Jamie Oaks of 247Sports, the 6'5, 305-pound Burrell will end his recruitment and commit to a school sometime within the next week, and could announce his plans as soon as today.
Burrell, who is down to OSU, Penn State, and Tennessee, has always been looked at as an Ohio State lean. But after a solid official visit to Happy Valley last weekend, many around the recruiting scene now believe the Nittany Lions might just be the team to beat for the four-star prospect.
The Buckeyes are definitely looking to add a couple more linemen to the Elite '15. Burrell has been one of the top recruits on the Ohio State big board for quite some time, and would be welcomed in this class with open arms by not just the coaching staff, but also by current commits such as Jashon Cornell and Justin Hilliard, who have both became rather close with Matthew throughout the recruiting process.
Recruits to invade Columbus:
The list of prospects heading to the Ohio State campus to watch the Buckeyes' game against Illinois on Saturday might not be that long, but there are some pretty solid names on it.
A few of the current OSU commits and potential Buckeyes will be on hand. 2015 defensive backs Rashad Roundtree and Joshua Norwood (Cincinnati commit), Utah offensive lineman Branden Bowen (Utah commit), and 2016 recruits such as New Jersey quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, Michigan linebacker Eric Rogers, and in-state prospects Gavin Cupp and Justin Layne are just some of the recruits that will be in Columbus to check out the beautiful campus and take in the game.
When the Buckeyes play host to recruits, chances are someone will walk away committed or with a scholarship offer from the staff. Whatever happens this weekend, Land-Grant Holy Land will bring you the latest.
McKee looking forward to visit:
Former Walnut Ridge linebacker turned Marion Franklin safety Anthony McKee, one of the top overall recruits in Central Ohio, will also visit Ohio State on Saturday.
No stranger to the OSU campus or watching the Buckeyes dominate on the Ohio Stadium turf, McKee is looking forward to having another chance to see a game at the 'Shoe.
"The visit is going to be fun. They always have a good crowd that gets into it," Anthony, a four-star prospect, told Land-Grant Holy Land.
Standing only 6'2 and right around 200 pounds, McKee could end up playing either linebacker or safety on the college level. While some recruits want to stick to a certain position, Anthony just wants to fulfill a lifelong dream and play football for a major University.
"As a kid, I just loved the game of football, and I would always throw the ball. I did not know I would be a linebacker or strong safety," said McKee. "I thank God for the blessing that he gave me."
Michigan State and Oklahoma are currently atop McKee's short list. Though he has yet to receive an offer from OSU, if the Buckeyes choose to do so, things could change in a heartbeat.
"It will be good playing for your hometown school if an offer would happen. If not, I am going to go where God puts me, and get bigger, better, and be down for the team."
Quick Hits:
- 2015 Ohio State commit Joshua Alabi was selected All-City. His Cass Tech (MI) teammate Mike Weber, a current Michigan runnning back commit with OSU interest, also made the list.
- Future Buckeye quarterback Joe Burrow is well on his way to winning another Land-Grant Holy Land Elite '15 MVP of the Week award. If you haven't already, take a few seconds to cast your vote. The poll shuts down at 12:00 EST.