Ohio State recruiting: Sterling Jenkins recaps OSU, Penn State visits

There were a lot of prospects on hand for yesterday's spring game, but there were also a couple of visitors on campus last Friday the day before the spring game.

One of Friday's visitors was Pittsburgh (PA) Baldwin offensive tackle Sterling Jenkins, who was making his first trip to Columbus since taking in the Ohio State-Indiana game last November.

Jenkins enjoyed his recently visit to Ohio State and might be back again before making a decision sometime before his senior season.

"Mostly it was just talking to Coach (Ed) Warinner, Coach (Larry) Johnson, and Coach (Urban) Meyer," Jenkins said. "Then we saw the practice, talked with some of the commits, and signees who were there. Then we got something to eat and left."

"I might," he said when asked if he would make a return visit. "I just have to get a ride secured and everything."

On the visit he got to spend some time with Buckeye head coach Urban Meyer, defensive line coach Larry Johnson, and offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator Ed Warinner, who would be his position coach if he decided to play his college ball at Ohio State.

"With Coach Johnson, we talked about why he left Penn State and Coach Warinner we were just talking about how things were going and mostly just casual talk," explained. "With Coach Meyer we were talking about a lot of things. He was telling me that he didn't want me to make a decision on a whim. That was basically the things I talked with the coaches about."

While he enjoyed almost all of the visit there was one part that stood out above everything else.

"I would say talking with the coaches. It was pretty cool talking with Coach Johnson because he was already at Penn State. He was talking about why he was at Ohio State and had some pretty valuable things to say," he continued. "It was also really interesting watching the practice and seeing Coach Warinner coach because I had never seen him coach before. That was pretty nice too."

Yesterday ,the standout offensive tackle was at Penn State for their spring game. Some thought there was a chance he would commit to the Nittany Lions while on the visit, but that didn't happen. He'll be back in Happy Valley for another visit on May 5th.

"It was mostly just hung out with the commits and watched the spring game," he said. "I talked to the coaches, too, but it was mostly just catching up. It was overall a pretty good day."

While in Happy Valley his favorite part was seeing all of the support around him.

"Probably just seeing the support there," he continued. "I wasn't even wearing a name tag and people still knew my name and were talking to me, which was really cool."

Despite that thought that Jenkins is leaning towards Penn State, he says that both schools are even as things currently stand. Committing didn't cross his mind on either of the visits.

"No (it didn't)," he said. "If coming in I didn't know I wasn't going to commit, I wasn't going to commit."

Jenkins wants his parents, specifically his stepmom, who hasn't been to either school to see the campuses before deciding.

"I just want my parents to see the campuses," he stated. "My stepmom hasn't been on any of the campus. I want to get her up there (to Penn State) and maybe she can come with me to Ohio State too."

After visiting Ohio State and Penn State again a decision could come, but he's not exactly sure when it could come down.

"I'm thinking June-ish, maybe late May," he said. "No later than before the seeing. I want to take a few more visits."

I continue to think Jenkins is leaning towards Penn State, but if he does indeed make the return visit to Ohio State, I wouldn't count the Buckeyes out of this race. This will be interesting to follow over the next month or so.