Standout tight end Jake Hausmann talks Ohio State camp, recruiting

For the second consecutive recruiting cycle, Ohio State is struggling to land one of their top targets at the tight end position, meaning it's going to be very important to land a good one (or two) in the 2016 cycle.

Cincinnati (OH) Moeller tight end Jake Hausmann is an early favorite to land in the Buckeyes' recruiting class. He was at yesterday's camp and had a very good experience.

"It was a lot of fun," Hausmann said. "We were out there stretching for a little bit, then we went out to the Woody Hayes  Center with the quarterbacks and receivers to do some one-on-one's. I had some good catches and it was fun."

Hausmann's recruitment started to blow up about a month ago. Recently he has been busy talking to college coaches.

"It was pretty rampant about a month ago, but its slowed down a little bit," he stated. "I've been talked to all of these coaches and picking their brains about their school and how I could fit in."

He was in Columbus a couple of weeks ago for a visit and had a very good time.

"It was awesome," he admitted. "I visited about a week ago and I love it there. I visited for about seven hours and was the only visitor there. They showed me around the campus. My parents went here, my sister goes here, so I know quite a bit about it. The stuff they have to offer is amazing."

The thing he likes the most about Ohio State is the family atmosphere the school provides.

"I love the family bond the Ohio State team has together. I'm really close to the coaches already," he explained. "A couple of my buddies are up here, too, like Sam Hubbard. I just talked to him, it would be awesome to come up here with him. I love the family atmosphere. They treat me like their own."

While he wasn't really in town for a visit, he was happy to see and chat with the Buckeye coaches at the camp.

"It was awesome. I really liked seeing the coaches again," he continued. "I think they just offered the Luke Farrell tight end, but we're still cool about coming."

The Ohio State coaching staff hasn't told him how many tight ends they'll be taking in the 2016 cycle, but Hausmann thinks they'll take two.

"They haven't said yet, but two I would think they want to do because it could be a big recruiting grab for them at tight end," he said of how many tight ends he thinks Ohio State will take.

"They've said I'm their top guy for tight end and one of the top guys overall for 2016," he stated.

In addition to Ohio State, Hausmann has been talking to a couple of other nearby schools.

"I'm talking to Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisville, and Notre Dame a lot," he stated. "I would say those five or six are standing out, but there are no leaders right now. I just talk to those schools the most."

The standout tight end has relationships with a couple of the players at a few of the schools he's considering in Ohio State freshmen Sam Hubbard and 2015 Notre Dame commit Elijah Taylor, who are both from Moeller.

Sam Hubbard: "When he (Sam) was working out, he said, 'come up whenever you want' and I accidentally stepped on the 'Block O' and they made me do some pushups. The guys were saying, 'that's your boy over there, you got to do some pushups for him, too," Hausmann explained. "We've talked a lot over the past month or so. It (relationship with Hubbard) might (play into my decision). We're pretty close, so it might."

Elijah Taylor: "He's actually a real quiet dude. He's the kind of guy who wants you to make the right decision (on your own), so I don't think he's going to be a big recruiter for Notre Dame," he stated. "He's kind of quiet, but leads by example."

He's not 100-percent sure of when he would like to announce right now, is leaning towards deciding around this time next year.

"I want to say this time next year, maybe a little earlier," he said. "You can never really say, I still need to take some visits, but this time next year would be a good time."

Hausmann will visit Notre Dame tomorrow for their "Irish Invasion" camp, Notre Dame again on Monday and is trying to set up a visit to Wisconsin for Tuesday.