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Ohio State recruiting: State Secrets, 6/24 - Larry Scott to make decision, Josh Sweat to visit

The Buckeyes are in the running for a top running back in the class of 2014 and look to host another top prospect on a visit this week.

By Ian Cuevas
Larry Scott might be posed with the Michigan State trophy, but he's thinking hard about the Buckeyes.
Larry Scott might be posed with the Michigan State trophy, but he's thinking hard about the Buckeyes.

Ohio State and Michigan State are facing off against one another once again, but this time, it's coming on the recruiting trail. '15 RB Larry "LJ" Scott announced to Twitter on Monday that he would be making his decision and committing to one of the schools in July. With both the Buckeyes and Spartans being neck and neck according the Scott, it looks like it will come down to the wire for the four star running back. Scott checks in at 6'0, 205-pounds and is ranked as the eighth best running back in the class of 2015 and the third best prospect overall from the state of Ohio.

Scott is also high school teammates at Hubbard with current '16 Ohio State commit George Hill, who also plays running back. The two are best friends and Hill has been non-stop recruiting Scott to try and sway him towards the scarlet and gray. Last season, Scott rushed for 1,681 yards and 21 touchdowns on 178 carries. The 247 Crystal Ball experts currently have Ohio State (65%) over Michigan State (32%) and an outside shot for West Virginia (3%).

'15 DE Josh Sweat was supposed to be making a trip to Ohio State for Friday Night Lights, but will be going a bit earlier, as it was reported that Sweat will be visiting Columbus sometime this week. While at first glance that might not look like good news, the fact is, as Givler mentions above, is that the 6'5, 237-pound defensive end will get a lot more face-to-face time with Ohio State's coaching staff.

The five star is ranked as the second best prospect overall in the country, as well as being the number one ranked player at his position and in the state of Virginia overall. Holding offers from all major programs, including Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, and virtually every big-time college program you can imagine.

Last season, Sweat produced 94 tackles, 31 of them going for loss, with 22 sacks, two forced and recovered fumbles. There is no doubt in any mind that this is a recruit the Buckeyes would instantly accept if he wanted to commit. The chances of that happening this week are slim to none, but you never know.

Finally, '16 DE/OLB Shane Simmons gave Ohio State fans a glimpse of what he would look like if he were to take the field for the scarlet and gray on Saturday afternoons. The 6'4, 221-pound defensive end/outside linebacker is a versatile prospect, with the ability to play down or up, depending on what the coaching staff would want to do with him.

All nine predictions the Crystal Ball stand for Florida State as the favorite, but with plenty of time left to recruit the class of 2016, there's no rush on coach Meyer and his staff. Simmons took a visit to Ohio State for the camp that was held on Monday, so the coaches no doubt talked to him about becoming a Buckeye at some point down the line.

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