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Even with the addition of Kareem Felder over the weekend, Ohio State's recruiting staff was hard at work on the recruiting trail, especially focused on the class of 2017. As a result, the Buckeyes sent out an offer to '17 safety Jeffrey Okudah. Okudah, a 6'1, 200-pound defensive back, is rated as the nation's 20th best recruit and the top safety in the class of 2017 according to the 247Sports Composite. The five-star also grades out as the third-best prospect at any position from the state of Texas.
Received an offer from the 2015 National Champs Ohio State! #GoBuckeyes #tOSU ⭕️
— Jeffrey Okudah III (@TheJeffOkudah) May 4, 2015
Having already been named to the Army All-American team, it's no surprise that Okudah holds an impressive list of offers from some of the top schools in the country. In addition to the Buckeyes, he holds offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Iowa, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Stanford, TCU, Texas, and USC, among a number of other elite teams. For now, the 247Sports Crystal Ball experts have Okudah pegged to the Baylor Bears, over the Georgia Bulldogs on a 3-to-1 vote:
Buckeyes leading for Spence
Pushing on in the class of 2017, the Buckeyes made a strong impression on '17 defensive tackle Cam Spence in April, when Spence was in Columbus to visit. Since then, Ohio State has been at the top of the list for Spence, and that hasn't wavered one bit, according to the recruit himself. Though the 6'5, 285-pound tackle isn't quite ready to give a commitment to the Buckeyes, there's no question about who's leading the charge on his recruitment. Rated as a four-star under the 247Sports Composite rankings, Spence also ranks as the nation's 11th best defensive tackle in addition to being the fourth-best prospect at any position from the state of Florida.
Holding offers from Florida State, Maryland, Michigan State, N.C. State, Penn State, and West Virginia, Spence is also receiving interest for his talents from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee, and USC, among others. As for his Crystal Ball, the experts at 247Sports have him slotted as a future Buckeye for now, which can only be a good sign for things to come in Spence's recruitment.
Sterling Gibbs a future Buckeye?
In some basketball news, Thad Matta and Ohio State will get a visit from graduate student Sterling Gibbs, who is looking to use one final year of eligibility at a school of his choice. Gibbs played for Seton Hall last season and as a junior, the combo guard averaged 16.3 points per game, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. Gibbs also shot 43 percent from beyond the arc, a very solid shooting mark. With the loss of D'Angelo Russell to the NBA, the addition of Gibbs could potentially ease the transition from Russell to whoever is next in line for the Buckeyes.
Seton Hall transfer Sterling Gibbs told @CBSSports that in addition to visiting Pitt on Tuesday, he will also visit Ohio State on Thursday.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 4, 2015
Gibbs will be making a visit to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, but will head to Columbus on Thursday to see what the Buckeyes have to offer as a program. Originally starting out with the Texas Longhorns, Gibbs made his way to Seton Hall after one season and after playing two years with the Pirates, has decided to finish his college career elsewhere. Coach Matta and Ohio State would be lucky to have him, and appear to have a good shot at landing him as well.