:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46479164/14361919163_62e5051d4d_k.0.0.jpg)
Most sports fans in Columbus have been focused on The Memorial Tournament recently, so it is somewhat easier to forgive those who haven't noticed there is an ever-growing competition between arch-rivals Ohio State and Michigan over a five-star recruit.
The two schools have been fighting to win over WR Donovan Peoples-Jones for a while now, with the Buckeyes being the favorite to land 6-foot-2 WR out of Cass Tech. That is, until recently.
Last month, The Nike Football Opening Regionals was held in Ohio Stadium. Peoples-Jones attended the event and earned the highest football testing ranking, but it was his current teammate, four-star OL Michael Onwenu, who made the biggest move in the war for Peoples-Jones. After spending the day in Ohio Stadium, Onwenu verbally committed to the Wolverines.
This left many Buckeye fans worried, and rightfully so, especially when you consider that the WR told Ari Wasserman of Cleveland.com that he is still considering every option.
Wasserman also highlighted another key factor in Peoples-Jones’ decision, saying, "Harbaugh played at Michigan with Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher. Michigan is what should be familiar to Cass Tech players."
Fans of both programs should be following Peoples-Jones’ decision-making process because he is almost a guarantee to be a play-maker at whichever school he plays for.
Austin Mack to announce soon
Another player that attended The Nike Football Opening Regionals in Ohio Stadium that the Buckeyes are currently after is 2016 four-star WR Austin Mack. Mack, who is said to be leaning towards joining Ohio State, is set to announce his decision Sunday at the RAS Camp in Fort Wayne.
Mack holds 21 scholarship offers from top-tier programs across the country and the strongest competition for the Buckeyes is again, Michigan and Notre Dame.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound WR took unofficial visits to both of those schools in May, last visiting Ohio State in April. It will be interesting to see if anything has changed in the last month for Mack, but it is still widely believed that the early work Buckeye coaches Urban Meyer and Kerry Coombs put in will be enough to win over the kid.
Buckeyes convincing Hamlin to leave home?
Earlier this week, four-star DB Damar Hamlin released his top 10 schools on Twitter. Hamlin said he released his list in "no particular order," but those closely following his recruitment probably were intrigued when three of the first four teams he listed were also those most likely to land the 6-foot-1, 175-pound DB.
— DAMAR HAMLIN (@HamlinIsland) June 4, 2015
The Buckeyes are among those teams that are believed to be a favorite in landing Hamlin, along with Notre Dame, Penn St. and Pitt. Buckeye fans may have a reason to be excited though, because Hamlin donned an OSU visor last week when he attended The Nike Football Opening Regionals.
JJHuddle releases final senior prospects list
Thursday, JJHuddle released its final Top 200 Senior Football Prospects list for 2015. The well-known Ohio State recruiting site featured 12 Buckeyes in the list, including seven in the top 10 and three of the top four.
Topping the list was OSU commit Justin Hilliard, a 6-foot-2 LB out of Cincinnati St. Xavier. Directly following Hilliard was fellow Buckeye commit Jerome Baker, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound RB.
Notre Dame commit DB Shaun Crawford came in at third, while Buckeye QB commit Joe Burrow rounded out the top four.