2017 5-star DT puts Ohio State in his top 5

Wilson!

Five-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson (Bellaire, TX / Episcopal) released his top five on Tuesday afternoon which included Ohio State. Wilson made that announcement during an interview while at the Under Armour All-American Bowl practices. Though LSU, Oklahoma and Florida State were all expected on the list, it came as a surprise to see South Florida mentioned.

This is all about Charlie Strong recently becoming the head coach of the Bulls. However, USF is not expected to be a major contender going forward. Where do the Buckeyes stand? Since his official visit to Columbus, Ohio in late November, Ohio State has moved near the top of Wilson’s list. In addition to having a great visit, Wilson has also seen his friend Baron Browning (five-star linebacker) commit to the Buckeyes within the last month. This will most likely come down to an Ohio State-LSU battle as we head down the home stretch in what is sure to be a crazy finish. Wilson’s relationship with Ed Orgeron may give the Tigers the advantage right now, but as we know, no one closes quite like Urban Meyer.

College Park or Columbus?

According to reports, four-star athlete Markquese Bell (Bridgeton, NJ / Bridgeton) is down to Ohio State and Maryland. Home state team Rutgers, who’s been in it for most of this recruitment, appears to be out. Bell is set to announce his decision on Jan. 1 at the Under Armour game.

This recruitment has had many twists and turns with Ohio State being unsure of how many they can take in this cycle. With limited spots available for 2017, the Buckeyes have been picky and have had to let prospects, who would normally be takes, commit to other schools. Things still remain unclear on Ohio State’s end as they are still trying to gain an idea of how many student-athletes are entering the NFL Draft. If Bell commits to Maryland on Sunday, which is likely, don’t expect this recruitment to be officially over. Ohio State will continue to recruit Bell throughout January as they continue to figure out their numbers situation.

Quick Hits:

• Things have been trending south for Ohio State and Cam Akers throughout the fall and it looks as if the Buckeyes are officially out of this one as the five-star running back committed to Florida State Tuesday night. It’s very likely that Ohio State will feature only one running back in 2017, J.K. Dobbins.