Recruits recap Ohio State junior day visit

With just days until the class of 2017 puts pen to paper and signs their national letter of intent on National Signing Day with Ohio State, Urban Meyer and the Buckeye coaching staff took time away from chasing down senior targets to play host to a decent group of 2018 and 2019 recruits on Saturday.

Getting a chance to mingle with members of the Ohio State coaching staff, tour the facilities and get a better overall feel for the program as a whole, well over a dozen recruits made it to Columbus to see what it would be like to suit up for Meyer and the Buckeyes.

Want to know what a few of the visitors had to say about their time on the Ohio State campus? Land-Grant Holy Land caught up with the following recruits and had them break down their junior day experience at OSU:

2018 LB Chase Kline

Town/School: Chardon,OH/Chardon

Size: 6’3/225

Offers: Iowa State, Syracuse

Thoughts: “It was very fun and a great experience. I got to see all the facilities and locker room. Really impressed with their treatment and recovery rooms. I talked to many coaches including Tony Alford, Bill Davis, coach (Ryan) Day and many more. At the end I got to go to Urban Meyer’s office and speak with him for a while. He said I'm a great football player and if I continue to work, he can almost guarantee an offer. All the others said they will recruit me very hard and I'm a hell of a player.”

2018 CB DJ Johnson

Town/School: Indianapolis,IN/North Central

Size: 5’11/170

Offers: Ball State, Bowling Green

Thoughts: “It was great. Really enjoyed my time at Ohio State. I was really impressed and definitely left a huge impression on me. [I liked] Just talking to the coaches and players. It just felt like a family environment and a place I would want to be. I talked a lot with my position coach. Coach Coombs.”

2019 DT Jowon Briggs

Town/School: Cincinnati,OH/Walnut Hills

Size: 6’2/275

Offers: Ohio State, Iowa State, Kentucky, Michigan, etc

Thoughts: “The way that they explained that they help you in the search and development of a career (stood out). I talked to Coach Johnson, Coach Meyer, and Coach Coombs. They talked about their program and how they strive for greatness and achieve greatness. Since perfection is impossible, I strive for that so hopefully I can become great.”

2019 DL/OL Isaiah Gibson

Town/School: Springfield,OH/Springfield

Size: 6’2/265

Offers: Bowling Green, Kentucky, Rutgers

Thoughts: “the junior day was good. The offensive line coach wasn't there so we didn't talk. He was flying back from California and the new weight room and the Woody Hayes stuff at the museum that I have never seen (stood out). I talked with Coach Coombs, Tim (Hinton), and Urban Meyer. They said it was nice to see me again and to come back when Coach Stud was there.”

Buckeyes dish out 2 offers

A pair of standout 2019 prospects walked away from the Buckeyes junior day with a scholarship offer from the Ohio State coaching staff.

Coming to Columbus from Minneapolis, Minn., offensive tackle Quinn Carroll walked away with an opportunity to continue his playing days in the Scarlet and Gray.

“The trip was great. I visited in the lobby with all of the trophies, rings etc. Then met most of the coaches, and coach Meyer and the strength staff spoke to the kids. Afterwards, we had position meetings and that is when my dad, two of my brothers and I met with coach Meyer (that is when he offered). Lastly, the recruits took a bus tour around the campus and got to see the president’s suite in the shoe,” Carroll told Land-Grant Holy Land of his time in Columbus.

“My views have definitely changed. I didn't know much about the program beforehand but now I feel way more informed. I now understand why this program has been so unbelievably successful. This changes my decision making drastically.” He added.

Looked as one of the top lineman in the class of 2019, the Buckeyes find themselves up against the likes of Arkansas, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, UCLA and Minnesota, where his father played on the college level, for the 6-foot-6, 280-pound sophomore.

While Carroll came in from Minnesota, Zach Harrison didn’t have to travel that far to get to the Ohio State campus on Saturday.

Making the short drive from the Lewis Center, Ohio area, Harrison, a defensive end at Olentangy Orange High School, picked up his offer from the Ohio State staff after being on the Buckeyes radar for quite awhile.

Finishing with over 30 total tackles, and six quarterback sacks as a sophomore last season, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Harrison is starting to become a hot commodity on the recruiting trail. Even though he has two years left on the high school level, not only OSU, but Michigan, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Cincinnati and others have also offered him a chance to suit up for their programs after he graduates.

Mizzou commit checks out OSU

After recently having Meyer and newly hired OSU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson visit him at Kemp High School (TX), current Missouri verbal commit Elijah Gardiner returned the favor over the weekend.

Although he’s reportedly yet to receive an offer from the Buckeyes, the 6-foot-5, 185-pound Gardiner is looked as a one of the potential final pieces to Ohio State’s 2017 recruiting class.

A three-star prospect, he’s considered the 172nd wide receiver and 1,213rd overall prospect in the country, per the 247Sports Composite.

After losing out on Tyjon Lindsey, who has since committed to Nebraska, the Buckeyes coaching staff have been on the lookout for a wide receiver to add alongside Brendon White, Jaylen Harris, and Trevon Grimes. Could Elijah Gardiner be that guy? We won’t have to wait long to find out. Keep checking Land-Grant Holy Land for the latest.