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Last week, the Ohio State Buckeyes had a big week with the commitments from athlete Steele Chambers and defensive end Noah Potter. Earlier this week, the Buckeye basketball program got a boost with a commitment from Wake Forest graduate transfer Keyshawn Woods.
While things have cooled off after the recent basketball commitment, the football program finds themselves in another big weekend. They made the cut for a four-star CB/WR, and have a visit this weekend that may mold the 2019 class even more. Let’s take a look at what’s happening on OSU’s recruiting trail.
In Carter’s top 6
Jeffery Carter (Aledo, TX / Aledo) is a four-star wide receiver/cornerback in the 2019 recruiting class. The Texas native received the coveted Buckeye offer back on Feb. 5, 2018, and unveiled his top schools list on Tuesday afternoon. Just after noon on the East Coast, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama learned that they made the cut for the No. 19 prospect in Texas’ 2019 recruiting cycle, thanks to his post on Twitter.
I’m just trying to be the best to play this game... pic.twitter.com/2zUpsWfuti
— scooby (@jcarter2133) April 25, 2018
Since the start of April, Carter took unofficial visits to Oregon, and an official visit to Texas A&M, according to his player profile on 247sports. In fact, on April 21, he made the trek to Eugene, Oregon, to see what the Duck program was all about. That visit may have reinforced what was already thought to be believed: Oregon is the early leader for Carter’s commitment.
The 247sports crystal ball has 12 predictions for the Aledo native. Of those 12 forecasts, nine of them point to Oregon—with all nine being made since April 23. Texas has the second most predictions with two; Texas A&M received just one.
But, it’s still good that the Buckeyes made his top schools list. On April 20, Carter got the Buckeye fanbase fired up on Twitter with this tweet.
Where my Ohio State fans at? #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/OrWMZAKIeW
— scooby (@jcarter2133) April 20, 2018
Granted, it’s a top-notch graphic design, but it seemed to get people excited. If the Buckeyes really want to jump into the game for Carter, then they got to get him on campus. Also, depending on how the NFL Draft shakes out, that could be another piece to the recruiting puzzle that works in the Buckeyes’ favor. Denzel Ward and Damon Webb are defensive backs that are projected to get drafted; if they both get drafted high, then the potential NFL career path, it seems, would have its best chance to succeed if it ran through Columbus.
A big visit weekend
The quarterback room at Ohio State is already stacked. If things go well this weekend, then QB coach/co-offensive coordinator Ryan Day may have even more talent in the years to come.
Four-star QB Grant Gunnell (Houston / St. Pius X) is making his official visit to OSU this weekend. According to the 247sports composite, Gunnell is the third best pro style QB and 13th best prospect in Texas for 2019.
It’s a crowded pack in the pursuit for Gunnell, as Oklahoma State and Ohio State are both at the top in the 247sports crystal ball. Predictions are also forecasted for LSU and Arkansas, too. Throw in the fact that he went on an official visit to Arizona on April 20, and you have a handful of teams that have shown up on the QB’s radar.
Right now, the QBs for the Buckeyes include Dwayne Haskins, Joe Burrow, Tate Martell and Matthew Baldwin. Baldwin is a freshman, and Martell is a redshirt freshman. If everything stays the same, whoever comes in on the ‘19 class may have to redshirt—and then play backup for a season.
Either way, it will be a big weekend for Day to showcase what the university is about. A very good weekend could steer the Texan north—and add to an already stacked QB department at Ohio State.
Quick Hits
- The wrestling team picked up a commitment from J.D Stickley. Stickley, who wrestled for St. Paris Graham (OH) was ranked by InterMat as the No. 8 high school wrestler in the 138-pound class.