Ohio State makes offer to class of 2020 dual-threat QB

The Ohio State Buckeyes already had a great weekend on the recruiting trail for their 2019 class. Now they’re looking to lay the foundation for a stellar 2020 class. While they’ve already made offers to some of the talented members of the ‘20 recruiting cycle, the Bucks made another splash when they offered a top-rated dual-threat quarterback on Wednesday.

Bryce Young (Santa Ana, CA / Mater Dei) was the latest offer made by the powerhouse football school in Columbus. But, the Buckeyes weren’t the first school to roll up into the recruiting game for Young. Already, over 20 offers have found their way to the QB—with notable programs such as Alabama and Oklahoma in the mix.

If OSU really wants to be in the running for the Californian, then they have to get him on campus. A couple weeks ago, Young made an unofficial visit to Washington; prior to that he made unofficial trips to Oklahoma and Alabama last fall.

Young stands at 6-feet tall, and weighs just a hair north of 175 pounds. Since he is a 2020 prospect, the recruiting grades haven’t been filed by all of the sites, however, 247sports has graded him—and it’s a good one. According to 247sports, the Mater Dei star is considered a four-star recruit, and is the best dual-threat QB in his class. Additionally, the recruiting site has him as the 38th best overall prospect and seventh best product from California in that cycle.

While we can’t be sure of who will/won’t be in the QB room at OSU by the time the 2021 season starts, we do know that there will be talent. If there aren’t any shakeups, then Tate Martell and Matthew Baldwin will be upperclassmen for the Buckeyes at that time. And then you’ll have to assume that another QB will be part of the 2019 class; right now, that appears to be Grant Gunnell—but things can change instantly on the recruiting trail.

If you’re interested in what Young has done so far, here are some of his sophomore year highlights.

Wait, there’s another 2020 offer!

Young wasn’t the only recruit to secure an offer from Ohio State on Wednesday. Offensive tackle Paul Tchio (Alpharetta, GA / Milton) also picked up the coveted offer from the Scarlet and Gray.

Since he’s a 2020 prospect, the complete recruiting grades aren’t in for him. But, like Young, 247sports has evaluated him. Right now, Tchio is considered a four-star, and is the 19th best OT in his class. For the state of Georgia, he comes in as the 19th best player.

A handful of top-flight schools have already made their interest known to the Alpharetta standout, and it seems that the SEC schools, as well as some of the southern contingent of the ACC, have the early advantage in the recruiting battle. According to 247sports, Alabama is the early favorite, with defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi leading the way in the Crimson Tide’s recruiting efforts.

Ohio State entering the mix can shake things up. But they’ll need to get him to visit campus (and the program) to further their chances at pulling Alabama off the top spot for this recruit.

Full Circle

The moment was seared into Buckeye Nation’s collective memory last September: After Baker Mayfield carved the Buckeye defense en route to a Sooners win in Columbus, he attempted to jam an ‘OU’ flag at the 50-yard line inside The Horseshoe after the game.

Fast forward to May, and the reining Heisman Trophy winner is now a member of the Cleveland Browns, courtesy of being selected No. 1 overall at the NFL Draft.

Mayfield is a product of Lake Travis, a high school football powerhouse in Texas. Another product of that same school: recent OSU commit Garrett Wilson. In the tweet below by Ben Axelrod, Mayfield went and saw Wilson shine in practice—and had some encouraging words.

Quick Hits

• According to SB Nation recruiting expert Bud Elliott, Greg Schiano was down at IMG Academy in Florida. With the recent hot streak on the recruiting trail, Schiano may be out to get another top player from the highly touted program.