Top recruits list Ohio State among their top schools

The Ohio State football program started the week off with a BOOM earning a commitment from one of the country’s top linebackers when four-star Kane Patterson pledged his services to the Buckeyes over the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Penn State and plenty of others.

But the new commitment was only the beginning as Ohio State dominated the college football recruiting headlines Monday, making the cut for some of the country’s top prospects.

4-star WR Elijah Higgins

Class: 2019

Town: Austin, TX / Bowie

Size: 6-2 / 221

Ohio State views the wide receiver position as one of great importance in this year’s and next year’s recruiting classes. The Buckeyes could potentially lose the majority of their current receiver corps to either graduation and/or the NFL Draft following the upcoming season.

The Buckeyes have already secured a commitment from five-star WR Garrett Wilson in this year’s class but are looking to add more talent alongside him. One of the program’s biggest targets at the position is Elijah Higgins who listed the program among his top schools late Sunday evening. Higgins is viewed as the No. 17 WR in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 103 overall prospect.

The move was not surprising, as the Buckeyes have been viewed as a favorite to land him for most of his recruitment. Lately, the team has lost some steam in the race for his services but making Higgins’ top seven list has to give the coaches some reassurance that they haven’t lost out just yet.

Competing with Ohio State is Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss Stanford and Texas, with Florida and Stanford looking like Ohio State’s biggest competitors.

3-star DE Terrell Dawkins

Class: 2019

Town: Concord, NC / Concord

Size: 6-4 / 235

Ohio State has become a hot destination for defensive ends in since head coach Urban Meyer has taken over the reigns in Columbus. The program has already earned a commitment at the position in four-star Noah Potter but will likely add at least one more before the 2019 recruiting class is wrapped up.

In fact, the Buckeyes could earn a BOOM sooner than later as Terrell Dawkins listed the team among his top schools Monday afternoon.

Dawkins has found his way to Columbus a couple times in the last few months. Most recently, he attended a one-day summer camp in June; additionally, he also attended Ohio State’s spring game back in April where he received his official scholarship offer from the program.

Competing with Ohio State for Dawkins commitment is Notre Dame, Florida, Tennessee and NC State. And while getting Dawkins on campus multiple times lately would appear as a positive, all signs point to him signing with Tennessee when the class comes to a close. This could be because Ohio State has their eyes set on other recruits at the position that they prefer over Dawkins.

5-star RB Kendall Milton

Class: 2020

Town: Clovis, CA / Buchanon

Size: 6-2 / 210

There is still well over a year before recruits in the 2020 class have to officially decide on where they want to continue their football careers, but that hasn’t kept Ohio State from earning several commits in next year’s class.

With already five commitments from some of the top talents in the class, the Buckeyes currently hold the top spot in the Big Ten and are No. 2 nationally, according to the 247Sports Class Rankings. And they are far from being done.

Five-star running back Kendall Milton took to Twitter Monday afternoon to announce his top 10 schools currently in his recruitment—and Ohio State was included.

The Buckeyes will have some stiff competition, as Milton is one of the top prospects in his entire class. Along with Ohio State, Florida State, Georgia, Fresno State, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, Penn State, Miami and USC also made it to the next round in Milton’s recruitment.

Milton has been unable to make many unofficial visits to any schools so his recruitment is still well up in the air. However, USC and Alabama have reportedly made some headroom in the race for his services. That being said, Ohio State cannot be counted out and the Buckeyes will surely do their best in getting him on campus multiple times over the next two years.

Once Milton begins taking visits, we may be able to learn more about the school he will ultimately choose, but until then, making his top ten schools is great news for Ohio State.

Quick Hit:

• Ohio State’s men’s basketball program will reportedly be evaluating some of the country’s top prospects as Jake Weingarten of ElevateHoops reported the Buckeyes will be watching both 2020 five-star prospect Isaiah Cottrell and four-star Dominiq Penn.