Latest rumblings on Ohio State’s offensive line recruiting

Finally, it’s here. Tomorrow at noon the Ohio State Buckeyes kickoff their 2018 campaign at home. A game that will allow the off-field drama to silence for at least an afternoon has all of Buckeye Nation beyond ready. With this season now underway within the next 24 hours, recruiting will continue to pick up, as more and more prospects will be in attendance for games and looking heavily at what the Buckeyes not only offer during game day, but also as a program as a whole.

Buckle up, because football is back!

What’s the latest?

Every recruiting cycle sees the offensive line as a top priority. Regardless of whether you have talent and depth at the spot, coaching staffs know that linemen need to be taken year in and year out strictly because the battle is truly won in the trenches. It’s pretty easy to see that there’s a direct correlation between Ohio State’s on-field offensive success and their offensive line recruiting. When you’re able to reload each year with four- and five-star talents at the O-line, continued success will most likely be the case. With that being said, the Buckeyes are looking at doing their best in 2019 and 2020 to keep true to form.

In this current cycle, Harry Miller is the name that jumps off the page to Buckeye fans. The staff was able to land their top guy at the center position, and while that is great, this coaching staff knows they’ll need more depth to this haul. There’s more guys in the fold, but with the offensive tackle spot being of high importance to any and all programs in the country, the Buckeyes want to add another to the fold. One name that has come to the surface before is Walter Rouse, a 6-foot-6, 285-pound three-star tackle out of the DMV.

According to Bucknuts.com insider, Bill Kurelic, Walter Rouse does have plans of officially visiting Notre Dame this weekend for their matchup against their rival, Michigan, but Rouse is unsure if he’ll have another official visit after that. He is likely headed to make a decision in September and if that’s the case, Stanford and Notre Dame look to be in the driver’s seat with Stanford likely to have the slim lead. Rouse didn’t totally leave out a possibility of a return visit to Columbus to see the Buckeyes this fall, but as of right now, that possibility is exactly just that: a possibility. If Ohio State wants to land another DMV star, they’ll need to get Rouse back on campus and become a true threat again.

Detroit’s finest WR

Much thanks to former cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs, Ohio State’s recruiting success has been pretty great when competing in Michigan. With Coombs now in the NFL, the recruiting in Michigan will have to pick up where he left it—and that’s with nothing but success. When Ohio State is able to go into Michigan and grab a top prospect, the success they see on the field has been more than prevalent. Thinking of guys such as Mike Weber and Michael Jordan, both are current Buckeyes that have already had great play associated with their names.

If the 2020 class is anything like previous years, the Buckeyes will be able to once again go behind enemy lines and land a top star. Enter Detroit native Rashawn Williams of Detroit King High School, and you have not only the state’s No. 3 ranked prospect, but a top-25 receiver and, last but not least, a top-150 player in the entire country for his class. A true athlete, Williams may not have the electric speed some receivers do, but he easily makes up for it with his athleticism and physicality. A prospect that can bring down the 50/50 balls and be a fierce blocker on the edge has the Buckeyes wanting this Michigan native more than ever.