2020 offensive lineman Jakob James commits to Ohio State

The Ohio State Buckeyes picked up an in-state verbal commitment on Monday night as offensive lineman Jakob James, a Cincinnati native, made it known that he wanted to be a Buckeye.

Posting on Twitter about his commitment, James sided with the Buckeyes over the likes of Michigan and Penn State — which were just a couple of the 20 offers that he had on the table.

At 6-foot-5, 275 pounds, James has the potential to be a star on the O-line at the next level. While full recruiting grades haven’t been made available by all of the major outlets yet, 247sports has him as a three-star prospect. With so much time before the 2020 class comes into full focus, there is a good chance that James will see his grade improve, especially if he collects more major offers from schools trying to lure him away from the Buckeyes.

For Ohio State, the addition of James raises the verbal commitment total to seven for the ‘20 recruiting cycle. Currently, that’s good for No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 3 overall in the country.

Remember, Ryan Day hasn’t even been on the job for a month, and he’s already sending offers and getting commitments. With James being an in-state kid, this elevates the Buckeyes’ commitment to getting recruits to stay within state lines.