Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes in good shape for Texas RB?

On Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes will hit the road for a Big Ten conference game against Indiana. To have nearly three weeks of the season already here and gone, it’s almost bittersweet that it goes by this quickly. The good news, though, is that the Buckeyes have plenty of ball still to be played and with a slate of home games still upcoming, the staff has more chances in recruiting to bring in their top targets for game days—showing just how special Ohio State and The Horseshoe really are.

Mentioned countless times now, the Buckeyes have more than enough successful recruiting pitches, but their main “go to” very well could be there “Developed Here” statement in terms of how many guys they produce each year for the NFL Draft. Add that to the fact that former Buckeyes are all over the field on Sundays, and you’ll see why the cycle tends to repeat itself. Top recruits all over the country have many goals, but the desire to play at the top level is second to none. With the Buckeyes able to host many of their top targets on campus each game weekend, there’s a reason Mark Pantoni tweets the way he does. The endless talent the Buckeyes have in the NFL looks to only be growing and that has Ryan Day and his crew ready and excited to continue the greatness of, arguably, their best selling point.

Good news forming for the Buckeyes?

If you’re tired of hearing about running back recruiting for the 2020 class, you’re just going to have to bare with us for a little while longer. There’s new developments every day it feels like and while that can get confusing, it’s a positive sign that the Buckeye staff is doing all they can and then some to make sure they land their elite back (or two) for the current class. Earlier this week in the Tuesday press conference, position coach Tony Alford was once again asked about the current situation of the running back recruitment. He again insisted that “we will be fine” and remained optimistic even though Ohio State and he personally were heartbroken a bit when their top guys went elsewhere.

With names coming and going, the latest rumblings of the position come rather positively concerning where Ohio State may stand with a Texas four-star running back, Kevontre Bradford. Ohio State offered Bradford on Aug. 1, meaning they have under two months of an official recruitment of this prospect. A 5-foot-11, 195-pound back, Kevontre is a talent that any would love to have in their stables of wealth. With size, speed and talent, Kevontre can make defenders miss with his abilities, but can also lower his shoulder giving him the every down back title the Buckeyes obviously need in their 2020 class.

The positive news though in regards to Ohio State and where they sit with Bradford comes from the 247sports crystal ball. While never perfect, it’s still a gauge that can help measure where the Buckeyes are at for Bradford and their chances of landing him for the 2020 class. This week sparked some good news as the Buckeyes were given the nod from Gabe Brooks, an analyst covering recruiting in Texas who has a solid idea on Bradford himself. Time will tell, but the Buckeyes are the lone school to have a prediction in their favor; that could bode well. What Ohio State can pitch besides their NFL success is the fact that the depth chart shows signs and ways where a back like Kevontre could come in and compete for playing time early in his career. That itself could be a deciding factor.

Quick Hits:

• 2021 Ohio State target Emeka Egbuka, the nation’s top overall athlete in the 2021 class, was spotted wearing Ohio State gloves for his Thursday night prep contest. Ohio State has already offered the five-star target. Can the OSU staff make it two years in a row landing an elite talent from Washington state?