Ohio State’s status with five top 2022 targets

The 2020 recruiting class is finished, so you’d think Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his recruiting staff would finally take a break, kick back, take a load off, take the family to Disney World, ya know?

Except you don’t earn a top five nationally ranked recruiting class by vacationing to Orlando (unless a five-star wants to meet at Disney World, then you go to Disney World). So instead, Day and Co. have already put together a good chunk of their 2021 class, currently ranked No. 1 in the country, and are already setting their sights on 2022.

Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts took a look at five of the top targets from the 2022 class and where the Buckeyes stand with each of them.

OLB Gabe Powers (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) Marysville, OH/Marysville

247Sports Crystal Ball prediction: 100% Ohio State

According to Kurelic, Powers is “doing his homework” as he accumulates scholarship offers and visits other schools. Powers said he is a Buckeye fan, but is keeping an open mind.

Powers told Bill Greene of 247Sports:

”I was there when they played Penn State and when they played Michigan State, and both were great experiences. They offered me in early November and I was offered by (assistant coach) Al Washington. I have talked to him and think he’s a great guy.”

“I don’t really have anyone sticking out right now because it’s so early. Every college visit I take, makes me look at the pros and cons of each program. I have visited a few schools and there are more I want to get out to see.”

OL Julian Armella (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) Fort Lauderdale, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas

247Sports Crystal Ball prediction: 100% Florida State

Ohio State offered Armella in April of 2019, and, since then, has racked up a long list of offers from schools that will be tough to beat for Ohio State. 247Sports currently has him listed as a four-star recruit, ranked No. 60 overall, the No. 2 OL in the nation, and the No. 9 recruit in Florida.

You might recognize Armella from this video, which didn’t exactly impress Chase Young:

OL Tegra Tshabola (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) West Chester, OH/Lakota West High School

247Sports Crystal Ball prediction: 100% Ohio State

Tshabola currently has offers from the likes of LSU, Florida, Michigan, and Penn State. As our own Gene Ross wrote back in January:

A two-sport athlete, playing basketball as well as football, Tshabola is freakishly athletic for his size, possessing enough power to be a dominant run blocker but also the footwork and balance to excel in pass protection.

In January, Tshabola was quoted saying:

“Right now, I would say that Ohio State is sticking out the most but I really don’t know at this point. I talk to Ohio State pretty often because they’re really interested in me and I’m very interested in them. I have a good relationship with Coach (Ryan) Day and he told me he’s going to come to one of my basketball games so he can see me in person.

According to Kurelic, Tshabola’s interest in Ohio State has not wavered.

QB Quinn Ewers (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) Southlake, TX/Southlake Carrol

247Sports Crystal Ball prediction: 100% Texas

Ewers has many offers on the table including Alabama, Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Michigan, however the pro-style quarterback told Kurelic that he is still interested in the Buckeyes and wants to visit Columbus again.

RB Nicholas Singleton (5-foot-11, 195 pounds) Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin

247Sports Crystal Ball prediction: 100% Penn State

Despite what the Crystal Ball suggests, Singleton will be in Columbus the weekend of April 11 to attend the Buckeyes’ spring game, which is a good sign for Ohio State.

He ran for 1,274 yards as a freshman, posted a 4.59 40-time and a 37.6-inch vertical at The Opening, and, as you can imagine, the offers are rolling in. His offers include Penn State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Wisconsin, South Carolina, North Carolina and West Virginia.

According to Brian Linder of Penn Live, in July of 2019 Singleton said that Penn State was definitely the offer he was looking for because its close to home, but he’s going to take his time on his choice.

Quick Hits:

• Donovan Jackson, a highly regarded OSU commit, will attend Ohio State’s spring game for an unofficial visit. He also set his official visit date for the weekend of June 12-14— the same weekend as offensive line target Jager Burton and Ohio State offensive line commitment Ben Christman. Jackson is a five-star prospect in the 247Sports rankings. He is the country’s No. 8 overall prospect, the No. 1 guard and the No. 2 prospect in Texas.