Ohio State offers a pair of elite 2022 prospects

Coaches around the country must continue to adapt to the weird times we are currently living in, and that means a lot of virtual recruiting. Ohio State’s coaches are no different, and while the 2021 class is off a ridiculously hot start, they are also beginning to lay the ground work for the class of 2022.

These past few weeks, the Buckeyes’ staff has begun sending out multiple scholarship offers to some of the top players in next year’s cycle. While in-person visits have been put on hold for the foreseeable future, OSU remains focused on putting together their board and making sure they are prepared for 2022.

That continued on Tuesday, as the program sent out two new scholarship offers to a pair of elite prospects in the class.

One of those two guys is four-star athlete Tony Livingston (Seffner Christian Academy/Lake Wales, FL). Already holding 21 scholarship offers, including the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame and USC, to name a few, Livingston is the No. 5 athlete in the class, and the No. 53 player overall according to the 247Sports rankings.

At 6-foot-6, 225 pounds, Livingston is a two-sport athlete, excelling in both football and basketball. At this point in his recruitment, schools are mostly looking at him as either a tight end or a defensive end. Livingston is being recruited by Tony Alford, as the running back’s coach — and the current No. 1 recruiter in the 2021 class — looks to continue to haul in big targets from the state of Florida.

It’s way too early in the process for Livingston to have any clear leaders at this point, but if he intends to play defensive end at the next level, Ohio State should certainly be an appealing draw giving their propensity to produce top-tier NFL talent at the position.

The other offer went to Billy Schrauth (St. Mary’s Springs/Fond Du Lac, WI), a big-time interior lineman. Currently listed as the No. 5 DT according to 247Sports, Schrauth stands at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, and is a popular man early on among Big Ten schools.

While Ohio State is one of the earlier teams in on the D-lineman, as just the sixth offer he has received thus far, they are the fifth B1G program to offer Schruath, with Iowa, Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin all having thrown their hats in the ring already. There is still a ton of time left in his recruitment, but the Badger State prospect currently has one Crystal Ball prediction — in favor of home-state Wisconsin.

It’s tough to wrestle away those big interior lineman on either side of the ball from the Badgers, especially when they come from their own backyard, however if any school is going to steal talent away from the rest of the Midwest, it’s Ohio State. Time will tell.

Quick Hits

• While Ohio State basketball has gained a few new guys this offseason via the transfer portal, they have also lost a couple. It appears one of those losses, point guard Luther Muhammad, has found his new home in the Pac-12.

• One of Ohio State’s top in-state recruits in the 2021 class, linebacker Reid Carrico, will be playing in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio. The Ironton, OH product will suit up on Jan. 9, with the game being broadcast on NBC.