Ohio State’s 2021 class continues to add top-ranked talent

Welcome back to State Secrets, where we do our very best to update you on all the newest commitments, de-commitments, top-10 lists, new five-star rankings, etc. in the big wide world of recruiting. Luckily for us, Ohio State never fails in providing quality, exciting news in this arena, especially when it comes to the future 2021 class. I mean, we’ve been gushing over the 2006, 2015 and 2019 Ohio State teams but friends, this 2021 class is just...different.

That being said, Wednesday was a pretty swell day for Ryan Day and his recruiting staff.

Why all the BOOMs, you ask? On Wednesday afternoon, the No. 4-ranked strongside defensive end in the country, Tunmise Adeleye of the IMG (Fla.) Academy, announced via Twitter that he was “100% committed” to playing college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. This came as a surprise, since his commitment announcement was scheduled for August 1. But hey, the guy knew what he wanted. Can you blame him?

As for what Adeleye brings to the field, here’s what Zack Carpenter of Eleven Warriors wrote:

“Adeleye’s pass-rushing is his best strength, especially when he comes off the edge, but during his junior season he often kicked inside, showing that he’s valuable when he shades inside because he has enough core strength and quick-enough hands to shed blocks. That shedding ability is something he does well and does often, and he also gets good push up front.”

With his commitment, Adeleye becomes the 16th player in Ohio State’s No. 1-ranked 2021 recruiting class, and the second SDE, joining the nation’s third-ranked player Jack Sawyer. He is the class’ 11th four-star player, along with three five-stars and a pair of three-star recruits.

To help put this unbelievably stacked class into perspective:

Considering he was mostly responsible for the commitments of both Adeleye and Sawyer, the nation’s No. 4 and No. 3 SDE respectively, Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson now ranks fifth in the 247Sports’ recruiter rankings for the class of 2021. He joins Ohio State coaches Tony Alford, Brian Hartline, and Kerry Coombs in the top five, with Wisconsin special teams coordinator Chris Haering at No. 4.

“BOOM!” indeed. But wait, we’re not done here.

Ohio State is still in the running for three of the top-10 five-star prospects: cornerback Tony Grimes of Virginia Beach (Va.) Princess Anne, defensive tackle J.T. Tuimoloau of Sammamish (Wash.) Eastside Catholic, and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka of Steilacoom, (Wash.) Steilacoom High.

On Wednesday, that list grew longer when IMG (Fla.) Academy offensive tackle, JC Latham (who seems almost certainly Columbus bound) earned a fifth star and moved up to No. 3 in the class in the new Top247 rankings.

With Latham’s new No. 3 ranking, Ohio State has the potential to land three of the top four players in the nation: Tuimoloau (No. 1), Latham (No. 3), and Sawyer (No. 4).

Quick Hits

• 2021 four-star weak-side defensive end from Brooklyn (NY) Erasmus Hall, Jahzion Harris, tweeted out his top five schools on Wednesday. Ohio State made the list.

Harris is the No. 2 prospect in his state and the No. 14 weak-side defensive end in the country according to 247Sports Composite ranking.