Buckeyes offer big time DE in SEC country, look to keep a 2021 prospect locked in

In case you were living under a rock yesterday, the huge news of a home-and-home series between Alabama and the Buckeyes coming in 2027 and 2028 was announced by Ohio State’s athletic department. A match-up that will have both fan bases eager for time to fly by, it’s another notch in the belt for Ohio State’s non-conference football schedules coming in the near future.

In fact, within the next 10 seasons, the Buckeyes will play games against Oregon, Notre Dame, Washington, Texas, Boston College, Alabama, and Georgia. Proof that the Buckeyes aren’t scared to line up against anyone, this strengthening of the schedules is perfect for the program all around — as if it needed any further help.

One of the key benefits to playing in these high caliber contests is the ability to use it in recruiting. Of course, these aspects pay off even more in the impressionable minds of top notch recruiting targets when these game end in victories, but at any rate, having these games on your campus brings continued exposure, and that bodes well for the Buckeyes.

Though the SEC contests are still several years down the road, the recruiting approach Ryan Day and staff are taking never stalls, which will keep them more than competitive in games beyond just their typical Big Ten foes.

Big time offer in SEC country

Staying in SEC country and Alabama specifically, the Buckeyes were active late Wednesday evening when an impressive class of 2022 defensive-end prospect Khurtiss Perry (Park Crossing/Montgomery, AL) announced via Twitter that he had received his latest offer from Ohio State on a Zoom call with the staff.

A 6-foot-1, 250 pound edge rusher, Perry already checks in as the fourth-best player at his position, according to the 247Sports rankings, as well as the fourth-best player in Alabama and the 45th-best player nationally. Maybe a bit smaller in size than the typical Ohio State edge product, Perry still has two years of prep ball to grow, and certainly has the offer list to prove his worth.

Currently, Perry holds over 20 offers from many of the top programs around the country including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Penn State, and many more with Ohio State no also joining the mix. A key to this recruitment moving forward for the Bucks is to do what comes naturally, and that’s to boast Larry Johnson as arguably the best position coach in the country. More specifically, his track record at developing defensive-ends specifically for the NFL.

It doesn’t take much research to understand that pulling a top player out of the south can be difficult, but in this recruitment it may even be harder to sway Perry away from his home state and most notably, the Alabama program itself. It’s still early on of course, and while one prediction in favor of the Crimson Tide is all the 247Sports Crystal Ball forecasts, you can’t underestimate the pull Alabama and other SEC powers may have.

When it comes to defensive-end recruiting and development, the Buckeyes are second to none, and can tote that all they want from now on. In fact, just yesterday Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts reported that Perry told him he “could say no to Alabama and the SEC and yes to Ohio State”. This is a recruitment that should be fun to watch moving forward.

Ain’t no flipping me

Evan Pryor, a prospect from North Carolina who has been committed to the Buckeyes since March, has recently been rumored to be a flip target candidate most closely linked to (once again) Alabama and his home-state school, North Carolina. Even earlier this week, Pryor saw his stock rise to the No. 2 overall all-purpose back, and you can guarantee the Crimson Tide and the Tar Heels are looking to use Ohio State also having the top running back TreVeyon Henderson committed against the Buckeyes in what could be seen as a “crowded” room.

Fortunately, the Buckeyes plan to use the pair of elite backs differently, and that has been sold to both Pryor and Henderson from the jump. The good news here though is that while rumors have spread, Pryor himself took to his Twitter account yesterday to make sure that everyone knows that there “ain’t no flipping me,” and Henderson is equally excited. As rare as package deals are, the idea of Pryor and Henderson in the same backfield is incredibly appealing. The two commits’ tweets speak to Ohio State keeping both in the class and ready to help carry the load as soon as they step on campus.