Buckeyes recent TE commit already doing some work of his own on the recruiting trail.

If you’re reading this — and odds are you already know — but it’s been literally weeks without direction or a plan for the Big Ten to get back to playing football. At this point it’s ridiculous there’s this much silence from the higher ups who should be making decisions and the coaches of the programs in this conference, but yet here we still are without answers to any questions.

Yesterday, Ryan Day released a public statement that for all intents and purposes said “give us answers now” and truth be told he had every right in doing so even if other media members think otherwise. Day has fought for his players in all aspects since he’s been at the helm of this program, and that bodes well both on and off the field for the Buckeyes.

In terms of recruiting, players without a doubt take notice of Ryan Day and what he does for his guys. Countless times you will hear and see recruits making it clear that they want to play for a coach who supports them not only as a player, but as a person. Seeing what this entire staff does to give their players a voice and platform is a direct correlation on why Ohio State continues to be a strong consideration for the nation’s top targets.

Of course the on-field product speaks for itself, but when the Buckeye players know they have dedicated support from their coaching staff, they’ll fight even harder on the field which in the end is leading to recruiting class after recruiting class being atop of the country in ranking, helping to keep the Buckeyes at an elite level of play.

Two is better than one

Ohio State’s most recent commitment in the 2022 class, tight end Bennett Christian, was just over a week ago, but he’s already becoming a serious leader in the group. Ranked as the 19th-best tight-end in the country according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Christian is a player who will surely see his stock continue to rise because of his efforts on the field.

What Ohio State fans have to love about Christian besides his talent is his desire to win and how he intends to do so. He has made it clear in numerous interviews that he is not the type of guy that wants to be the only player at his position group in Ohio State’s class, and would actually love to see the Buckeyes bring in another elite player at the tight end spot because he knows in the end it makes him and the team better.

The best part about the positive attitude Christian owns is that he has even taken it on himself to help the Ohio State coaching staff bring in another top caliber tight end by doing some recruiting of his own. The player both Ohio State and Christian have seemed to target is Benji Gosnell — a 6-foot-2, 225 pound North Carolina native who currently ranks as the 11th-best tight end prospect in the country and a top-260 player nationally.

In regards to differences between the two, Gosnell is certainly a player who is a true pass-catching threat at tight end. From his film alone you can tell he is used to splitting out and becoming a mismatch for the opposing defense. On the other hand, Christian, while playing in a Power-I scheme, can certainly be a pass catcher, but is primarily used at least for now to help anchor the offensive line. Obviously Ohio State asks their tight ends to do both, being formidable in the passing game as receivers as well as helping block in the run game.

What Ohio State has going for itself right now is the relationship Christian and Gosnell are building. In fact, Christian himself made it clear that the two are very close and keep in regular communication with each other. Having a guy in Gosnell’s ear who is seeing what the Buckeyes have to offer could pay off to be a huge factor in this recruitment, but they’ll certainly need to fend off the competition.

While Gosnell doesn’t have a prediction in favor of any school on the 247Sports Crystal Ball, it’s important to note that his older brother Stephen is currently a freshmen wide receiver for the Tar Heels in his home state of North Carolina. Having a brother on a college roster isn’t the lone reason Gosnell would choose the same path, but it certainly can’t be ignored moving forward.

Currently, Gosnell boasts a whopping 18 college offers, with more sure to follow. If Ohio State and position coach Kevin Wilson want to have a real shot at bringing him in to the fold for 2022, they’ll want to continue utilizing their current commits, like Christian, to stay in his ear with nothing but positives in regards to the Buckeyes and what they can do for Gosnell both on and off the field.

\With no timetable for a commitment set at this time, it could become a good old fashioned race to gain the edge for his services. Ohio State looks to be totally invested in making him their second tight end priority as time goes on in this 2022 recruiting cycle.