The top player in the 2024 class will be in Columbus on Saturday night

Just over 24 hours stand in the way of Ohio State taking on Penn State, and it’s going to be a fun one. All week long the Buckeyes have seen the guest list for Saturday night continue to grow, and that’s exactly what the staff wants for their recruiting efforts. Clearly the biggest recruiting weekend of the season, a win on the field is the most important aspect of course, but leaving a solid impression for the many top targets in attendance is up there too.

Sights are set on the 2022 class as the early signing period draws near, but with how many elite players are making the trek to Columbus in both the 2023 and 2024 class on Saturday, it’s safe to say this weekend is just as important for the future classes as well as the present one. A lot of positive momentum has been around the Buckeyes the last few weeks thanks to development on both sides of the ball, and this game is the next opportunity to keep that momentum rolling.

2024’s top player set to see Ohio State this weekend

All bets are off when it comes to what Ohio State will do in the 2023 class at quarterback, but in the 2024 class there’s a pretty clear picture. There hasn’t been much of a secret about it, but the Buckeyes and every other program rave about the nation’s top player in the 2024 class, Jadyn Davis.

Just like current Buckeye signal caller Quinn Ewers, Davis is the top-ranked player in the country who just happens to be a quarterback. Thanks to Ryan Day and Corey Dennis landing a top player before at the position, there may be an advantage for this staff to do the same with Davis. Of course, there’s plenty of time left to go before he’s ready to make a decision. Getting Davis on campus multiple times to further develop the relationship is priority number one.

Fortunately, Ohio State seems to be in a great position, as Davis announced yesterday that he will be in town this weekend to see the Buckeyes take on Penn State. With a loaded group of elite talent already set to visit, the South Carolina native being added to the guest list just further proves how incredible this weekend is in terms of recruiting opportunity. The last visit for Davis came this past summer when he was the only quarterback invited to the Buckeye Barbeque. That alone should let you know just how the staff feels about him as a target, but when you consider his on-field ability and maturity, it’s easy to see why so many programs covet his pledge.

Ohio State will play host to another 2024 quarterback tomorrow night in Dylan Raiola out of Texas. The third-ranked quarterback in the 2024 cycle, it looks like these are the two top guys the Buckeyes are after, and both will be on hand to see just what it looks like to be the quarterback for Ohio State on one of the biggest stages in college football.

Quick Hits

• Another notable guest for Saturday night is 2023 wide receiver target, Carnell Tate. Arguably the top guy on the board for Brian Hartline in this cycle, Tate has long been down to the Buckeyes and Notre Dame, but any time Ohio State can get him back on campus is a major plus and another opportunity to take the lead in his recruitment. A sellout crowd and all that against Penn State should bring could be a major factor in Tate’s recruitment moving forward.

Ranked as the ninth-best receiver in the class, Tate is also the 58th best player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.

• Ohio State’s coaching staff is hoping they make a huge splash on the defensive side of the ball in the 2023 class. With how many top targets they are in on, it bodes well for the Buckeyes to not only restock that side of the ball, but to reload. One of the names mentioned more and more is linebacker, Troy Bowles. The Florida product is the son of current Tampa Bay Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, and has made no secret how he and his family feel about the Buckeyes.

Set to visit once again this weekend, this makes the second visit this month alone for Bowles, who is currently ranked as 247Sports’ top linebacker in the 2023 class. There’s only two Crystal Ball predictions submitted for Bowles, but with both being in favor of Ohio State, it may be safe to assume that the Buckeyes are on their way to landing yet another elite linebacker.