Update on Ohio State offensive line recruiting, five-star 2022 target set to visit this month

We are basically two months and a week away from the early signing period for the 2022 recruiting class. Last year, Ohio State was able to sign every committed player at the time, and hope to do so this coming December as well. The Buckeyes have much more work to be done on the trail in comparison to the 2021 cycle, as things have been moving slowly this time around. Whatever the reason, there’s work still do be done as there’s at least five to six spots up for grabs before this staff is content and moved on.

With visits happening at each home game, it’s another chance for the staff to court the targets they’re pursuing the most, and while the Oct. 30 date against Penn State will be the biggest of the remaining home games, the Buckeye coaching staff knows every opportunity large or small matters.

The focus is still on the current Ohio State team continuing to improve and develop, but make no mistake about it: Ryan Day and the rest of the staff know how important finishing strong in the 2022 class is, and how the 2023 cycle as well really needs to get rolling with some momentum.

An update on OSU offensive line recruiting

When it comes to Ohio State’s offensive line recruiting in the 2022 class, it’s been the two steady commits for sometime now. Having Tegra Tshabola and George Fitzpatrick both committed for over a year and for five months, respectively, there really hasn’t been a ton of rumblings in terms of change to the overall class. Sure, some targets have been consistent themes, but the main question here is whether or not some of those names will make a move in Ohio State’s direction.

The guys the Buckeyes are after right now include Earnest Green, Kam Dewberry, Aamil Wagner, and Carson Hinzman. Ohio State is a strong consideration for each of the following, but with nobody pulling the trigger yet, it really gives the notion that the Buckeyes may be playing second fiddle for all of these names mentioned, and with likely one spot up for grabs and two at the very most, Ohio State would love to not have to look elsewhere, but as time continues to pass by, it really makes you wonder if that’s going to be the likely outcome for each of these four top targets.

In this instance, the name to single out is Wagner. Not a new name to recruiting followers, Wagner is the No. 12 offensive tackle in the class and the fifth-best prospect in Ohio in 2022. Typically, a player this highly regarded is a lock for the Buckeyes to keep at home, but Wagner has been a different story almost from the get go. It’s been attributed to a couple of ideas, but the truth of the matter is trying to see if the two parties are the right fit together. There’s certainly a mutual interest and respect between the two, but odds are if it was serious enough, he’d probably be already in the fold.

On Wednesday, Jeremy Birmingham of Lettermen Row alluded to the idea that this ship may have sailed. Wagner has a Notre Dame visit coming up, and plans to make a decision sometime shortly after making that trek to South Bend. Wagner doesn’t plan to visit Ohio State again, and wants each school he’s still considering to have an equal shot where they each get the same amount of attention so he can fairly evaluate where he will go. If you’re the betting type, the assumption is now Kentucky is the leader and the likely destination.

Maybe Ohio State can sway that in the weeks to come, but they better have a sense of urgency if they want a shot.

Five-star headed to Columbus for PSU game

As mentioned, the last huge recruiting weekend of the year for Ohio State in season will be the matchup against Penn State later this month. Seeing big time names added to the guest list frequently, this game looks to be one of the bigger recruiting opportunities in some time. A national showdown likely deciding the fate of the Big Ten East, it’s going to be an electric atmosphere regardless of what time the game is played. In the recruiting aspect, you have to hope for a later kick rather than noon so prospects traveling from farther away have the ability to make it.

One player that has plans to be in attendance is five-star Shemar Stewart. A 6-foot-5, 260 pound defensive lineman, Stewart is ranked currently as the No. 8 player in the country and the third best player at his position for the class. Obviously a player any program in the country would do anything to have, Ohio State will have the opportunity to show why under Larry Johnson’s mentorship, Stewart would be best suited in Columbus playing for the Buckeyes.

The Florida native is being coveted by every major top program, and while the 247sports Crystal Ball feature shows the in-state Hurricanes as the team to beat, the Buckeyes are hoping this visit will show why leaving home is worth it. Certainly an uphill battle still, it’s never easy to pull a South Florida product. Seeing how talented he is, they’ll give it their best shot and see where the chips fall.

Quick Hits

• Current Ohio State 2022 receiver commit Kaleb Brown was awarded his All-American Bowl jersey on Wednesday. The nation’s 67th best player overall and the eighth best receiver in this cycle, Brown has been committed to the Buckeyes since June of this year, and is a player Ohio State and position coach Brian Hartline are thrilled to have in the fold.

In addition to reading about jersey presentation, 247Sports analyst Allen Trieu took time to speak with Brown about how the Buckeyes plan to use him at the next level. Odds are Brown will be a name Ohio State fans hear for the next few years to come.