Buckeyes make the cut for 2022 cornerback, the latest on their final 2021 target

Ohio State will be in the midst of spring football in just a few short weeks, and that brings with it a bunch of excitement. After losing out on spring ball last year, any sign of normalcy and a return to the practice field is welcomed news. With this time of year being of large importance for the Buckeyes due to some turnover at key spots such as the quarterback position, it will be crucial for the staff to hit the ground running and give all their attention to having a strong offseason at the Woody.

An area where this staff never ceases in giving their all is recruiting. Whether it be the recruiting guys spearheaded by Mark Pantoni and his crew or the coaching staff, Ohio State really isn’t out-worked by anyone. Seeing their ability to evaluate talent and then develop it is a testimony to how successful this program is, and now that Ryan Day is bringing in elite class after elite class, the future continues to be a good one for Buckeye fans everywhere.

Ohio State makes the final three for 2022 cornerback

Earlier this week the Buckeyes missed out on Michigan’s top ranked in-state player Will Johnson. The nation’s fifth-ranked cornerback in the 2022 class chose to stay home and suit up for the Wolverines just as his father did before him. Though the Buckeyes would have loved to add Johnson to their class, they’re still in incredible shape concerning the position and their recruiting efforts in the 2022 class.

Already having a commitment from the nation’s fourth-best cornerback, Jaheim Singletary, and in-state four-star Jyaire Brown, who is also the No. 13 cornerback in the class, the Buckeyes didn’t exactly need to have Johnson commit to them. Ohio State will now have to shift its focus elsewhere, and in all honesty, being a Michigan legacy it’s easy to see why Johnson chose to stay close to home.

Still, the Buckeyes will be looking to continue stockpiling talent in the defensive secondary due to it being a key area of need in every recruiting cycle. The fortunate aspect for Ohio State is the fact that they are on the short list for several top uncommitted players at the cornerback spot, and continue to see their track record of developing players at the highest level be one of the top reasons why. As these highly regarded prospects narrow down their recruitments, the Buckeyes expect to be in the thick of things. Yesterday proved that to be the case, as one of the corners they have offered trimmed his final schools list down to three remaining options.

Denton, TX product Austin Jordan took to his Twitter on Wednesday to give the latest update in his recruitment, which was good news for Ohio State. Down to three schools now, Ohio State is accompanied by both Oklahoma and Texas for the bid to land his commitment. After narrowing it down from 20 offers to a final three, and with the Buckeyes the only team not in the South, it shows just how appealing Ohio State is in regards to playing corner at the next level.

In addition to his 20 offers, Jordan is currently ranked as the nation’s No. 21 corner, the 28th-best player in Texas, and the No. 173 player overall regardless of position per the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Right now there isn’t much action on the Crystal Ball front aside from two predictions for Austin to end up at Oklahoma. As mentioned earlier, the Buckeyes are surely in on several of the top ranked guys, and if they make a strong push for Jordan you’d have to think that they could have a solid shot for being the eventual landing spot. In the final three already though, this is proof Ohio State is in great position if they really go after Jordan hard before he makes an eventual decision. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes’ cornerback recruiting in 2022 is in good shape.

The latest with Tuimoloau

Wednesday brought another headline regarding the top player in the country in 2021, J.T. Tuimoloau. A prospect who needs no introduction at all as he’s been a recurring topic for sometime now, Tuimoloau is the lone player Ohio State is still trying to add to their 2021 class, and would be the perfect finishing touch for Ryan Day and company.

Though the Buckeyes have been a strong consideration for Tuimoloau his entire recruitment, it’s been somewhat tough to follow because of how quiet he is about the entire process. He’s narrowed his top schools down, but the fact that his high school in Washington is having a spring season and the NCAA dead period keeps ruining his plans to make visits leaves Tuimoloau’s eventual decision without a ton of guarantees.

On Wednesday, 247Sports insider Brandon Huffman released a really detailed article that speaks on Tuimoloau and with his father regarding the recruiting process and provides some great intel on where Ohio State stands regarding the rest of the top schools. The fortunate part, Huffman ranked the Buckeyes as the No. 1 program with the best chance to land the five-star talent. To get the latest, read his words on the entire breakdown for the Sammamish native.

Quick Hits

• On Wednesday, four-star center Shawn Phillips Jr. announced his top seven schools, and Ohio State was included on the list for the Ypsilanti, MI product. The nation’s No. 13 C and the No. 84 player overall in the 2022 class, the Buckeyes made the cut for Phillips alongside Cincinnati, Dayton, Florida, Indiana, NC State and West Virginia. The one thing Chris Holtmann’s rosters have been missing is a true center, and Ohio State would obviously be ecstatic to land the 6-foot-10 Phillips to change that moving forward.