Could the Buckeyes be zeroing in on a final cornerback prospect in the 2022 class?

With spring football just around the corner for Ohio State, this is also when the NFL Combine and NFL Draft start to take center stage. The last several years both events have been kind to the Buckeyes, and while this year will certainly look a little different, Ohio State will still shine.

Leading every other program in the country, the Buckeyes boast a whopping 14 player invites to this year’s NFL Combine. A testament to the talents Ohio State had this past season who are now moving on, this is also surely a tactic the staff can pitch in their recruiting efforts. In essence, coming to Ohio State for your college career gives you a better chance at making it to the league, and in today’s climate that’s all any elite recruit wants to hear.

It’s been impressive to see the Buckeyes basically not skip a beat in all they’ve been able to accomplish so far in terms of commitments and sticking out for top national players in the face of a never-ending dead period. Though this spring once again doesn’t provide any program much of a chance at recruiting normalcy, the Buckeyes haven’t let it slow them down, and this spring should be no different than the last several months. Look for their momentum to continue on as their 2022 class continues to top the rankings.

Zeroing in on a 2022 corner?

In yesterday’s edition of State Secrets, the cornerback position in 2022 was a main topic of discussion. After Texas native Austin Jordan, the nation’s No. 21 corner in the class, placed Ohio State in his final three schools, it brought on the subject matter of who the Buckeyes can and will likely add next to their 2022 class at the position of need. In reality, while Jordan clearly thinks highly of Ohio State, the Buckeyes likely have their eyes elsewhere more seriously. Jordan himself is probable to end up at Oklahoma, as the 247Sports Crystal Ball shows that same theme, and Director of Recruiting for 247Sports Steve Wiltfong also believes the Sooners have the edge there.

Regardless of what the aforementioned Jordan decides, the Buckeyes are in great shape. They already have two top-15 nationally-ranked corners locked in thanks to Jaheim Singletary and Jyaire Brown. Still, Ohio State isn’t done targeting elite talent to play in their defensive secondary for their 2022 class, as their depth will always be a need thanks to their continued success which leads to early departures. With that in mind, the staff will be narrowing down their recruiting board and going hard after the guys they want the most to round out this already incredible haul.

One player that has been really rising up the priority list lately or so it seems is Florida product Ryan Turner. Talked about by several outlets this week, Turner is beginning to feel like a target the Buckeyes are zeroing in on. Ranked currently as the 33rd-best cornerback in the class, Turner may not have the higher ranking you would probably think he would in regards to what the Buckeyes already have in their 2022 class, but the coaching staff obviously believes he can play and have made him a key target.

After offering Turner just over a month ago, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see his stock continue to increase. Even if it doesn’t, the staff is showing Turner how they feel about him as communication is certainly taking off, and simple notions such as staffers like Keenan Bailey taking to his personal Twitter account to share Turner’s Ohio State related posts shows he’s really high on their radar. The Buckeyes have recruited Florida defensive backs very well historically, and if this trend keeps up, Ryan Turner could be the next in line.

Quick Hits

• Just yesterday Shawn Phillips and his top seven schools list were a topic of discussion since Ohio State was one of the finalists to make the cut for the Ohio native who now plays in Michigan. In addition, Phillips went in depth about each of his top schools and what he likes the most about them. In regards to the Buckeyes, Phillips would give them the big man head coach Chris Holtmann needs moving forward, and his thoughts on the program as his potential fit seem promising. Ranked as the nation’s 13th-best center, Phillips would be a huge addition to Ohio State’s 2022 class.

To see what he had to say about the Buckeyes and his other top schools, read here: