Expert predicts the next Ohio State commitments

Whether you spent the weekend watching another exciting edition of The Masters, getting your COVID-19 vaccine, or simply relaxing around the house, you may have missed some of the latest Ohio State recruiting news. Don't worry, as always Land-Grant Holy Land is here to get you caught up with all things Buckeyes.

Who’s next?

Buckeye Nation is incredibly spoiled when it comes to recruiting. Ryan Day and his staff have managed to put together the country’s top class in 2022 with an incredible group of 11 early commitments, but the biggest question on everyones mind is who will be the next big name to join in on the fun?

The first weekend in June is setting up to be a huge one for Ohio State, as the current commits will look to bring some more future stars into the fold when they host ‘Buckeye Bash 2.0’ once the recruiting dead period is finally lifted. As of right now, there are at least seven uncommitted prospects scheduled to be in Columbus the weekend of June 4-6, in addition to likely all of the 11 guys already committed to OSU. As someone in the know when it comes to these things, Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts has taken it upon himself to predict which of these visitors are most likely to join Ohio State’s loaded class.

Here are some of the biggest names to keep an eye on that Kurelic predicts will become Buckeyes down the road:

• Four-star OT Aamil Wagner (Wayne/Dayton, OH)

Wagner is a guy that has quickly gained a ton of steam in the Ohio State recruiting world. With the Buckeyes only officially offering the in-state prospect on March 9, they have rapidly become the favorite to land the Dayton native. Wagner comes in as the No. 13 offensive tackle in the class and the No. 113 prospect overall. As the No. 5 player in Ohio, his commitment would give Ohio State four of the top five prospects within state lines in the 2022 cycle.

There is currently one Crystal Ball prediction in for Wagner, and it is in favor of Ohio State from Kurelic himself with a confidence level of seven (out of 10). He predicts the biggest threat in this recruitment to be Notre Dame.

• Five-star SDE Omari Abor (Duncanville/Duncanville, TX)

We haven’t heard a ton linking Abor to Ohio State at this point, but with the way the program has been recruiting both the state of Texas and the defensive end position in recent years, there is little reason to believe the Buckeyes won't be a big player in this recruitment especially once they get him on campus with the other commits. As the nation’s No. 2 SDE and the No. 23 player in the class overall, Abor would be a huge get for Larry Johnson as the second five-star DE in as many years (Jack Sawyer in 2021).

There are currently three Crystal Ball predictions for Abor, all in favor of Oklahoma but with low confidence levels (maxing out at five). Kurelic agrees that the Sooners are the biggest threat to Ohio State here.

• Four-star DT Dominick James (IMG Academy/Bradenton, FL)

Another defensive lineman to keep an eye on, Ohio State is very much in the mix for IMG’s Dominick James. The No. 14 DT in the country and the No. 179 player in the 2022 class overall, the Buckeyes were a bit late to the party here, only offering the 6-foot-2, 270-pound tackle on March 24. However, even despite their late entry, Ohio State seems to have quickly risen towards the top of James’ list, alongside Oregon and South Carolina as his apparent top three. As Kurelic notes, it is hard to bet against coach LJ in that scenario.

There are no Crystal Ball predictions in at this time. Kurelic thinks there is a chance that either Alabama or Auburn become big players here down the road, as James is originally from Alabama, but only time will tell.

• Four-star S Xavier Nwankpa (Southeast Polk/Altoona, IA)

If you’ve been following along with Ohio State recruiting in the 2022 cycle, then Nwankpa is a name you’ve likely heard many times before. The Iowa native has a great relationship with OSU commits Dasan McCullough and CJ Hicks, constantly chatting with them on social media, and it has seemed like only a matter of time before he officially becomes a Buckeye. He will be in town for Buckeye Bash 2.0 in June, and perhaps that is the final step in the process to making that a reality. Nwankpa is the nation’s No. 5 safety and the No. 68 player in the country overall, and Ohio State would obviously love to add him to the mix.

There is currently one Crystal Ball prediction for Nwankpa, and it is in favor of Ohio State with a confidence of six. Kurelic thinks that both Notre Dame and Iowa are serious competitors to the Buckeyes here, but I personally really like Ohio State’s chances to snag the talented safety if all goes well during his visit.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State offensive tackle target Tyler Booker is set to drop his top five schools on Monday night. The four-star IMG Academy product is ranked as the No. 5 OT in the country and the No. 41 player overall in the 2022 class. The Buckeyes officially offered him back in October, and there is a good chance they are still in the mix for the edge protector.

• Brenan Vernon is a name that Ohio State fans will want to get to know. The 2023 prospect is the No. 2 SDE and the No. 9 player in the nation overall, and the five-star stud already has five Crystal Ball predictions in favor of the Buckeyes.