The latest on receiver recruiting, Ohio State lands preferred walk-on in 2021

With June just a couple short weeks away, it’s getting close to crunch time for the Ohio State coaching staff. Set to host a loaded visitor list every weekend of the month, June will be pivotal not only for the current 2022 class, but for future classes as well. Hoping to land commitments from their top targets, these visits will make up for lost time as the staff shows why Columbus is the best destination for the guys they want to most.

As the guest list continues to grow and new offers arise, this spring and into summer is one of the busier recruiting times we have seen. Fortunately, the Buckeyes are at the top of the mountain in college football when it comes to the trail. Buckle up, this summer is going to be a fun ride.

Some receiver recruiting updates

Thanks to position coach Brian Hartline, Ohio State is in an incredible spot when it comes to the receiver position for years to come. His effort on the recruiting front has been second to none every cycle he’s been the leader of the room, and that doesn’t really look to be changing any time soon. Whether it be the current roster that boasts some of the best recevier talent the program has ever had, or just considering the young guys he’s landed in the last couple of classes, there’s never been a better time for the Ohio State passing game.

In this current 2022 class, the Buckeyes already have commitments from 247Sports’ top-ranked receiver Caleb Burton, as well as the 14th-best receiver in the class Kyion Grayes. Two targets any program would love to have in their class, Ohio State and Brian Hartline aren’t satisfied just yet, as they look to be on the hunt for at least one more receiver in this current group. Sure, one may think the room will be too crowded with another in the fold, but when considering the Buckeyes have already had two guys transfer out of the program and are sure to lose Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave after the 2021 campaign, there really is reason to stock the room that much more.

Fortunately, once again because of Hartline, Ohio State can basically call their shot in terms of who they want to add. Nearly every top receiver has the Buckeyes atop of their board and that will bode well for Ohio State as they narrow down their sights. Recently, a new name has really started to gain some serious traction with Kaleb Brown becoming a more and more realistic candidate to be that third guy in 2022.

A Chicago native, Brown is currently ranked as the sixth-best receiver in the country, the second-best player in Illinois, and the No. 63 player nationally. A target that was at one time considered to be a Michigan lean, Brown has since been Crystal Balled to Ohio State by multiple analysts, which just makes the thought of adding his commitment that much sweeter as it would be another crushing blow the the team up north. Set to visit the first weekend in June, it’s not out of the question that Brown could be that one remaining receiver target the Buckeyes want to have.

Moving to another name, California native C.J. Williams is another top receiver the Buckeyes have offered. The ninth-ranked receiver in the country, Williams was in the headlines recently in regards to Ohio State because his original plans to visit Columbus on the weekend of June 11 were cancelled. Of course this isn’t great news, but the cancellation fortuantely isn’t in regards to anything other than a scheduling conflict. Williams, who also runs track for Mater Dei, has a state meet that same day that he was originally planning to head to Ohio. At this point, that visit looks as if it will be moved toward the end of summer and into the start of fall, but again, it’s another top notch recevier Ohio State is after.

In addition to these names there are more, such as Georgia’s Kojo Antwi, but the main aspect to realize here is that the Buckeyes look to be wanting to add one more guy to the fold for their receiver room. It could be a matter of first come first serve, or maybe Hartline will take his time and let it play out, but one thing is for certain: Whoever they add, it will be another top national player — which has become basically a guarantee thanks to the incredible recruiting efforts of Hartline.

Buckeyes land preferred walk-on commit in 2021

While the focus is mainly on the 2022 class right now for the coaching staff, the Buckeyes are still hoping to add the best player in the country per 247Sports, JT Tuimoloau, to their 2021 class as another commitment. While that hasn’t happened yet, Ohio State is still adding to the 2021 class in other ways.

On Wednesday, in-state native Joop Mitchell announced his commitment to the Buckeyes as a preferred walk-on. A product of Cincinnati Wyoming, Joop is a 6-foot-2, 175 pound reciver and cornerback that had an offer from Army and more from smaller schools like Dayton, Valpo, Butler, and more. Garnering some attention from other DI schools, Mitchell obviously sees all he needs in Columbus and will be another piece of depth to the Buckeyes roster.

Quick Hits

• In-state offensive lineman Connor Kemmerling, a 6-foot-6, 320-pound tackle, is planning to camp at Ohio State this coming June on the 15th. A two-star prospect, Kemmerling is an under-the-radar recruit out of nearby Olentangy Orange as the 88th-best player in Ohio for the 2022 class. However, a strong camp performance in front of the coaching staff and a stellar senior campaign could potentially garner some interest. Still, the Buckeyes are by no means hurting at the position since they’re still being highly considered by several top targets along the offensive trenches both in Ohio and nationally as well.