2022 QB recruiting update, basket-Bucks send out latest offer in 2023 class

It may only be Week 4 of the 2021 football season, but it feels as if there’s been enough issues to last a lifetime. The standard at Ohio State is elite play at all times, and when that doesn’t happen, there’s finger pointing in every direction. Fortunately, the goals for Ohio State and its season are still ahead of them.

Akron isn’t the most alluring opponent the Buckeyes could have this weekend, but at this point it’s just important for Ohio State to play well and to continue addressing the issues at hand. While it’s not a huge recruiting weekend because of the opposition, Ohio State’s staff is still busy blazing their trail in recruiting, and that goes for the basketball Bucks as well.

A new name to watch in the 2022 class at QB?

You all know by now that Ohio State’s one-time 2022 quarterback Quinn Ewers is now on campus after reclassifying to the 2021 class. At this point in time, the Buckeyes and Ryan Day are at a little bit of a crossroads now when it comes to recruiting the 2022 class for another quarterback. With all of the youth already on the roster, you wouldn’t think the Buckeyes needed to find another signal caller in the cycle, but Day and his staff have been active enough that it’s certainly a possibility — and clearly they’re not against it either.

The top priority since Ewers has landed on campus has been in-state four-star Drew Allar. Currently committed to Penn State, early on in his recruitment the Medina, Ohio native made it no secret that Ohio State was the offer he wanted most. The story isn’t much of a surprise though to see the Buckeyes go with Ewers when he wanted in the fold and committed last fall. Any time you can get the top player in the country at the most important position, it’s a no brainer even if there’s a top in-state kid.

Now, it’s been reported that Ohio State has tried to make up some ground on Allar and has even told him that he has an offer from the Buckeyes if he wants it. Allar is still committed to Penn State right now, and while there’s always rumors swirling about James Franklin and USC, unless he surprisingly de-commits from Penn State, it’s not looking like the Buckeyes are sitting too well for a potential flip. It would be much easier to secure earlier playing time with the Nittany Lions, and you can’t blame him for that.

In this regard, could Ohio State and Ryan Day be in on a different 2022 signal caller? On Wednesday, Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts mentioned that a recently de-committed quarterback would welcome the call if the Buckeyes expressed interest in his services.

It was just Tuesday of this week that four-star quarterback Justyn Martin decided to rescind on his verbal commitment to Cal, where he had been committed since January of this year. The 21st ranked QB in the 2022 cycle, Martin is also considered to be the 277th best player in the country. The Buckeyes have not offered or really shown much interest to this point, but Martin has made it very clear that if Ohio State came calling, he would be open to what the staff has to say.

It’s not a given by any means, but if Day and crew really want a 2022 QB in the class and Allar is not a realistic option, maybe Martin will be a name worth watching for down the road. This late in the game though, that’s typically not how it works.

Buckeyes offer latest 2023 prospect on the hardwood

Most of the recruiting news that surfaces on a day to day basis revolves around the football program. With football signing three to four times as many guys in each cycle compared to basketball, it’s not hard to see why Ryan Day and his company get majority of the attention. Still, Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball staff have done more than just a fair share of recruiting this year, and while they currently have the best class in the country for 2022 per 24Ssports, they’re still working countless hours to keep that the case and to build up the roster with elite depth options in future cycles as well.

On Wednesday, Holtmann and staff offered their latest 2023 target when Stephon Castle took to his Twitter account to announce that the Buckeyes were the latest to enter his recruitment. A 6-foot-6, 185 pound shooting guard, Castle is currently the 49th best player in the country as well as the 10th best at his position in his class per the 247Sports Composite. With nearly 20 offers to his name, it’s not hard to see why Ohio State wanted in on this sweepstakes as they continue to evaluate and look for the strongest players in 2023.

While it’s still somewhat early for Holtmann and staff with Castle, the relationship building process is now officially underway, and the next step is to get Castle on campus to see what life as a Buckeye is like and what Ohio State can offer both on and off the court. With 2022 looking as solid as it is from a recruiting standpoint, it’s not off base to believe this future 2023 class could end up the same way.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State 2022 receiver commit Kyion Grayes may not be able to play right now for his prep team due to injury, but as he rehabs back to the field, the accolades are still surrounding his name. On Wednesday, the nation’s 13th best receiver in the class received his All-American Bowl jersey and went in depth to explain what this honor means to him. A prestigious honor for some of the most elite prep players in America, his comments in the feature show just how much this meant to him.