Offer season continues as Ohio State dishes out another five offers on Wednesday

For the last couple of weeks it’s been non-stop recruiting for Ohio State. Everyday there’s a handful of new prospects announcing that the Buckeyes have offered, and it’s further proof that this staff is on the trail relentlessly. Whether it be conducting visits with new prospects or seeing targets the staff is already high on, the Buckeyes are using this January as a springboard for what they hope will become momentum in their 2023 and 2024 classes.

This past month has been nothing but business for the Buckeyes. In the form of the coaching staff changes and additions as well as this recruiting buzz, Ryan Day and his crew are fully set on getting back to the College Football Playoff, and this offseason is the first step.

With the 2022 class wrapping up officially in just under a week now, Ohio State will finally be able to devote all of their time to the future classes rather than just the present cycle. Sure, the coaches are spending most of their time with sights on the 2023 and 2024 classes already, but next week’s signing day gives final confirmation that the next great class of Buckeyes is all locked in giving the staff a chance to exhale. In that aspect, 2023 becomes the official priority for all parties involved.

Ronan Hanafin

Starting on the offensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes made a splash in Massachusetts when they sent out a new offer to four-star prospect, Ronan Hanafin. A 6-foot-3, 205 pound athlete, Hanafin currently lines up both offensively and defensively for his prep team, but projects to be a receiver at the next level per his 247Sports profile.

The 44th-ranked receiver in the class, Hanafin also projects as the the No. 333 player nationally and the sixth-best player in his home state in the 2023 class. Not the typical receiver the Buckeyes are used to going after thanks to the incredible job position coach Brian Hartline is doing, Hanafin is still obviously catching the attention of major programs. With nearly 20 offers to his name from the likes of Penn State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and more including Ohio State, this under the radar recruit may be due for a rankings boost in the near future.

Thanks to a class of four receivers in 2022, Ohio State won’t need a large grouping of guys at the position for 2023, but without a receiver in the class to this point, Hartline isn’t wasting any time looking for who could be the first to join.

Bryson Rodgers

Sticking with the receiver position, the Buckeyes made their presence known in the Sunshine State again, as they usually do on the recruiting trail, when they offered another class of 2023 prospect yesterday. On the receiving end, Bryson Rodgers, a 6-foot-2, 170 pound athlete, was the next in line to hear from Ohio State.

Another under the radar target, Rodgers is the 40th-best receiver in the class and the No. 295 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite. Like the aforementioned Hanafin, Rodgers’ offer list alone should give Buckeye fans a clear insight to why this prospect was due for an offer. Nearly 30 schools have already entered his recruitment, and with programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Oregon, and several more in the running, Ohio State wasn’t wasting any more time.

Hartline tends to have his pick of the crop when it comes to landing receivers, and Wednesday proves that he wants to broaden the search a bit as they look for the next great set of pass-catchers to continue the success in Columbus.

Jason Moore

Moving to the defensive side of the ball, Ohio State was back on the trail in pursuit of top tier guys that will fit in the new defensive system for one, but also help bring back the meaning of the Silver Bullets.

Starting on the defensive line, the Buckeyes returned to a familiar prep program when they offered Jason Moore. A 6-foot-6, 255 pound defensive lineman out of DeMatha Catholic, Moore is currently ranked as the seventh-best player at his position for the 2023 class. In addition, Moore also grades out as the 44th best player nationally and the top overall player in Maryland in his cycle. If his prep school rings a bell, it should since it’s the same program that also gave the Buckeyes Chase Young. It’s only right their next great talent is also a top national defensive line target.

Schools such as Alabama, Michigan, Florida, LSU, and many others have already offered Moore, but with the Buckeyes now in the fold and their track record with DeMatha, it’s not unreasonable to assume Ohio State automatically enters the race in a great position. Larry Johnson is a dominant recruiting force anywhere, but especially when it comes to the DMV, and his next target in that landscape now looks to be identified.

Jordan Castell

The fourth and final 2023 prospect to earn an Ohio State offer on Wednesday, four-star defensive back Jordan Castell also got the good news from the Buckeyes. A Florida native, Castell is a 6-foot-2, 195 pound safety out of West Orange High School. The 32nd ranked safety in the class, Castell is also considered to be the No. 381 player nationally in the 2023 cycle.

With his size, Castell is already very well set up to be a safety at the next level, but he also has experience playing on the outside as a cornerback and would immediately be one of the bigger coverage corners the Buckeyes have gone after. His athleticism definitely helps his recruitment as nearly 30 schools have already offered. Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, Penn State, and several others have thrown their hat into the ring and now Ohio State too can join the ranks.

Furthermore, this is just yet another incredibly talented player from Florida the Buckeyes will be in on. Look for his name to be one you hear again in the near future as the 2023 class continues to roll.

Quick Hits

• As mentioned earlier, Ohio State’s coaching staff wasn’t just busy in the 2023 class on Wednesday. In addition to all of their work in the more current cycle, the Buckeyes also took some time to look ahead to 2024 and did so by offering defensive back prospect, Braydon Lee.

A 6-foot-1, 165 pound athlete out of Maryland, Lee does not currently hold a recruiting ranking due to his class status, but does have nearly double-digit offers to his name this early on. Programs such as South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Boston College, and a few more have all offered to this point, but the Buckeyes now in the fold could start a domino effect.