Ohio State makes the short list for a top national target reclassifying to the 2022 class

The day after signing day is typically pretty easy on the recruiting news, and Thursday followed that same sentiment. The recruiting didn’t stop for 24 hours for this coaching staff, as they are always working when it comes to the pursuit of elite prospects, but a bit of a breather was well deserved. Considering how hard this staff grinds on a daily basis, Wednesday’s signing day outcomes called for a job well done.

A new update in the 2022 class surfaced, however, that may leave the door cracked a bit for this Ohio State class to not be completely finished, as Wednesday was originally the final chapter in that cycle. In recruiting, there’s never a day without some sort of news.

2022 reclassification may impact Ohio State

It’s not the most common aspect in recruiting, but reclassifications have certainly impacted Ohio State recruiting classes the last two cycles. Seeing Quinn Ewers originally in the 2022 class reclassifying to the 2021 class meant Ohio State had him on campus this past year, months earlier than expected, and of course we all saw how that played out both for the good and bad. Once again in this current cycle, the Buckeyes received Sonny Styles a year earlier than they once thought when he reclassified to the 2022 class rather than his original 2023 status.

Regardless of reasoning behind those decisions, reclassification has an impact on the recruiting cycle for the Buckeyes and any program that deals with that situation. Whether it be like Ewers for NIL reasons or for any other of the factors involved, this is becoming an aspect in recruiting that seems to be getting more prevalent.

On Thursday, the latest reclassification for a top national recruit was announced in regards to Georgia native, Lebbeus Overton, a five-star defensive lineman. Originally in the 2023 class, Overton will be reclassifying to the 2022 class and enrolling much earlier than anticipated.

The third-ranked player in the country per the 247Sports Composite, Overton is also currently considered to be the top defensive lineman in the 2023 class and best player in an always loaded state of Georgia. Besides just those incredible grades, Overton’s offer status of nearly 30 of the best programs in the country shows how impressive this young talent is. A basketball player as well, Overton is not only a great defensive line prospect, but one of the top athletes in the entire class that of course will be ready for college ball even if it’s earlier than he planned originally.

In regards to how this impacts Ohio State, yesterday Overton also revealed the top five schools he is still considering. Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia, and Ohio State are all still in the running, and of course the Buckeyes would welcome him with open arms if they were the choice in the end.

Right now, Overton plans to take all of his visits this spring, and similar to Ohio State’s situation with J.T. Tuimoloau in the 2021 class, he will commit and arrive to the school of his choice some time in the summer months. There’s only two Crystal Ball predictions submitted right now in regards to Overton, and Oklahoma and Texas A&M are the selections, which makes sense being that his father played at Oklahoma, but again, the Buckeyes being in the final five gives them a shot with one of the very best in the country.

With his dad now being an associate athletic director at the college level, Overton will make a well rounded decision and vet the process. Now, Ohio State just needs to let Larry Johnson shoot his best shot.

Quick Hits

• On the hardwood, the Buckeyes extended their latest offer to 2023 prospect, Layden Blocker. A 6-foot-2, 175 pound point guard, Blocker is considered to be eighth-best player at his position, No. 26 player nationally, and the top player in Arkansas for his class. Having offers already from nearly 20 programs and schools such as Baylor, Kansas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and several more, it’s easy to see why he’s a four-star and one of the top players in the country.

Though the recruiting efforts aren’t always as prevalent during the season for the Buckeye hoops staff, they weren’t wasting anymore time getting in the mix for Blocker.