Buckeyes dish out latest offer to 2023 quarterback, play host to more top targets during spring ball

Like the rest of this week so far, Thursday proved to be another busy day for Ohio State’s coaching staff. On the field developing the current roster for the 2022 campaign, the Buckeyes were also hard at work on the recruiting side of things, which included several top targets on campus as well as their latest offer sent out.

It’s going to be tough to keep track of all of the recruiting developments that come up the next couple of weeks, but the momentum looks to be ready to take off and that’s exactly what Ryan Day and his crew are hoping for as they try to build up the 2023 class.

Buckeyes offer latest QB in 2023 class

It was mentioned in Thursday’s edition of State Secrets that Ryan Day and the coaching staff would be hosting a top 2023 signal caller on campus in the form of Alabama native, Christopher Vizzina. The visit for the nation’s seventh-best quarterback and No. 51 player in the country regardless of position apparently went very well, as he leaves Columbus as the latest quarterback in the class to earn an Ohio State offer.

Now the seventh player at the quarterback spot to earn an Ohio State offer, Ryan Day has proved that in every cycle, regardless of what the position room looks like, he’s fully committed to finding and bringing in the best player available. This year should be no different, even with the elite depth they have behind C.J. Stroud. Last year’s situation with both Quinn Ewers and Jack Miller proved that things can change in an instant, and for that reason Day knows he’s always going to need to recruit the best players at the position every year.

With another guy now having the Buckeyes in the mix, the next steps are to see if they can get Vizzina back to campus again as they look to develop the relationship further. Having over 30 offers to his name from every major program in the country, pulling Vizzina out of the South won’t be an easy task by any means, but if there’s a quarterback developer with a proven track record who appeals at that high of a level year in and year out, Day fits that bill pretty well.

Ohio State getting a pair of big time visitors on the same day

This entire spring ball season is going to be a huge opportunity for Ohio State on the recruiting front, and that theme has already proven to be the case as the coaching staff has hit the ground running, hosting some of their top recruiting targets both in-state and nationally. Regardless of class and position, having these big time players of major priority on campus is the chance to prove why Columbus is the best destination. As they do so many times, the staff looks to be doing a great job with impressing their guests.

On Thursday, news surfaced that later this month the Buckeyes would be getting another visit from a major target in the 2023 class thanks to defensive lineman AJ Hoffler. The Georgia native has been very vocal about his interest in Ohio State, and as Larry Johnson continues to make him a priority in the current cycle, it’s really not a stretch to say that the Buckeyes are the team to beat this early on for the 39th best defensive lineman in the country and the No. 249 player nationally.

Returning to campus on March 26, this is another visit in the works for Hoffler and a chance to see Larry Johnson and how he coaches his players up close and personal. Having already seen campus before and taking in the facilities, the upcoming trek to practice is really all about the inside look of the program and getting more of a feel for how he would fit into the defense. Either way, another visit further proves how serious of a player Ohio State is for the four-star prospect.

Not the only bit of good news for the March 26 concerning Ohio State visitors, it also came up that the Buckeyes would be hosting another major defensive talent that Saturday. Making the trek north, Ohio State’s staff will welcome the top-ranked player in Tennessee for the 2023 class, Caleb Herring.

A 6-foot-5, 205 pound edge rusher, Herring is currently ranked as the sixth-best player at his position and the 73rd best player nationally regardless of position. A high four-star, Caleb has nearly 30 offers to his name already, but the Buckeyes have yet to throw their name into the fold. His visit hints towards the notion that the interest between the two parties is certainly mutual, and that an offer could well be in the works and coming shortly. Again, this is another elite player that the staff is excited to have on campus and could be a new name worth paying attention to.

Quick Hits

• It’s been pretty clear that the next in-state player of major importance for the coaching staff is Lakota West product, Malik Hartford. The 11th best safety in the 2023 class, Malik is the fourth-ranked player in Ohio for this cycle and a guy the staff certainly wants in the fold before too long.

Making the short trip up to Columbus, Hartford was back to see the Buckeyes on Thursday and got the chance to really connect with position coach, Perry Eliano. Getting to know Hartford more in depth is of course on the agenda for the new safety coach, and while the Buckeyes are in a good spot already, the developing of a strong bond with Hartford and this new look coaching staff could be the last box to check. Overall, the visit looked to be very successful.