Coaching staff dishes out several new offers after their first camp day of the summer

On Wednesday, Ohio State hosted their first one-day football camp of the summer, and it proved that the coaching staff is still fully dedicated to the evaluation period. After sending out nearly double-digit new offers to both in and out-of-state players in multiple classes, the coaches are using these opportunities to continue their efforts in pursuing elite talent. Some names new and some familiar, the summer was kicked off with quite a bang.

Without further hesitation, here’s a look at the players on the receiving end of Ohio State offers.

2023 QB lands OSU offer

Ohio State has yet to land a quarterback commit in the 2023 class and it’s probably due to a multitude of factors. The current status of the room and the elite talent already in Columbus is pretty incredible, but adding the top player in the country per 247Sports, Dylan Raiola, in 2024, and you have what is probably unfair to everybody else and what they have on the roster.

Still, Day and company want a quarterback in this current class, and on Wednesday they offered the latest player at the position to hear from the Buckeyes and are hoping they can really get into the mix quickly.

Texas native, Austin Novosad, was on the receiving end of the latest quarterback offer, and knowing Day’s track record of developing and recruiting that position, Novosad is clearly a talent worth paying close attention to.

The No. 308 player in the country per the 247Sports Composite, Novosad is also considered to be the 17th best quarterback in the country with nearly 20 offers to his name. The more interesting aspect to this Texas product is that he’s currently committed to Baylor and has been since December. Taking into consideration that he came all the way to Ohio on his own dime and to camp nonetheless, that should give pretty solid insight to his thoughts on Ohio State overall. A realistic option moving forward, this is one recruitment to watch closely in the near future.

Additional 2023 offers sent out

Not only was the quarterback position an important one for evaluations on Wednesday in the 2023 class, but other positions too in the current cycle appealed to the staff as additional offers were sent out.

Starting off in-state, the Buckeyes sent out a new offer to 2023 prospect Jermaine Mathews (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods). A 6-foot, 175 pound athlete, Mathews is no new name to the Ohio State coaches, but is someone that they very much wanted to see perform at camp, and he did that and more on Wednesday putting on quite the performance. So impressive, Mathews was clocked at a sub 4.4 40-yard dash time, and anytime you see those numbers from a high school athlete hand-timed or not, it’s telling.

The No. 551 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite grades, Mathews is also the 15th best player in Ohio in the current cycle. Not as highly ranked as Ohio State targets typically are, it’s worth noting that he has over 30 offers to his name, and the Buckeyes being the latest in the mix certainly bodes well for more top programs taking notice.

Any time Ohio State offers an in-state player, it’s not a surprise to expect the Buckeyes to be the favorite, but Mathews being a Winton Woods product too may even further help Ohio State’s case in landing the talented cornerback. Having multiple guys on the current roster also from Winton Woods thanks to Miyan Williams and Jerron Cage, Ohio State should be in a good spot moving forward as they continue to pursue defensive backs in the class.

Another player in the 2023 class once again, Ohio State went back to a familiar prep program they’ve had success with in recent past when they dished out an offer to Jalen Thompson.

A Detroit native, Thompson hails from Cass Tech, which has been Michigan’s best school when it comes to producing D-I talent for years. Giving Ohio State players such as Mike Weber, Damon Webb, and Joshua Alabi, the Buckeyes have a strong presence in that school, and clearly with that much talent coming out every year, it’s wise to stay in the mix knowing the players from their in the past have played major roles in Columbus.

A 6-foot-3, 245 pound defensive lineman, Thompson currently holds 30 offers to his name and ranks as the No. 212 player nationally per 247Sports. Also the 30th best player at his position and third ranked player in Michigan for 2023, Thompson has enough on his resume to impress but getting the nod of approval from position coach Larry Johnson, and that should tell you all you need to know about his abilities on the field.

Making it clear how exciting the Ohio State offer was, Thompson is another name that should be watched closely as defensive line recruiting continues to be a priority in the current cycle.

2024 also a priority on Wednesday

Though the 2023 class is the top priority right now for the coaches, yesterday the 2024 class also saw a ton of attention as the continued evaluations of some familiar names and new ones as well paid off in big ways. The future cycle saw several offers be awarded for strong camp performances. Here’s a list of the 2024 guys to receive the good news from Ohio State:

• Garrett Stover (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut) — A 6-foot-2, 195-pound athlete, Stover is currently the No. 236 ranked player nationally per 247Sports and is the eighth best player in Ohio for 2024. The cousin to current Buckeye, Cade Stover, Garrett has really seen his recruitment take off as of late. Nearing 15 total offers to his name this early on, the Buckeyes have been watching him closely the last several months, and the chance to see him perform in-person clearly pushed the staff offer the top by offering. Family ties and location have to give the notion that Ohio State is in a solid spot already.

• Elias Rudolph (Cincinnati, Ohio/Taft) — Somewhat of a newer name on the trail, Elias Rudolph is a 6-foot-4, 220 pound edge rusher in the 2024 class, and currently has nearly 20 offers to his name with schools such as Clemson, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, and others in the fold. The No. 204 player in the country, Rudolph also checks in as the 17th best edge rusher in the class and the fourth best player within Ohio for his cycle. Early on, in-state players with Ohio State offers are top priorities, so the staff will be on this one for the long haul.

• Aaron Scott Jr. (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield) — Making the short trek to campus from Springfield, Aaron Scott Jr. didn’t leave empty handed. The 6-foot-1, 160 pound cornerback in the 2024 class left with an Ohio State offer, and one that should really jump-start his recruitment as it’s now just a matter of time before other major Power Five programs come calling. The No. 276 player nationally, Scott is the 28th best player at his position and the seventh best player from Ohio for his class. At 16 offers, again, it’s just a matter of when and not if for how quickly his stock will rise.

• Mylan Graham (New Haven, Indiana/New Haven) — Talk about starting off with a bang, Mylan Graham was in attendance for yesterday’s camp and walked away with not only a great performance, but his first D-I offer. A 6-foot, 170 pound receiver in the 2024 class, Graham got the retweet from Brian Hartline and proof that Hartline is wanting to get this recruitment off with strong start relationship wise. As seen numerous times, when Hartline is in the mix, the Buckeyes tend to fare pretty well. Being first in line, they’ve already made a great first impression.