Current players helping to lead Ohio State’s recruiting efforts

Though it’s a recruiting dead period right now, Ohio State’s efforts on the trail have still been pretty evident the last few days. After seeing several younger players in the future cycles receive offers earlier this week, the coaches have their eyes set on getting early starts with these new prospects. While 2023’s current class continues to be the top priority, the momentum there hopefully will carry over into 2024 and beyond.

Commitments are going to pop eventually, and those could be sooner rather than later for several 2023 Ohio State priorities. If it’s anything like the late June booms, the current class could really start to fill up. It’s been a great summer to this point for the Buckeyes when it comes to landing players and being in the mix for other elite talents, but as the beat goes on, one aspect that doesn’t change is Ohio State’s desire to get on to the next big thing.

Regardless, more booms should be well on the way.

Elite 11 gets under way

Whether it’s a current commit or a guy the Buckeyes land late in the game, typically Ohio State has a quarterback involved with the Elite 11 event for many of the nation’s premier signal callers. Days of competitions and working on their craft, the Elite 11 has become the top quarterback event in the country, and to make it as one of the selected guys says all you need to know about that particular player.

This year, Ohio State is without a 2023 quarterback to this point, but as it’s been known for some time now, it’s not for a lack of trying. Ryan Day and Corey Dennis have been putting in the efforts trying to land a guy for this cycle, and while they’re set up wonderfully both on the current roster and in the 2024 class, Day has made it clear that he desires taking a guy in every class, especially with how quickly things can change with the transfer portal.

With the week’s events starting yesterday, one quarterback specifically who has been closely linked with Ohio State lately is current Baylor commit, Austin Novosad. Receiving his Buckeye offer after impressing in camp earlier this month, Novosad coming up on his own dime from Texas showed that he clearly was wanting to see Ohio State enter the mix in his recruitment. An official visit shortly after also gave insight to the Buckeyes potentially having a real shot at flipping him from Baylor.

Now holding the Texas A&M offer he also desired, Ohio State isn’t back to square one by any means, but the longer this recruitment goes, the more cloudy the picture comes for the Buckeyes and their chances at bringing in Novosad, the No. 261 player nationally and the 13th ranked quarterback in the class per the 247Sports Composite.

Simply put, what Ohio State can offer from the quarterback perspective and beyond isn’t lost on Novosad. He’s made it known that he realizes what it would mean to learn under Day and be in the Buckeye’s quarterback room with all the development he would receive. Though the coaches do plenty of their own pitching, yesterday C.J. Stroud — an Elite 11 champ in his own right — was on site working as a counselor.

While Stroud is there to work with the guys and get some throws in, it’s a safe assumption that he will be in the ears of the guys Ohio State is really after currently, mainly the aforementioned Novosad. Who better to hear from than Stroud, who was a Heisman candidate in his first season under center for the Buckeyes and a projected top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

There’s still plenty of things that could shake out for Ohio State and their 2023 quarterback situation, but if Stroud can do a little bit of recruiting this week at the Elite 11, it could pay off in a major way.

Quick Hits

• Four-star lineman Oluwatosin Babalade officially visited Ohio State the weekend of June 17. The 6-foot-5, 296 pound offensive tackle is currently ranked as the No. 283 player nationally and the 26th best tackle in the country per the 247Sports Composite grades. A product of familiar prep program, DeMatha Catholic — who produced Buckeye star Chase Young — the Buckeyes are hopeful that they have done enough to land one of the better remaining tackles in the class.

Still in full pursuit of at least one and potentially two players at the position, Justin Frye in his first year has done a great job securing the best in-state talents, but he knows the national players must also be in the fold to really impress.

Fresh off two more officials to both Rutgers and the hometown Maryland Terrapins, Babalade is planning on committing the second week of July. Ohio State is in on a few other big time targets, but it’s not too long before they’ll know where Oluwatosin plans to play his college ball.