Four-star safety trending back to Ohio State as a flurry of crystal ball picks come in

The first day of fall camp is in the books and it’s good to see the Buckeyes back on the practice field. Seeing clips of practice is just a teaser of what’s to come on Sept. 3 and if yesterday is any indication of how the rest of this camp goes, this Ohio State team is going to be working as hard as possible.

Much of the headlines are going to revolve around the current roster with camp underway, but recruiting news is still popping up daily and with Ohio State looking to get back to their winning ways on the trail, good news looks to be just around the corner.

Bonsu trending back to Ohio State

With Jim Knowles now at the helm of the Buckeye defense, the safety position instantly ramps up a notch in terms of its importance. While it’s always a critical spot, Knowles’ scheme prioritizes the position with multiple guys on the field at the same time. That said, the recruiting strategy here is not only to find the best guys possible but to build some depth in every cycle knowing that the base defense is going to utilize five defensive backs under the coaching staff.

Currently, Ohio State has two safeties committed in the 2023 cycle thanks to in-state product Malik Hartford and Florida native Cedrick Hawkins. Having those two in the fold is a big deal for the class, but one more safety is desired to really satisfy the needs of the staff. Of course, Caleb Downs was long the top target for the Buckeyes, but his commitment to Alabama and the pledge of another prospect — Joenel Aguero — to Georgia really had the secondary position coaches going back to the drawing board.

Fortunately, one name that has been in the thick of things for some time is New Jersey native Jayden Bonsu. Earlier in the process, the Buckeyes were in a great spot for the No. 259 ranked player and the 22nd best safety in the country per the 247Sports Composite grades. Until recently though, Bonsu trended away from Ohio State and it looked as if he was pegged to end up in Miami when he announces his commitment on Aug. 14.

Whether his ties to Miami surfaced because Ohio State’s odds at one time looked good for Downs is certainly one aspect worth considering, but after a flurry of crystal ball predictions in favor of the Buckeyes came in yesterday, it looks as if all momentum for Bonsu is once again steering itself back toward Columbus. This would be a big-time addition to a class that really needs some positive vibes on the defensive recruiting efforts. Now crystal ball predictions aren’t guarantees, but seeing submissions coming from experts such as Steve Wilftong and Bill Kurelic, it’s pretty safe to assume where this recruitment is going.

As stated, Bonsu’s announcement is well under two weeks away and if Ohio State can pull this one out, it gives the Buckeyes their third safety in the class and also allows the staff to breathe easy a little bit as the last few weeks certainly haven’t been how you’d draw it up.

In addition, Bonsu’s potential commitment would really allow the staff to focus again on landing at least one more cornerback in this current cycle and keep this class in a great spot to finish with a top-five ranked haul. The wait will soon be over.

Quick Hits:

• The caliber of player Ohio State goes after every year is among the most talented players in the country. But just as important is the type of person the young man is off the field as well.

Wanting to have leaders at every position, yesterday, current receiver commit Carnell Tate shared via his Twitter account that he was named a captain for his prep team, IMG Academy. A tremendous honor at one of the premier programs in the country, this is just another token of evidence that shows not only how gifted these Ohio State players are, but the type of young men they are as well. Tate being a captain proves his leadership abilities and that will be a welcomed trait when he arrives in Columbus.