Arguably the top target for Ohio State in the 2020 recruiting class inched closer to his commitment choice Friday when Julian Fleming cut to five.
The five-star wide receiver from Catawissa (Pa.) Southern Columbia continues to consider the Buckeyes with four other finalists — Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Penn State — he announced on Twitter.
The 6-2, 199-pounder also disclosed a declaration date of May 31.
May 31… pic.twitter.com/wOnPtFALcL
— 🃏0J4🃏 (@julian_040) May 10, 2019
OSU is heavily involved with Fleming — the 247Sports composite’s No. 6 overall prospect, No. 1 wide receiver and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania for 2020. Ohio State’s recruitment of Fleming officially started Feb. 7, 2018, when the Buckeyes offered. He came to Columbus for the first time June 17, 2018, followed by two return trips later in the year — Nov. 3 for OSU’s 36-31 win over Nebraska and Nov. 24 for its 62-39 victory against then-No. 4 Michigan.
Fleming’s first list trim occurred Dec. 25 when he dropped his top 10. The second came Feb. 16 with Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State involved at the time. Fleming followed the news as he took his trips to see the Tigers (March 9) and Buckeyes (March 23) around unofficial visits Feb. 23 and March 16 with the Nittany Lions.
Of his five available official visits, Fleming used the first April 12-14 when he watched the Crimson Tide’s spring game. Prior to ‘Bama, Fleming competed April 7 at The Opening Regional in Florham Park, N.J., where he flashed his top talent. Fleming recorded a 4.63-second 40-yard dash and 37.40-inch vertical jump before he finished among the camp’s best performers and punched his ticket to The Opening Finals at The Star in Frisco, Texas, from June 30 through July 3.
As a junior at Southern Columbia in 2018, Fleming caught 78 passes for 1,524 yards (19.5 average) for 22 touchdowns. Led by Fleming, the Tigers went 15-0 overall. They were crowned state champions Dec. 7 after their 49-14 win over Wilmington in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Class AA final.
