Early Signing Period: Four-Star OT George Fitzpatrick Signs NLI

Get to know Englewood (Colo.) Cherry Creek four-star offensive tackle George Fitzpatrick, who signed his National Letter of Intent with Ohio State on Wednesday.

Height, Weight: 6-6, 285.

247 Composite Rankings: He’s rated as the 325th overall prospect, the 26th overall offensive tackle and the No. 2 recruit out of Colorado.

Commitment Date: Fitzpatrick committed to Ohio State on July 9, 2021.

Other Offers: Arizona State, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Iowa State, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, USC and Utah, among others.

How he did in high school: Fitzpatrick will join Ohio State as a champion, as his Cherry Creek squad brought home the Colorado Class 5A state championship in each of the last three seasons.

In 2021, they finished with a 12-2 record, blanking Valor Christian 21-0 in the state title game.

Why he committed to Ohio State: Fitzpatrick was thorough in his recruitment, taking official visits to Ohio State (June 4), Michigan (June 11), Oklahoma (June 18) and Oregon (June 25) over the summer, but it was his initial visit with the Buckeyes that put him in position for Ohio State.

“The bar was set incredibly high,” Fitzpatrick told Lettermen Row after his visit. “Just being there that big weekend, with all the commits…that was huge for me. It was very tough for the other schools to live up to that.”

Where he fits in for 2022: Fitzpatrick faces an uphill battle given Ohio State’s numbers on the offensive line, especially considering that Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones will likely be back as the starting tackles.

Given that he doesn’t have the experience to shift around on the line, he’ll likely factor in as a depth play for the Buckeyes as he attempts to crack the two-deep.