Skip to main content
search

Recruiting Rundown: Recapping Ryan Day’s Whirlwind Week With Where Ohio State Went On Trail

By December 11, 2018 (6:49 pm)Football

One week into his tenure on the trail as Ohio State’s 25th head football coach after replacing Urban Meyer on Dec. 4, Ryan Day‘s past seven days have been nonstop as he attempts to keep the Buckeyes’ recruiting classes together.

With the Dec. 19-21 early signing period approaching, OSU’s 2019 class in particular is its top priority. While two decommitments occurred in Ohio State’s 2020 group, Day’s efforts for the current cycle have actually built momentum on the trail.

After the past weekend saw the Buckeyes host commitments and targets from Dec. 7-9, the 2019 class now contains 16 commitments with just about all either directly or reportedly reaffirmed to Day and others potentially on the way.

How has OSU been able to keep its 2019 group intact? Approaching a week away from the Dec. 19 early signing day, BSB recaps where Day and the coaching staff have been on the road.

Ronnie Hickman

Defensive coordinator Greg Schiano saw Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic four-star safety Ronnie Hickman for an in-home visit on Dec. 3.

The 6-1, 200-pounder has been committed to Ohio State since April 13 and returned to Columbus for his official visit over the weekend of Dec. 7-9 , back on campus for the first time since an April 13-15 unofficial visit. He is the 247Sports composite’s No. 112 overall prospect, No. 9 safety and No. 3 player in New Jersey.

Jameson Williams

Brian Hartline, whom the Buckeyes elevated from interim to permanent wide receivers coach on Dec. 8, paid an in-home visit to St. Louis Cardinal Ritter College Prep four-star wide receiver Jameson Williams on Dec. 3.

The 6-1 1/2, 169-pounder has been committed to OSU since Sept. 28. Williams — the 247Sports composite’s No. 140 overall prospect, No. 24 wide receiver and No. 2 player in Missouri — received another in-home visit from Hartline and Day on Dec. 10.

Nick Broeker

Hours after Ohio State announced Day’s elevation and Meyer’s retirement, Day and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa watched one of the Buckeyes’ top targets in Springfield (Ill.) Sacred Heart Griffin three-star offensive tackle Nick Broeker on Dec. 4. Broeker posted 22 points and led Sacred Heart Griffin’s basketball team to its 79-68 win over Springfield.

The 6-6, 288-pounder has been committed to Ole Miss since June 14. He took his official visit to Oxford, Miss., the weekend of Dec. 7-9 and followed the next two days officially visiting Columbus from Dec. 10-11. Broeker is the 247Sports composite’s No. 710 overall prospect, No. 55 offensive tackle and No. 11 player in Illinois.

Ryan Jacoby

Studrawa and Day in-home visited Mentor, Ohio, four-star offensive tackle Ryan Jacoby on Dec. 5. The 6-5, 270-pounder has been committed to Ohio State since March 1. Jacoby is the 247Sports composite’s No. 295 overall prospect, No. 26 offensive tackle and No. 6 player in Ohio.

Noah Potter

While in Mentor, Defensive line coach Larry Johnson and Day also dropped by four-star defensive end Noah Potter with an in-home visit on Dec. 5.

The 6-5 1/2, 250-pounder has been committed to the Buckeyes since April 16 and remains on track for early enrollment in January with Jacoby.  Like Jacoby, Potter took his official visit over the weekend of Dec. 7-9. He is the 247Sports composite’s No. 331 overall prospect, No. 24 strong-side defensive end and No. 9 player in Ohio.

Garrett Wilson

Hartline and Day went to Austin, Texas, the night of Dec. 5 for an in-home visit with Lake Travis five-star wide receiver Garrett Wilson. The 6-0 1/2, 181 pounder has been committed to Ohio State since April 29. As the 247Sports composite’s No. 16 overall prospect, No. 2 wide receiver and No. 2 player in Texas, Wilson is the Buckeyes’ highest-rated pledge.

Harry Miller

Day in-home visited Buford, Ga., five-star center Harry Miller on Dec. 6. Next to Wilson, Miller is OSU’s second-highest ranked recruit, committed since June 10.

According to reports from 247Sports and Rivals, Miller’s mother, Kristina, said on Dec. 10 that he remains firm in his pledge to Ohio State under Day and still plans to sign early. Miller is the 247Sports composite’s No. 31 overall prospect, No. 2 center and No. 6 player in Georgia.

Marcus Crowley

Running backs coach Tony Alford and Day stopped in Jacksonville, Fla., for Trinity Christian Academy three-star running back Marcus Crowley on Dec. 6. The 6-1, 200-pounder has been committed to the Buckeyes since Nov. 4. Crowley is the 247Sports composite’s No. 411 overall prospect, No. 26 running back and No. 53 player in Florida.

Bryson Shaw

Co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Alex Grinch had an in-home visit with Potomac (Md.) Bullis School three-star safety Bryson Shaw on Dec. 6. The 6-2, 175-pounder has been committed to OSU since April 28 and publicly reaffirmed his status when he took to Twitter on Dec. 7. Shaw is the 247Sports composite’s No. 569 overall prospect, No. 47 safety and No. 10 player in Maryland.

Reported Rest

According to 247Sports, Alford in-home visited Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity Catholic four-star athlete Steele Chambers on Dec. 2 and is expected to return with Day on Dec. 13. The 6-2, 215-pounder has been committed to Ohio State since April 18 and is the 247Sports composite’s No. 240 overall prospect, No. 10 athlete and No. 26 player in Georgia.

On Dec. 3, linebackers coach Billy Davis saw Clayton (Ohio) Northmont four-star linebacker Jestin Jacobs, according to 247Sports. The 6-3, 210-pounder has been committed to Iowa since May 11 but unofficially visited Columbus for the Michigan game on Nov. 24 and officially visited over the weekend of Dec. 7-9. Jacobs is the 247Sports composite’s No. 316 overall prospect, No. 17 outside linebacker and No. 7 player in Ohio.

Schiano, Grinch and special teams/cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson stopped in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for St. Thomas Aquinas four-star safety Jordan Battle on Dec. 4. The 6-1, 187-pounder has been committed to the Buckeyes since June 29 but is reportedly considering Alabama. Battle is the 247Sports composite’s No. 77 overall prospect, No. 6 safety and No. 10 player in Florida.

Also that day, offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Kevin Wilson was reportedly with Fort Wayne (Ind.) Wayne three-star athlete Craig Young (committed since June 15) and Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven three-star tight end Cormontae Hamilton (committed since July 27). Young (6-4, 200) is the 247Sports composite’s No. 599 overall prospect, No. 35 athlete and No. 10 player in Indiana. Hamilton (6-2, 263) is its No. 687 overall prospect, No. 29 tight end and No. 23 player in Tennessee.

According to Rivals, quality control coach/assistant quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis is acting as OSU’s 10th assistant. According to 247Sports, Dennis checked on Oak Park, Mich., four-star quarterback Dwan Mathis on Dec. 7. The 6-6, 205-pounder has been committed to Ohio State since June 24. Mathis is the 247Sports composite’s 261 overall prospect, No. 9 pro-style quarterback and No. 7 player in Michigan.

Lexington, Ohio, four-star outside linebacker Cade Stover hosted Day and Davis for an in-home visit on Dec. 9. Lettermen Row first reported Stover’s in-home visit with Ohio State. The 6-5, 235-pounder has been committed to the Buckeyes since April 29. Stover is the 247Sports composite’s No. 106 overall prospect, No. 5 outside linebacker and No. 3 player in Ohio.

image_pdfClick for PDFimage_printClick to Print
Close Menu