OSU never backs off as it pursues top recruits
Buckeyes get two more top-100 commitments.
A reporter COLUMBUS — asked Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer if he was recruiting players for the 2017 class or just selecting them. In other words, do the Buckeyes get whomever they want?
That seemed to be the case Monday when they received verbal commitments from two top-100 recruits: wide receivers Trevon Grimes, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Tyjon Lindsey, of Las Vegas.
“We’ve got to hang on,” Meyer said. “Signing day is a long way away. Usually a commitment means you’re in the game pretty good with them. It doesn’t mean it’s done. We need to keep recruiting.”
When the Buckeyes land recruits, the word players, coaches and fans use to celebrate on Twitter is “Boom,” and Meyer said he heard a big boom Monday. “We like booms,” he said. Eighteen players in the class of 2017 have announced verbal commitments to the Buckeyes. ESPN ranks the class first.
Rivals.com ranks Ohio State second behind Alabama, which has 21 commitments. Sixteen of Ohio State’s recruits rank in the ESPN top 300.
The top-ranked recruit is cornerback Shaun Wade, of Jacksonville, Fla. He ranks No. 13 overall.
Miamisburg offensive lineman Josh Myers ranks 26th. Grimes ranks 27th. Defensive end Chase Young (No. 30), guard Wyatt Davis (No. 35), running back J.K. Dobbins (No. 39), safety Isaiah Pryor (No. 48) and Lindsey (No. 76) are all in the top 100.
Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith deserves a big share of the credit. He’s also Ohio State’s recruiting coordinator.
“I think I do a good job of identifying kids early, the kids we want, the best in the country,” Smith said, “and going out and developing a relationship with them and just being real. I’m just myself. I think it’s why I’m successful at it. It’s why everyone here is successful. We’re selling Ohio State. It’s really easy to recruit to this place right now.”
The competition is fierce among Ohio State’s coaches to bring in the best players.
“You better bring in a bigtime dude,” Smith said, “or we might not be able to take him because somebody else has a big-time dude that might come. You better be recruiting the best of the best, the best in class, and if you are, you better work and recruit hard to get him to come or you may not have a spot.”
Smith doesn’t know how many players will end up in the class by signing day in February.
“A kid maybe hasn’t performed well and might want to leave, or a kid may get hurt tomorrow, so you never know,” Smith said. “It’s a constantly moving number. We have a number right now. That could change tomorrow or the next day.”