Buckeyes lock in on Texas pro-style QB after commit visits elsewhere.
Ohio State will sign a quarterback COLUMBUS — today, but it won’t be the one who’s been committed to the Buckeyes since July 2016.
The recruitment of Emory Jones, the four-star quarterback from Georgia who for more than a year looked like the centerpiece of the Buckeyes’ 2018 recruiting class, will end today. He’s expected to sign his National Letter of Intent on the first day of the new early signing period, and enroll early.
Just don’t expect that letter to be faxed to Ohio State.
A source close to the recruitment confirmed Monday night that Ohio State had changed its quarterback plans before Jones took visits to Florida and Florida State this past weekend. Head coach Urban Meyer and quarterbacks coach Ryan Day last visited with Jones on Dec. 5 at his home.
The Buckeyes will move forward with one quarterback in this class, three-star Texas prospect Matthew Baldwin.
The writing was on the wall in a lot of ways when Ohio State offered and then accepted a commitment from Baldwin on Dec. 8. Simply put, the Buckeyes were in an uncertain situation regarding Jones as he made multiple visits to Alabama and Auburn in the fall, remained committed to Ohio State, but never made his intentions fully clear.
Even now, it’s not totally clear where Jones will
sign. Florida is considered the favorite after his visit this weekend. If the Gators — and new coach Dan Mullen — get Jones, they’ll be getting the No. 4 dual-threat quarterback in the country.
The Buckeyes moved on Baldwin after evaluating the film from his senior year at Lake Travis High School near Austin. They offered the former Colorado State commit at a time when Ohio State was looking around at a handful of quarterbacks. They offered former Kentucky and now Miami commit Jarren Williams. Ohio State also hosted former Tennessee and now Nebraska commit Adrian Martinez last month for a visit, but never offered.
Baldwin committed to Ohio State one day after Williams committed to Miami.
Baldwin, who’s rated the No. 18 pro-style quarterback in the country, comes with a much lower rating than Jones. Baldwin also only has one year of high school film. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound prospect is in his first year starting at Lake Travis, and has his team playing in the state championship game this weekend.
Ohio State feels like it got a steal in Baldwin, who has confirmed he will sign today.
When he does, and Jones signs elsewhere, that will bring to an end a convoluted quarterback recruiting situation that saw the Buckeyes trying to secure the commitment of Jones, who was once regarded as a composite five-star prospect, through this fall. Somewhere along the line, that relationship changed. And Ohio State changed its quarterback priorities.
On paper, Jones would have been the best quarterback recruit Meyer had signed since coming to Columbus, just narrowly edging Tate Martell, who signed last year.
Baldwin, on paper, is far from being rated anywhere near those two players. But he’s the Buckeyes’ guy in this class moving forward. Meyer wants a quarterback commit in every class, and this year it will be Baldwin.
Meyer left the door open earlier this year for the Buckeyes to potentially sign two quarterbacks in this class. A pairing of Jones and Baldwin could have worked, especially if one of the quarterbacks currently on the roster decides to transfer after the battle for the starting job between Dwayne Haskins, Joe Burrow and Martell sorts itself out, presumably this spring.
Now Ohio State won’t be bringing in two quarterbacks. It will bring in one. And, barring an unforeseen turn of events at this point, it won’t be Jones.
Decision time for Carman: The highly publicized and scrutinized recruitment of Jackson Carman officially has an end date and time.
Fairfield athletics director Mark Harden announced Carman, the five-star offensive tackle for the Indians, will make his announcement and sign a national letter of intent at 11 a.m. today at the school.
Earlier in the morning, Fairfield defensive end Malik Vann, a four-star prospect, will sign with Cincinnati.
Carman is the No. 9 player in the nation and the top player in Ohio per 247Sports composite rankings. Indians coach Jason Krause told the recruiting service Carman’s finalists are Clemson, Ohio State and USC.