The Hurry-Up: The 614 Edition - Conner, Cooper, Williamson and Gill Making Columbus Proud

By Jeremy Birmingham on October 21, 2014 at 7:45 pm
Jonathon Cooper is getting even closer to Ohio State
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Welcome to The Hurry-Up, which runs Sunday through Thursday, serving as your last stop for recruiting news and notes nightly. We'll recap the day as it happened and preview the days ahead while keeping our ear to the ground on the Ohio State recruiting scene.


Columbus has talent. In tonight's Hurry Up, we'll focus on the 614 and a few key players therein. Eleven Warriors spoke to one source in Columbus who's pretty clued in to the Buckeye recruiting scene and he gave us the goods on a few key players, ranging from 2015 to 2018 (!!) within Buckeye City's borders. 

NICK CONNER

With all the hoopla surrounding Justin Hilliard and the possibility of a Jerome Baker "flip," some might be forgetting about Nick Conner. The country's 6th-ranked inside linebacker, Conner isn't an afterthought for Ohio State, and his commitment is one the Buckeyes were thrilled to accept and fought hard to keep.

"Conner doesn't get the publicity the other two guys in the state get, but he's a really solid football player," the source said. "I know some people think he might be a bit 'stiff' athletically but I don't see that at all. He's versatile, strong and he works his butt off. Ohio State didn't want to risk him going elsewhere, and they really didn't want him visiting anywhere else. Ohio State fans should be thrilled to have a player of his magnitude so close to campus. Every program needs guys like Nick Conner."

JONATHON COOPER

After speaking about Conner, we turned our attention to the 2016 class and Gahanna Lincoln's Jonathon Cooper, who visited Ohio State this past weekend. Cooper, offered by the Buckeyes after a dominant performance at Friday Night Lights in July, has been taking his time checking out schools in the area. He's recently visited Notre Dame and is slated to visit Michigan State this weekend. The Irish and Spartans, along with the Buckeyes, appear to be close to a "final three" for the 6-foot-3, 220 pound speed rusher. The Buckeyes though, appear to be in the driver's seat.

"From what I understand, Ohio State has really started to see Cooper as a 'must get' for 2016," our source shared. "Initially, he was kind of viewed as 'luxury' I think, but as they've gotten to see more of his game and had the chance to get to know him off the field he's really risen in their eyes."

That idea was corroborated in a brief conversation with Cooper's mother following their Saturday visit.

"It seems like Ohio State really sees (Cooper) for who he is," the four-star lineman's mother told 11W. "Not just some great football player, but a great young man to bring into the Buckeye family. (Family) isn't about blood, family is everything."

MARCUS WILLIAMSON

In Columbus, in the class of 2017, there's Marcus Williamson and then there's everyone else. Offered by Ohio State Saturday during his own visit to the Horseshoe, the Westerville South star is a player many consider a "Buckeye lock," a matter of when, not if. Yes, Williamson is a big Buckeye fan, but recruiting isn't really something he's worrying about right now, according to his father.

"(As a family) we're going to take our time and make sure the decision is the right one," his father shared with 11W. "Marcus is a very intelligent kid, and he — along with his mother and I — take academics very seriously. Ohio State is one of the best athletic and academic institutions in the country, so it's fortunate to have a place like that so close to home, but we're raising Marcus to be a man of his word. Whenever he makes his final decision he will know it's the right decision."

Our source outside of the family's perspective on Williamson?

"I saw him play last year as a freshman and you could tell he was going to special," he said. "The kid has a knack for the big play and a really down to earth mentality. It's not a surprise Ohio State offered him so early. He's a player that you can't risk losing to a rival school by any perceived 'delay' in his recruitment."

JAELEN GILL

"I'll tell you who else falls into that 'don't delay' category," our source continued. "Williamson's teammate, Jaelen Gill. He's only a freshman but that kid is sensational. I know they really like that Ricky Slade from Virginia, but I don't think he's any better than Gill, pound-for-pound."

Michigan was at Westerville last week and took notice of Gill, who yes, grew up rooting for Ohio State. Our source says to be careful of other schools putting a chip on the talented freshman's shoulders.

"Since (Ohio State) already offered Slade, watch other schools try and make Gill seem like less of a priority," the Columbus-rooted source said. "They'll tell this kid all sorts of things about the Buckeyes didn't want him as much as they did, etc. The simple fact is that with Ohio kids, who Meyer can see much more often and more easily, the timing for an offer gets pushed back. The kids out of state they have to try and get in with earlier, because visits and conversations are much harder to coordinate."

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