The Hurry Up: Big Day for Big Blue, Paris Ford Adds Buckeyes Offer, Jerron Cage Impresses and More

By Jeremy Birmingham on June 17, 2015 at 7:45 pm
Paris Ford has earned his Buckeye offer
Paris Ford
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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.

BUCKEYES SATELLITE CAMP UPDATES

Today, Ohio State made their initial foray into the wild west of recruiting: satellite camps. The Buckeye staff made their way to South Florida and Florida Atlantic University and saw a number of the region's top talents, including a group from Fort Lauderdale's St. Thomas Aquinas. 

Josh Newberg and Ryan Bartow of 247Sports.com were in attendance and did an excellent job of providing updates on Twitter today. Here's some of the highlights.

That is Trevon Grimes and Daquon Green, two top 2017 wide receivers with Ohio State offers. 

Miami pledge Tre' McKitty showed up. 

Meyer taking some time for Grimes. 

Buckeyes' commit Bruce Judson against Miami pledge Al Blades, Jr.

HARBAUGH ADDS FIRST SIGNATURE PLEDGE

This afternoon, Michigan added a big-time verbal commitment from Arrowhead High School (Hartland, Wisconsin) offensive lineman Ben Bredeson.

The four-star offensive tackle (who was a five-star prospect until just recently) is another top-flight offensive line prospect to pledge to the Wolverines. He joins Michael Onwenu and Erik Swenson up front as Jim Harbaugh works to change the identity of the Wolverines' program. For Harbaugh to find success similar to what he had at Stanford, a big, mauling offensive line is paramount and right now he's doing an excellent job of selling the opportunity for playing time at those positions. 

Bredeson's older brother, Jack, is a baseball player at Michigan, and that didn't hurt Michigan's pursuit, but it was hardly the deciding factor. 

Michigan has moved into the national Top 10 – to No. 9 – in 247Sports.com's recruiting rankings.

Side note: how bad has Paul Chryst been in recruiting Wisconsin up to this point? Eek.

FORD, CAGE ADD OHIO STATE OFFER

Yesterday during Ohio State's one-day camp, Jerron Cage, a 2017 defensive tackle from Cincinnati Winton Woods, was part of a select group working out privately with Larry Johnson, Sr. Last night, the Buckeyes decided it was time to offer the 6-foot-3, 260-pounder. 

Right now, after talking to a few people about Cage, I think the Buckeyes are the frontrunner to land him, despite his brother Daniel playing at Notre Dame. 

The Buckeyes also offered Pittsburgh 2017 defensive back Paris Ford yesterday, an offer that the four-star safety has been waiting on.

Ford is another offer with ties to the Irish; his half-brother is former Notre Dame and current New York Jets' defensive back Darrin Walls. Ford is close with a couple of other Buckeye targets; 2016 cornerback Damar Hamlin and 2017 cornerback Lamont Wade.

MICHIGAN STATE OFFERS TRISHTON JACKSON

I mentioned it on Sunday, but today Michigan State offered West Bloomfield, Michigan wide receiver/athlete Trishton Jackson. While the Spartans are, as predicted, labeling Jackson an "athlete" to avoid hurting their chances with Donnie Corley, Jr. 

Michigan State has commitments from two four-star wide receivers already, and it's likely that Jackson commits to the Green and White as well, so the timing of things gets interesting here. Corley has been stating that a potential decision could come in early July. This week he'll visit Notre Dame, but there's been discussion of return trips to Ohio State and Tennessee, as well as a trip to Georgia he'd like to make before deciding. Will Jackson wait that long? Will another "wide receiver" in East Lansing muddy the picture?

Ohio State sources have indicated that the Buckeyes might've made up a little ground on the Spartans during last week's Sound Mind/Sound Body camp, but until another trip to Columbus happens it's hard to move this one away from Michigan State.

SAUNDERS COMMITS TO NORTHWESTERN

One of the players I've discussed a few times as a potential late option for the Buckeyes at defensive tackle, Loveland, Ohio's Jake Saunders, has committed to Northwestern.

Saunders is a three-star prospect, ranked as the country's 48th-best defensive tackle. He becomes the 13th commitment in the Wildcats' 2016 class, which is now ranked 30th nationally and eighth in the Big Ten.

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