The Hurry Up is your nightcap of Ohio State recruiting news, catching you up on the day’s events with an ear on the ground for what’s next.
SEVEN EARLY ENROLLEES MEANS OPEN SPOTS FOR THE TAKING
With the official announcement on Monday that Michael Jordan will enroll early with the Buckeyes, it's looking like at least seven players from the 2016 class will get to Columbus in January.
Malik Barrow, Tuf Borland, Jonathon Cooper, Tyler Gerald, Michael Jordan, Austin Mack and Antonio Williams all have plans to start their college careers early. If Kareem Walker were to stick with Ohio State, he'd also be expected in January.
For the Buckeyes, a team that is almost sure to see at least five or six early NFL entries, the need for depth from this year's recruiting class is exceptionally high. As it stands, only four players from the Buckeyes' 25 man 2015 recruiting class (Jerome Baker, Eric Glover-Williams, Isaiah Prince and Denzel Ward) have seen playing time this fall. If you anticipate another class of 23-25 players signing in February, you're talking about more than half of the 2016 football team being freshmen or redshirt freshmen.
For the young guys coming in to Ohio State this winter, the opportunity for early playing time is there if they'll take it. The Buckeyes' 2014 class also featured seven early enrollees, including Marcelys Jones, Raekwon McMillan, Curtis Samuel and Johnnie Dixon, each of whom played as a freshman.
GATORS FINDING A SPOT FOR VICTOR?
For months, it appeared that the Florida Gators and Binjimen Victor was inevitable. Victor, the country's seventh-ranked wide receiver, had an June 22 announcement date planned and was going to commit to Florida then. He cancelled that decision date, thanks in part to an impromptu stop in Columbus, and since then it's seemed more and more likely that he'll end up a Buckeye come signing day.
Florida hasn't given up, of course, but the Gators have had a pretty good run at wide receiver, landing commitments from four-star wide outs Freddie Swain and Josh Hammond, as well as three-stars Rick Wells and Isaiah Johnson. Florida also remains the leader for Nate Craig-Myers and is very closely in the mix with Tre Nixon and Auburn commit Eli Stove.
Earlier this month, Hammond – the brother of former Gator Frankie Hammond, who played for Urban Meyer at Florida – made an official visit to Georgia. He has not visited Florida since he committed in June, and while it's not looking like a flip is imminent, it's worth noting as Victor scheduled his official visit to Florida yesterday. He'll make an official to Gainesville Nov. 28 when Florida hosts Florida State.
LINDSEY WANTS OHIO STATE VISIT TO HAPPEN SOON
Perhaps the country's most dynamic 2017 wide receiver says he wants to make a visit to Ohio State soon.
Tyjon Lindsey, a five-star prospect from Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman High School, visited Texas A&M with his current teammate and Aggies' commit Tate Martell this past weekend and although it's looking more and more like he's College Station bound, Lindsey says a Buckeye visit a must.
"I had a good trip to A&M," Lindsey told Eleven Warriors. "I want to get to Ohio State as soon as possible."
As often as Lindsey has mentioned Ohio State to me, there's little doubt about his sincerity and interest in taking the trip to Columbus. At this point, I think that the reason the need is becoming somewhat pressing is because a decision to commit to A&M could happen soon otherwise.
If you recall, Lindsey has family in Middletown, Ohio, and a number of outlets have reported that if there's one school that could sway the 5-foot-9, 160-pound five-star from Texas A&M, it's the Buckeyes. That said, until the visit he wants to take happens, it's impossible to suggest that with much validity.
REEVES TO KENTUCKY, BUCKEYES CHASING DOTSON
Kentucky, thanks to assistant coach Vince Marrow, has done an incredible job in Ohio since the arrival of Mark Stoops in Lexington. Thursday, the Wildcats received a commitment from another top-ranked Buckeye state standout, Steubenville's Charles Reeves.
I'm gladly to say that I'm joining my brothers @russ_yeast03 @macjones2017 at the university of Kentucky #BBN
— Charles reeves jr (@munchhiie_17) October 22, 2015
Reeves does not have an Ohio State offer, although he does hold an offer from Michigan, but he's the country's 11th-ranked 2017 tight end and a really unique athlete at 6-foot-5 and 230-pounds. Ohio State missed on one of their top tight targets last month when Cole Kmet committed to Notre Dame, but Cincinnati Moeller's Matt Dotson remains at the top of the list as far as uncommitted prospects go.
With two very raw tight ends in Rashod Berry and A.J. Alexander redshirting this fall, and Jake Hausmann and Luke Farrell joining the program next year, Ohio State should have some cause to be selective at the position in 2017.
