The Hurry Up: Ohio State Prepares for the Season's Biggest Game and Biggest Visitor List

By Jeremy Birmingham on November 20, 2015 at 5:41 pm
Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash.
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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.


This weekend against Michigan State is one of the biggest games hosted by the Buckeyes in years. 

With that comes an impressive list of visitors, both of the official and unofficial varieties.

Today's Hurry Up is entirely devoted to breaking down those trips to see who is on campus and what that player's visit could mean to the Buckeyes.

OFFICIAL VISITS FOR ANTWUAN JACKSON, NIGEL WARRIOR AND MORE

Brandon Burton, a four-star defensive back from Gardena, California, arrived at Ohio State this morning. The trip to Columbus is the fourth official for Burton, who's also visited Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Florida State. He's the country's sixth-ranked safety and a player that the Buckeyes have recruited for a while, but this is their first real chance at creating traction.

One of the newer names to Ohio State's 2016 recruiting efforts is perhaps one that bears watching the most closely this weekend. Myles Dorn, a three-star athlete from North Carolina, will meet the Buckeyes' staff for the first time and see what the school has to offer for the first time as well. He's making his college decision on December 4th and the Buckeyes, along with Clemson, North Carolina and North Carolina State are all realistic options. If Urban Meyer signs off on Dorn this weekend, it's a good chance for the Buckeyes to move into the driver's seat. He's being recruited as a defensive back by Ohio State who likes his 6-foot-3, almost 200-pound frame.

Nigel Warrior, the country's fourth-ranked safety remains an intriguing possibility in the 2016 class. Offered first by Ohio State, Warrior and Buckeyes' defensive backs' coach Kerry Coomb have an excellent relationship and although he's got strong SEC ties (born and raised in Georgia with a former Tennessee Volunteer star for a father) if there's one team that could take him away from the South, it's Ohio State.

The one official visit to pay the most attention to this weekend has to be Ellenwood, Georgia defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson. Jackson, the country's ninth-ranked tackle has the Buckeyes at the top of his list (along with Auburn) and is making his fourth trip to Columbus since June. A decision is coming soon for Jackson and this is going to be the last chance the Buckeyes will get to sell their need for him in person.

HAMLIN HIGHLIGHTS KEY UNOFFICIAL VISITORS 

Pittsburgh's Damar Hamlin, a four-star cornerback ranked as the country's 14th-best, will be back at Ohio State for the first time since July. He's made numerous trips to check out the Buckeyes and at one point was a very heavy Buckeye "lean" although now Pitt and Notre Dame appear to be in control. What happens with Hamlin this weekend is sure to have a ripple effect through the rest of defensive back recruiting.

Four-star Daelin Hayes made his first ever–and official–visit to Ohio State in early November and is coming back to check out two of his final three schools clash in person. A month ago, there was virtually no chance for the Buckeyes to land the 6-foot-4, 235-pounder but the efforts of Tony Alford and Kerry Coombs have moved them to striking distance. Two visits in a three-week stretch, with a decision coming in the next two weeks, is pivotal and shows legitimate interest by the Hayes' camp.

THE KEY YOUNGSTERS

With the majority of the 2016 class full, the Buckeyes will spend a lot of time this weekend recruiting the younger classes.

2017 Jamyest Williams, a four-star defensive back/wide receiver from Lawrenceville, Georgia, Williams will make his first visit to Ohio State and he'll head north with his teammate, five-star Buckeyes' commit Isaiah Pryor. Williams has been to Michigan State twice, so, like Daelin Hayes, this trip will provide him the chance to see two of his favorite schools. Williams is one of the most dynamic athletes in the country in his class and one of only a handful of 2017 stars the Buckeyes would take right now, no questions asked.

A pair of Michigan natives, linebacker Antjuan Simmons and defensive end Corey Malone-Hatcher, will head south to watch the Buckeyes. Ohio State has offered both of the 2017 stars, and was one of the first teams to offer CMH, at Friday Night Lights two summers ago. Simmons, a 6-foot-1, 210 pound linebacker, is reminiscent of Jerome Baker in his athleticism and versatility and has gained almost 30 offers since the summer.

Ohio wide receiver Jaylen Harris is making his first visit to Columbus since September and the Buckeyes, who offered the 6-foot-5, 210-pounder in June, remain the almost surefire favorite to eventually land his commitment. Could that happen this weekend? Urban Meyer will likely try to seal the deal on the in-state standout.

Pennsylvania's Lamont Wade has been one of the top targets regardless of class for the Buckeyes since last spring and he'll make his second visit to Ohio State in a month this weekend. Wade is the country's seventh-ranked 2017 cornerback and the Buckeyes are viewed by most as the team to beat.

A pair young Ohioans, one with an offer and one expecting an offer this weekend, will also be on hand. 2018 athlete Jaelen Gill and 2018 offensive lineman Jackson Carman will each be in Columbus. Carman told 11W that he has been told by Ohio State that they will offer this weekend, whereas Gill was offered this past summer. The 6-foot-tall, 170-pound Gill has made visits to Penn State, Michigan State, Tennessee and other places this season.

Colorado linebacker Santino Marchiol will make his second visit to Columbus and once more he'll be accompanied by his good friend and Ohio State commit Jake Moretti. Marchiol is a 6-foot-3, 225-pounder who camped with the Buckeyes this summer and holds an Ohio State offer.

THE COMMITMENTS

As you'd expect for a game of this magnitude, a number of Ohio State commitments are coming to visit this weekend.

In the 2016 class:

  • RB Antonio Williams 
  • ATH Demario McCall
  • ATH Kierre Hawkins
  • WR Austin Mack
  • TE Jake Hausmann
  • TE Luke Farrell 
  • OL Jack Wohlabaugh
  • OL Tyler Gerald
  • OL Michael Jordan
  • OL Gavin Cupp
  • DE Jonathon Cooper
  • LB Tuf Borland
  • P Drue Chrisman

In the 2017 class:

  • QB Danny Clark
  • RB Todd Sibley
  • ATH Brendon White
  • OL Josh Myers
  • OL Jake Moretti
  • DT Jerron Cage
  • DB Isaiah Pryor
  • DB Marcus Williamson
  • K Blake Haubeil
KEY NAMES THAT WON'T BE THERE

Detroit Martin Luther King's Donnie Corley, who had planned to visit, will not, as his team continues their playoff run. Most of the Detroit area plays on Saturday afternoons, so that means you can cross 2017's Ambry Thomas and Jaylen Kelly-Powell off the list as well.

Unfortunately, two Buckeye commitments that would have been a big presence, Nick Bosa and Malik Barrow, will not make the trip up from Florida. Both players are focusing on rehab for injuries in the hopes of being ready for next summer. Barrow is an early-enrollee and will be on campus in January.

Monroe, Louisiana's Rashard Lawrence, a five-star defensive tackle, will not make the trip as some suggested he may. The Buckeyes will focus on Antwuan Jackson and give extra attention to Dexter Lawrence in Rashard's stead.

THE REST OF THE LIST

Recruiting weekends like this one are always subject to change, but for the most part, that's who you should expect to see at Ohio State this weekend. We'll do our best to give the pertinent updates from those in attendance as soon as possible.

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