A year ago, we found ourselves wondering how the Buckeyes' 2017 recruiting class would be able to fit in all the high-caliber wideouts and defensive backs that were showing high interest. While the secondary currently has four commits and the staff is aiming for two more, the situation at wide receiver is much different than what we had long expected.
Names like JaVonte Richardson, Danny Davis, and Emmanuel Greene were all on the radar early on in the cycle, but that no longer is the case. Richardson, a Maple Heights standout and former teammate of Buckeye newcomer Kierre Hawkins, never received the coveted Ohio State offer and has been committed to Kentucky since March. The same can be said for Springfield's Danny Davis and the four-star is likely to end up elsewhere in the conference, probably at Penn State or Michigan State. Greene took a week-long visit to Columbus last summer and was on commitment watch for a while. Things have since simmered down between the two parties and he just committed to UCF on Friday.
Wide receiver recruiting appears to be coming down to four primary options. Right now the Buckeyes seem to be in great shape with three of them, but the numbers crunch may cause Urban Meyer and Zach Smith to "settle" for just a pair for the 2017 class.
Trevon Grimes' recruitment and ultimate destination continues to be one of the worst-kept secrets in the country. Give the kid credit, he's been totally up front with everyone when being bombarded with hundreds of questions regarding who his favorite is. Grimes saw the Buckeye coaching staff last week in Fort Lauderdale and is expected to make the long-awaited return trip to Columbus this weekend. He recently announced his commitment plans and Ohio State should be in for some great news on August 24th.
Where will I end up... Commitment date at the end of video Thank you to everyone who has supported me ! pic.twitter.com/ADby7B12Ds
— GrimeTime (@TrevonGrimes7) June 14, 2016
Just days before Grimes makes his announcement, another five-star target is set to decide. Tyjon Lindsey's recruitment appears to be coming down to Ohio State and Nebraska, but the commitment of close friend and former teammate Tate Martell certainly doesn't hurt the Buckeyes' chances. Still, it's tough to ignore the work Mike Riley is doing in California. The Huskers currently have a pair of Cali commits, including four-star wideout Keyshawn Johnson Jr., and they remain in the hunt for Lindsey, wide receiver Joseph Lewis, and five-star corner Darnay Holmes.
Lindsey is slated to make his announcement on August 22nd, which means we have two more months of Twitter back-and-forth subtweeting between Zach Smith and Huskers' wide receiver coach Keith Williams.
The nation's top-ranked wideout, Detroit's Donovan Peoples-Jones, was back in Columbus on Friday. The Cass Tech product doesn't seem anywhere close to making a decision right now, but it's no secret that the Wolverines are the biggest competition. The 6-foot-2, 192-pounder is big on academics and is looking to follow in his father's footsteps by pursuing medical school. The Buckeyes are definitely in the hunt and DPJ is obviously someone they would find a way to make room for, but Jim Harbaugh seems to have the Wolverines at the top of the list right now.
Will another one of the state's top wideouts end up elsewhere?
Cleveland's Jaylen Harris might be in a bit of a tricky spot right now. Long thought to be a Buckeye lean, the 6-foot-5, 210-pounder doesn't seem to be too close to pulling the trigger for any school. The four-star has offers from the usual powerhouses throughout the country, including Alabama, Georgia, and Michigan State, but many are surprised he has yet to jump on the Buckeye offer; an offer that was extended over a year ago.
The Buckeyes signed a pair of outside receivers this past February in Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor, and of the aforementioned 2017 targets, all but Tyjon Lindsey fit that same mold. Current speculation would indicate that the staff would in fact find a way to bring in the trio of Grimes, Lindsey, and Peoples-Jones – which would be three of the country's top five wideouts. However, with things looking relatively bleak for the Cass Tech star, what would that mean for Jaylen Harris?
It's no secret that the staff is currently entrenched in a bit of a scholarship quandary. The Buckeyes' 2017 class sits at 13 commitments, but there are several position groups that still need addressed in the coming months. A class that once looked like it would end up with a lone linebacker now looks as though it will end up with two, potentially even three. Defensive back and defensive tackle are both huge needs and both groups should expand between now and February. Todd Sibley's decommitment and subsequent flip to Pittsburgh was no surprise, and the staff will continue to work on five-star tailback Cam Akers.
In a class that is expected to end up with around 20 signees, wide receiver recruiting may have to take a backseat to a few other position groups. The late-August fireworks will be exceptional, and there's a chance that it could be a wrap for the position. That could mean one of the state's top players – and one of the most physically gifted wideouts in America – might be on the outside looking in.
