The Hurry Up is your nightly dose of updates from the Ohio State football recruiting trail, keeping tabs on the latest from commits and targets from around the country.
LAST CHANCE TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION
Torn between visiting Ohio State and Michigan for their respective spring games, Toledo St. John's Jesuit four-star linebacker Dallas Gant has decided he'll be in Columbus this weekend. That according to Irish247's Tom Loy:
Change of plans...
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) April 12, 2017
Elite LB Dallas Gant locks in visits for the next two weekends. The latest: https://t.co/XpfbmUtG5I (FREE) @dallas_gant pic.twitter.com/N5C2iUZADq
It comes as no surprise, really, as Ohio State and Notre Dame are considered the favorites for the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Gant, despite the fact that he also included Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State in his Top 5 last week. As mentioned in the article, he'll take a trip to South Bend the following weekend.
“Notre Dame is similar to my school in the aspect of religion and great tradition. I know they haven't the best year there, but that's all right. They're going to turn it around,” Gant told Eleven Warriors at Nike Football's The Opening Cleveland Regional on Sunday. “Ohio State is very comfortable. They tend to their players, they [have] great NFL players and they just make the place successful.”
Gant, the top-rated linebacker in the state, will announce his college decision on May 16, his birthday. He has no other visits scheduled, and this weekend may be the last time he's on campus before that date.
“[I] just want to get a [better] feel for the place,” Gant said. “Talk to the coaches more and build more relationships.”
A MATTER OF TIME?
St. Francis De Sales three-star linebacker Brian Asamoah was named the most valuable linebacker at the Cleveland Regional, a group which included the above-mentioned Gant. Yet despite this, Asamoah still doesn't have an offer from the hometown Buckeyes.
Asamoah and I have talked on numerous occasions about his desire to play at Ohio State, which is why he recently to call off a planned announcement — he was scheduled to choose between Cincinnati, Michigan, Penn State, Pittsburgh, UCLA and West Virginia on April 21. The topic was brought up again during interviews at the combine-style event on Sunday.
“I'm just slowing down the process,” Asamoah told Eleven Warriors, noting he understands the Buckeyes might not offer until late in his senior year because the staff typically slow-plays in-state recruits. “I wouldn't call it disrespectful. Ohio State, if they offered me, I'd really consider them. [They're] an NFL factory, a great coaching staff — coach [Urban] Meyer, what he's done in the last two years is amazing. He's just a great coach.”
Asamoah formed a great relationship with former Ohio State defensive coordinator and current Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell — a De Sales graduate — but new linebackers coach Bill Davis has picked up right where Fickell left off.
“Coach Davis makes it a priority to text me almost three times a week,” Asamoah said. “Also coach [Kevin] Wilson. They text me every week giving me quotes during school, talk to me about spring practice and how that's going and send me videos about spring practice. It's phenomenal seeing that.”
That could certainly lead to an offer in the near future. However, that bond with Fickell is why the Bearcats are the odds-on favorite in Asamoah's recruitment if the Buckeyes don't come calling.
“Coach Fickell is a great coach, and what I believe he's going to do with this program is fantastic,” Asamoah said. “He already has a couple guys committed, and it's really good guys. Nobody is concerned just because it's Cincinnati, they're not going to commit there. I honestly believe they're going to very good [and] I can't to visit there again. It's going to be great.”
THE SECOND COMING OF BRADLEY ROBY
Just a few days after he told Eleven Warriors he would attend Saturday's Spring Game, Alpharetta, Georgia, three-star cornerback Jaycee Horn included Ohio State in his Top 7 alongside Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wake Forest.
After much thought and consideration, here are my top 7 schools! BIG ON BIG pic.twitter.com/wxMiMX8GRk
— JUNGLE BOY (@jayceehorn_10) April 10, 2017
The 6-foot, 174-pound Horn — the son of former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn — is considered the 59th-best cornerback and No. 660 prospect overall. He has been on campus once before with his good friend Connor Heyward, the younger brother of former Ohio State defensive tackle and Georgia native Cam Heyward.
“I liked the atmosphere and the fans were great,” he said. “I just want to talk with the coaches and explore the campus and the facilities.”
Horn, who grew up a big-time fan of former Ohio State and current Denver Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby, recorded 29 tackles, 24 pass deflections and six interceptions to help the Raiders to the state playoffs last season.
SIDE NOTE: We'll have a complete list of attendees for the Spring Game on Friday afternoon.
RVA
Dinwiddie, Virginia, four-star athlete K'Vaughan Pope, meanwhile, seemingly enjoyed his recent visit to Ohio State so much he included the Buckeyes among his Top 10 schools on Tuesday afternoon.
my top ten pic.twitter.com/P1fL4SDjEw
— THE POPE (@Pop3Bad_81) April 11, 2017
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Pope is considered the 4th-best athlete and No. 122 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. Ohio State is recruiting him at linebacker, though he mostly played wide receiver for the Generals the last season.
There are a lot of moving parts at the linebacker position for the Buckeyes, who remain in the hunt for several other linebackers like Virginia Beach's Teradja Mitchell, North Carolina's Payton Wilson, Cincinnati's Christopher Oats, Georgia's Michael Harris and the aforementioned Asamoah and Gant. If several of those fall through, though, Pope will certainly get an extended look.
