Fall weekends can be hectic with all the football going on Friday through Sunday. Under the lights is your weekly primer on what is going for Ohio State commitments and recruits that weekend.
Every week, Under the Lights will detail the top-three games featuring Ohio State commitments, the game that Eleven Warriors will attend, and some predictions for how Ohio State's commits will perform.
FUTURE BUCKEYES IN ACTION
MATER DEI (CA) VS ST. JOHN BOSCO (CA)
- Day: Friday
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Future Buckeyes: Kourt Williams (IMG)
- Targets: Beaux Collins (St. John Bosco), Earnest Greene (St. John Bosco), Raesjon Davis (Mater Dei), Jaylin Davies (Mater Dei), Domani Jackson (Mater Dei)
It's not too often that the top-two high school football teams in the country go head-to-head, but that's exactly what we have on Friday night. Mater Dei is the top-ranked team in the country and they take on No. 2 St. John Bosco.
One big matchup in this game will be four-star 2020 Ohio State linebacker commit Kourt Williams and the Bosco's defense against five-star 2020 Alabama quarterback commit Bryce Young. Young is a dual threat player and one of the most elusive quarterbacks in the country, meaning Williams and St. John Bosco will have to very sound fundamentally and bring Young down on first contact.
On the other side of the ball, Bosco has its own five-star quarterback in 2020 Clemson commit DJ Uiagalelei who will be looking to throw the ball to four-star 2021 wide receiver Beaux Collins – one of Ohio State's top wide receiver targets for the 2021 class. He will have his work cut out for him against Mater Dei whose defense features four-star 2021 Jaylin Davies and five-star 2022 Domani Jackson at cornerback – both of whom have an offer from Ohio State and have shown interest in the Buckeyes.
Four-star 2021 outside linebacker Raesjon Davis is another name to know on the Mater Dei defense, as he holds an Ohio State offer. St. John Bosco also features four-star 2022 Earnest Greene on their offensive line who is a player Ohio State has been in contact with.
There might not be a high school game with more talent on the field than this game which makes it a must-see for football fans.
DEMATHA (MD) VS GOOD COUNSEL (MD)
- Day: Friday
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Future Buckeyes: Mitchell Melton (Good Counsel)
- Targets: Greg Penn III (DeMatha)
For the third week in a row, three-star 2020 Ohio State outside linebacker commit Mitchell Melton and his Good Counsel team will play a top team in the Maryland area. After beating Gonzaga High School in a 5OT stunner two weeks ago, Good Counsel struggled last week against St. John's.
Now they will be looking to rebound against a very good DeMatha team that has numerous college-bound athletes highlighted by four-star 2020 South Carolina running back commit MarShawn Llyod. DeMatha's defense is led by four-star 2021 inside linebacker Greg Penn III who is very interested in Ohio State after visiting Columbus this summer and picking up an offer from the Buckeyes.
Mitchell Melton has been on a tear this season, along with the rest of his defense at Good Counsel, and they’ll have to keep it up if they want to stop this potent DeMatha offense.
PINNACLE (AZ) VS CHAPARRAL (AZ)
- Day: Friday
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Future Buckeyes: Jack Miller (Chaparral)
We've got an Ohio State vs. Michigan quarterback matchup in Arizona.
The key to this game is will be four-star 2020 Ohio State quarterback commit Jack Miller leading his Chaparral squad against three-star 2020 Michigan quarterback commit JD Johnson leading the Pinnacle offense.
Pinnacle beat Chaparral last season 23-7, but that was without Jack Miller, who had injured his MCL in the prior weeks. This game is one that Miller and his team have had circled for a while. It's a high school rivalry in itself, but the Ohio State vs. Michigan quarterback matchup just makes the intensity a little hotter.
WHERE WE'LL BE
WINTON WOODS HIGH SCHOOL (OH) VS. LA SALLE (OH)
- Day: Friday
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Future Buckeyes: Jake Seibert (La Salle)
- Targets: Jaylen Johnson (La Salle), Miyan Williams (Winton Woods), Andrew Booker
We have yet another stellar matchup in the Queen City as 7-1 La Salle High School takes on 7-1 Winton Woods with both teams boasting future college football players across the field.
The lone Ohio State commitment in this game is three-star 2020 kicker Jake Seibert who also plays wide receiver for the Lancers. As for other players on La Salle three-star 2021 safetyJaylen Johnson is a player that Ohio State offered this past June who is very interested in the Buckeyes.
Winton Woods features one of the most productive players in the state with three-star 2020 Iowa State running back commit Miyan Williams, who the Buckeyes offered last month and hopes to get on campus for a visit in the next few weeks.
The Warriors also have three-star 2021 outside linebacker Andrew Booker on their defense who worked out with Larry Johnson this summer.
This game looks to be a strength on strength matchup with La Salle having a potent defense with multiple college talents on the field. However, Winton Woods has a very stout run game led by Miyan Williams.
| NAME | POSITION | HIGH SCHOOL | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| JULIAN FLEMING | WR | SOUTHERN COLUMBIA | DANVILLE |
| PARIS JOHNSON JR. | OL | PRINCETON | LAKOTA WEST |
| CLARK PHILLIPS III | CB | LA HABRA | TROY |
| JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA | WR | ROCKWALL | LEE |
| GEE SCOTT JR. | WR | EASTSIDE CATHOLIC | BISHOP BLANCHET |
| LUKE WYPLER | OL | ST. JOSEPH REGIONAL | SETON HALL PREP |
| MOOKIE COOPER | WR | PATTONVILLE | RULED INELIGIBLE BY THE STATE OF MISSOURI |
| LATHAN RANSOM | S | SALPOINTE CATHOLIC | CATALINA FOOTHILLS |
| CODY SIMON | LB | ST. PETERS PREP | POPE JOHN XXIII |
| KOURT WILLIAMS | LB/S | ST. JOHN BOSCO | MATER DEI |
| JACOLBE COWAN | DL | PROVIDENCE DAY | CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN |
| DARRION HENRY | DL | PRINCETON | LAKOTA WEST |
| JACK MILLER | QB | CHAPARRAL | PINNACLE |
| LEJOND CAVAZOS | CB | IMG ACADEMY | NORLAND |
| RYAN WATTS | CB | LITTLE ELM | INDEPENDENCE |
| CAMERON MARTINEZ | ATH | MUSKEGON | REETHS-PUFFER |
| GRANT TOUTANT | OL | DE LA SALLE COLLEGIATE | HAD SURGERY ON A TORN LABRUM. OUT FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON |
| JOSH FRYAR | OL | BEECH GROVE | INDIANAPOLIS CRISPUS |
| JOE ROYER | TE | ELDER | CLARKSON |
| MITCHELL MELTON | OLB | GOOD COUNSEL | DEMATHA |
| TY HAMILTON | DL | PICKERINGTON CENTRAL | REYNOLDSBURG |
| JAKOB JAMES | OL | ELDER | CLARKSON |
| TREY LEROUX | OL | NORWALK | CLYDE |
| JAKE SEIBERT | K | LA SALLE | WINTON WOODS |
| NAME | POSITION | HIGH SCHOOL | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| JACK SAWYER | DE | PICKERINGTON NORTH | LANCASTER |
| KYLE MCCORD | QB | ST. JOSEPH'S PREP | ARCHBISHOP RYAN |
| BEN CHRISTMAN | OL | REVERE | AURORA |
| JAYDEN BALLARD | WR | MASSILLON WASHINGTON | LOUISVILLE |
| REID CARRICO | LB | IRONTON | GALLIA ACADEMY |
10/26 WISCONSIN VISITOR LIST
OHIO STATE COMMITMENTS
- Five-star 2020 offensive tackle Paris Johnson
- Four-star 2020 quarterback Jack Miller
- Four-star 2020 defensive lineman Darrion Henry
- Three-star 2020 offensive lineman Grant Toutant
- Five-star 2021 defensive end Jack Sawyer
OHIO STATE TARGETS
- Five-star 2021 all-purpose back Will Shipley
- Five-star 2021 athlete Emeka Egbuka
- Five-star 2021 defensive tackle Damon Payne
- Three-star 2021 offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan
- Four-star 2021 cornerback Hunter Washington
- Three-star 2021 cornerback Daylan Carnell
- Three-star 2021 tight end Christian Burkhalter
- 2022 athlete Kaden Saunders
OHIO STATE BASKETBALL TARGETS
- 2022 power forward AJ Clayton
- Four-star 2021 power forward Mason Miller
- Four-star 2021 power forward Caleb Furst
- Four-star 2021 shooting guard Trevor Keels
Be sure to attend the Eleven Dubgate IX. Tickets can be purchased here.
