Ohio State is taking a swing at landing the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 class.
The Buckeyes made an offer to five-star Florida cornerback Desmond Ricks on Tuesday, an IMG Academy product.
Blessed to receive a offer from Ohio state university #GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/wKZyc15AJl
— Desmond Ricks (@DesmondRicks2) March 29, 2022
According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Ricks is considered the top recruit in the country (which would obviously also make him the best cornerback). The 6-foot-1, 170-pound prospect has 33 Division I scholarship opportunities to this point, an offer sheet that includes North Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
While playing in a prep game in Ohio in August during the now infamous Bishop Sycamore game, Ricks told Eleven Warriors he took a visit to OSU last summer and if he were to be offered by the Buckeyes, it would be special to him.
“It would mean a lot because they’re one of the top powerhouse programs and it’s a family atmosphere,” Ricks said in August.
Reed to visit OSU April 12
Living in Illinois in his early life, four-star 2023 offensive tackle Ian Reed grew up primarily watching Ohio State football games.
Though he claims he had no favorite college team, the same cannot be said for his family. Several members of Reed’s family are proudly big Buckeye fans, with several of them currently living in Ohio.
Although the 6-foot-6, 290-pound offensive tackle now resides in Texas, he remains fond of the Buckeyes to this day. Though he does not yet hold an offer from OSU, he’s eager to take his first-ever visit to Columbus on April 12.
Ohio St April 12th#GoBuckeyes@CoachSollenne @CoachJFrye
— Ian Reed (@Ian_Reed72) March 17, 2022
“I’m super excited about visiting Ohio State, OSU has been on my radar for a long time," Reed told Eleven Warriors. "I want to see how coach (Justin) Frye teaches and I want to experience the culture and campus life at Ohio State.”
Reed said he’s talked with both Frye and offensive line graduate assistant Mike Sollenne about OSU. The Texas standout said Frye has told him he believes that he has great upside, great athleticism, quick feet, power and bend. Ohio State’s primary need in the 2023 recruiting cycle is offensive tackle, and Frye has told Reed he could envision him playing either tackle or an inside offensive line position at the next level.
Reed currently has 20 Division I offers, including Texas, USC, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, TCU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, Iowa State, Kansas, NC State Colorado and Arkansas. Adding Ohio State to that list would be surreal for Reed.
“It would be amazing,” Reed said of the thought of potentially getting an OSU offer. “Just the whole culture and pedigree that Ohio State plays with is awesome and so are the fans.”
According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Reed is the 323rd-best prospect in the 2023 cycle and the 24th-best offensive tackle.
“I have great football IQ, I'm athletic, have quick feet, I’m physical and I like to put people in the dirt,” Reed said.
While football is Reed’s primary passion he also enjoys participating in Rugby, something that certainly runs in his family. His father played professional rugby in Europe, played on the U.S. National Team and competed in the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Reed’s mother was also a rugby player.
Other schools that are standing out to Reed in his recruitment the most are Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Kansas and NC State. He plans on releasing a top 10 list before the spring ends and then take another round of visits. Before the start of Reed’s senior season, he’ll trim down his list one more time before making a decision near the first signing period in December.
Reed to visit OSU Friday
Ohio State is anticipating a star-studded recruiting guest list of visitors for this upcoming weekend. According to 247Sports, four-star Georgia defensive lineman Darron Reed will be among them.
I will be at The Ohio State April 1st #GoBuckeyes
— Darron Reed (@DarronReed45) March 30, 2022
OSU offered Reed, the 299th-best prospect in the 2023 cycle and the 46th-best defensive lineman, on Jan. 21, with the offer coming from cornerbacks coach Tim Walton.
“Coach Tim Walton and coach Larry Johnson are recruiting me,” Reed told 247Sports. “We have a great relationship.”
Reed, who currently has 17 Division I offers, will announce his top five schools on May 18 and plans to commit sometime before the start of his senior season.
