Ohio State has begun its first of four straight massive recruiting weekends as the Buckeyes begin hosting prospects on official visits.
OSU is set to host seven prospects on official visits this weekend starting Friday and culminating on Sunday. Expected recruits in attendance include running back Jordan Lyle, tight end Max LeBlanc, wide receiver Elijah Moore, defensive end Nigel Smith, linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez, defensive lineman Dominick McKinley and offensive lineman Daniel Cruz.
Each of those seven visitors will have a full weekend on tap. Recruits and their families typically have dinner at Ohio Stadium on Friday, then are taken to a local restaurant on Saturday in addition to getting a tour of campus, academic meetings, a photo shoot in Ohio State gear and of course, individual meetings with the Buckeyes’ coaching staff.
Arguably the most important visitor this weekend is Smith, one of Ohio State’s top remaining defensive end targets in the cycle. Smith has visited OSU numerous times over the past year and a half, and this weekend will probably be his last trip to Columbus before he makes a decision, which will likely come in September. Other schools in contention for the Texas product include Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas, Texas A&M and Rutgers.
— Nigel Smith (@NigelSmith_25) June 2, 2023
— Nigel Smith (@NigelSmith_25) June 2, 2023
“I love their development in the past and what they’re doing with the guys they have now,” Smith told Eleven Warriors of Ohio State in May. “They’ve been putting people in the league for years. Coach LJ has proven he can develop guys. Their defense with coach Knowles is very attack, attack, attack, which I love for the defensive ends. I think I’d fit in very well, and they’ve shown me film of how I play and how their guys play. I fit in well to their defense and have built really good relationships with coach Day, coach Johnson and coach Knowles.”
Lyle and LeBlanc are both already committed, as each of them joined the Buckeyes’ 2024 class in April. Lyle is taking his visit this weekend alongside his high school teammate Rodriguez, one of four linebackers expected to take official visits to OSU this month. Rodriguez is visiting Columbus for the second time after picking up his Buckeyes offer during his first visit to Ohio State alongside Lyle in March.
— Max LeBlanc (@MaxenceLeblanc5) June 2, 2023
Moore, a Maryland product, actually moved up his OSU official visit by several weeks, and that’s likely no coincidence. The three-star wideout has continued to hold Ohio State in high esteem, and with the Buckeyes only having at most two spots remaining at wide receiver in 2024, Moore will have to secure his spot quickly if he wants to join OSU’s class. Moore is also being heavily recruited by Michigan and has an official visit set for Ann Arbor next weekend. He received his OSU offer after he visited Columbus last November for the Michigan game.
— Elijah Moore (@3lijahmoore) June 2, 2023
“I was hoping to get down there and get the offer,” Moore told Eleven Warriors in November. “I knew I had to get down there and have a chance to meet them, and I hadn’t had that yet. But once I got down there, I was surprised. That’s like a dream school. I was really taking everything in. I wasn’t expecting all the coaches to know who I am. I got down there, and everyone was pretty familiar with me.”
The five-star McKinley will be the prospect with the highest 247Sports composite ranking on campus this weekend, but it will be his first visit to Columbus since he was offered in February. The thinking is OSU has plenty of ground to make up to catch his other suitors, Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
Cruz is making his first of four scheduled official visits this weekend. Like McKinley, Cruz will also visit Texas A&M, Texas and Oklahoma. The Texas offensive lineman was offered by OSU last summer, and both offensive line coach Justin Frye and Ryan Day visited Cruz in Texas in the offseason. Cruz is projected to be a center at the collegiate level and has one 247Sports Crystal Ball projection to Texas.
— Daniel Cruz (@DanielCruz_51) June 2, 2023
Sean Sevillano commits to Notre Dame
Ohio State was supposed to host an additional prospect on an official visit this weekend, but that visit will no longer be happening after three-star defensive tackle Sean Sevillano committed to Notre Dame on Friday.
Committed!! Go Irish pic.twitter.com/MOwh7pGz6k
— Sean Sevillano Jr. (@SevillanoSean) June 2, 2023
Sevillano picked Notre Dame over OSU, Auburn and Miami.
