MARVELOUS
The Arizona Cardinals select Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
Welcome to The Hurry-Up, which runs Sunday through Thursday, serving as your last stop for recruiting news and notes nightly. We'll recap the day as it happened and preview the days ahead while keeping our ear to the ground on the Ohio State recruiting scene.
BUCKEYES MAKE THE CUT FOR MAYDEN
Ohio State remains in the loop for 2016 Texas defensive back Jared Mayden II, according to the four-star cornerback from Sachse.
Top 5 schools pic.twitter.com/EIq6vn3Ko3
— MmmmMmm Mayden Music (@MaydenII) November 12, 2014
The country's seventh-ranked cornerback in 2016, 6-foot-tall and 190-pounds, visited the Buckeyes over the summer and camped at Ohio State during Friday Night Lights. Since then, Mayden has maintained regular contact with the Buckeyes' Chris Ash and he's planning on a return trip November 29th when Ohio State hosts Michigan. The Buckeyes are joined on the list by TCU, Oregon, Texas A&M and Rice, but it's the omission of two schools (Baylor and Oklahoma) which has surprised most people.
Mayden is an Oklahoma legacy, but apparently the Sooners decision to have Josh Heupel handle his recruitment as opposed to his position coach backfired. Yes, it's early, and yes, lists change, but with Mayden expected to make a spring decision the list carries a bit more weight.
GUSTIN STILL THINKING BUCKEYES VISIT
Although the Buckeyes recently told Texas linebacker Malik Jefferson they were full at his position, they're still in hot pursuit of Utah linebacker/defensive end Porter Gustin. The 6-foot-5, 240 pound Gustin said he's still interested in getting to Columbus for a visit, and he'd like to do it soon.
"I am planning still on going there for a visit, for sure," Gustin told Eleven Warriors. "We looked at November 29th, but I'll be gone that day, so sometime after that."
Gustin visited Arizona State last weekend as the Sun Devils trounced Notre Dame. He's been linked with another Pac-12 school, USC, for a while now as the most likely landing spot.
BURRELL DECISION COMING SOON? MAYBE, MAYBE NOT.
After his visit to LSU last weekend, Woodbridge, Virginia Matt Burrell should be getting closer to a decision, but there's no reason to hurry into one. He's now taken all five of his NCAA-permitted official visits (Ohio State, Florida State, Tennessee, Penn State and LSU) and each has shown him a different path to his future.
"LSU was wonderful," Matt Burrell, Sr., the father of the sixth-ranked offensive guard told 11W. "He fits in a lot of places."
Burrell is the type of person who is comfortable in his own skin, happy where ever he is: that is by design his father says.
"That is part of the reason we kept him mobile as a kid," his father said. "Home is where you make it. Right now, Matt is going to focus on being a big brother and a happy high school senior daily, continue to stay on top of his grades and focus on the playoffs. A college choice can wait. Matt has a life outside of football and always will."
Ohio State remains the favorite to land Burrell, according to most. Now, with a possible All-Star game decision, they'll have a bit longer to wait to see if they land one of their key remaining targets. A source at Ohio State pulled no punches: Burrell is important.
"We need Burrell," the source said. "He's the most college ready of all the guys we're recruiting."
BOWEN BACK ON THE MARKET
It appears, at least in the case of Branden Bowen, the vague and difficult to understand tweet was clear.
I'm not ready for all of this...
— Branden Bowen (@BrandenBowen) November 10, 2014
Last night, Bowen officially decommitted from Utah. It was as difficult for him as he expected it to be.
"(Utah's staff) was obviously disappointed," Bowen told 11W. "They told me they hope I still end up in Utah. That was difficult to do, I have a lot of respect for those guys and that coaching staff."
Now that he's re-opened his recruitment, Bowen knows the expectation people have. He knows the common belief is that he'll commit to Ohio State soon. He doesn't deny the Buckeyes are his favorite, but he wants to still make sure to take some time to put the pieces together. He may make another visit or two elsewhere to be sure; last weekend he visited Utah again.
"Right now," Bowen added. "I'm just going to try and take a step back and lay low for a bit and get my thoughts together. I've got a lot to think about over these next few weeks."
