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.
HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
Not much has been said about Bellaire, Texas, Episcopal's Marvin Wilson since the five-star defensive tackle included Ohio State in his Top 10 back in early June. But the 6-foot-4, 329-pounder was in attendance for the Buckeyes' 45-24 thrashing of Oklahoma, after which he spoke with ESPN recruiting analyst Tom VanHaaren.
“Hell yeah,” Wilson said when asked if Ohio State's win made him think any differently of the Buckeyes. “They impressed me.”
Spots are limited in the 2017 class, but it goes without saying that Ohio State would absolutely love to land the top-ranked defensive tackle in the country.
Even with commitments from Las Vegas, Nevada, Bishop Gorman's Haskell Garrett and Cincinnati Winton Woods' Jerron Cage, the Buckeyes remain in pursuit of another tackle to fill out the class — though it is expected that they nab South Jordan, Utah, Bingham's Jay Tufele.
The distance between Ohio and Texas may ultimately prove to be too much for Wilson, who also included Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA and USC in his Top 10.
A BATTLE ON AND OFF THE FIELD
Joining Wilson among the 19 official visitors for Saturday's showdown between Ohio State and Oklahoma was Grand Prairie, Texas, five-star safety Jeffrey Okudah. He — like so many others — was impressed by Noah Brown's spectacular second quarter touchdown catch.
Just seen one of the craziest catches... of all-time?
— Jeffrey Okudah III (@TheJeffOkudah) September 18, 2016
I hope to catch up with the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder in the next few days, but it seems as if he enjoyed his trip to Norman.
Whether or not that had to do more with Ohio State winning than the University of Oklahoma itself remains to be seen, but the trip was unique nonetheless as it offered Okudah a chance to see two teams he's interested in up close and personal at the same time.
CONSOLATION PRIZE?
Though it entered the race late by offering a scholarship only last month, Ohio State has secured an official visit from Roswell, Georgia, four-star safety Xavier McKinney. The 12th-best safety in the Class of 2017 announced his intentions to visit Columbus via Twitter on Saturday afternoon.
My official visits
— Xavier Mckinney (@mckinney_xavier) September 17, 2016
1.florida
2.clemson
3.ohio state
4.georgia
5.alabama
The Buckeyes are not alone, of course, as Alabama, Clemson, Florida and Georgia will also get the chance to impress the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder. He was committed to the Crimson Tide for nearly a year, but reopened his recruitment this past summer.
“I haven't had a favorite for a while. I just want to let everybody get their opportunity,” McKinney told The State newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina. “I don't single any one team out. I don't think putting that out there is a good idea. If I had one I would tell you, but I don't have one.”
There are a number of variables that have to fall into place for McKinney to land with the Buckeyes, including a number of other highly rated defensive backs opting to play their college ball elsewhere. But considering he won't pick a school until the Under Armour Game in January, there's plenty of time for that to all sort itself out.
“Right now I'm kind of focused on my team and finishing up schools,” McKinney said.
MUDDY WATERS
With uncertainty continuing to swirl around Ohio State five-star cornerback commit Shaun Wade — who visited Notre Dame over the weekend — the Buckeyes remain in contact with Clairton, Pennsylvania, four-star corner Lamont Wade. He plans on taking an official visit to Columbus either the weekend Ohio State hosts Nebraska (Nov. 5) or Michigan (No. 26).
“We're planning a trip up there,” Wade's father, Carlton, told Landof10. “We've been down to Pitt and Tennessee [and] we're going to Penn State this weekend. We've been talking to Luke Fickell.”
Lamont Wade, Anthony Hines, KJ Hamler, Zack Kuntz, Ricky Slade some of the big names at #PennState this weekend: https://t.co/dyUXDB4E1c
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) September 17, 2016
Many consider the Panthers to be the leader at this point in Wade's recruitment, evident by his two trips to the Steel City in the last month — though it should be noted it's only a 25 minute drive up the Monongahela River from Clairton.
Wade narrowed down his list of potential college suitors to eight programs in July to Alabama, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, West Virginia and UCLA.
“It's been a long three years,” Carlton Wade said. “But it will be a Top 5 soon, and [Lamont] will make the decision on Dec. 17.”
