The Hurry Up: Linebacker Target Begins Florida State Visit While Four-Star Receiver Gets Set to Trim List

By Andrew Lind on May 12, 2017 at 7:15 pm
Teradja Mitchell
Teradja Mitchell
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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.

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Well, it's here.

Virginia Beach Bishop Sullivan five-star linebacker Teradja Mitchell began his three-day trip to Tallahassee on Friday afternoon, meaning a decision between Ohio State and Florida State is just around the corner.

“It's kind of neck-and neck [between] Ohio State and Florida State, with LSU being a long-shot,” Mitchell told Recruit757 during Nike Football's The Opening Charlotte Regional.

As I've mentioned previously, it's not the best news for the Buckeyes heading into this weekend. Mitchell doesn't plan to return to Columbus before making his decision later this month or in early June, meaning the Seminoles have the last chance to sway his decision. He's very familiar with the program, too, this being his fourth trip to the Sunshine State in the last year.

“When I visit there, I just feel like it's home,” Mitchell said. “I've got a great connection with players from the 757 [Levonta Taylor and Khalan Laborn]. I've got a great relationship with the coaching staff, and I feel like that's a great school to go to get developed.”

Ohio State already has one win over Florida State this offseason in IMG Academy five-star defensive tackle Taron Vincent, but were always considered the favorite in his recruitment. It's been the other way around for Mitchell, though.

“Earlier in the process, I wasn't really interested, but after I visited, it definitely caught my attention,” Mitchell said. “It's a great school academically and athletically.”

Since the staff cannot meet with Mitchell — and can merely watch him practice and/or meet with his coaches one more time — before he makes his decision, they must hope his lone trip to Columbus made big enough and lasting impression. I personally feel he'll still end up at Ohio State thanks to a tremendous pitch from head coach Urban Meyer, but my overall confidence level continues to slip as each day passes.

Of course, there's always a chance Mitchell changes his mind down the road. And I wouldn't count out LSU — his dream school — entirely. He's never been to Baton Rouge, but if he visits following his commitment, it's possible for the Tigers to make things really interesting down the road.

DELAYED TIMELINE

It's been widely assumed Kamryn Babb will end up at Ohio State, but the four-star wide receiver from St. Louis is seemingly nowhere close to making a decision on his future.

“I am just coming out with a top schools list,” Babb said in a recent interview with Buckeye Grove, which is currently conducting its excellent annual Southern Swing series. “I just am cutting my list down and trying to figure out what place is best for me and my family. Probably around eight or nine, somewhere around that area. Not too sure yet. Still have got these next couple of weeks to do my research.”

Ohio State will certainly make the cut for the 6-foot-1, 189-pounder, but it'll be interesting too see what other schools do too. Michigan and Missouri seem to pose the biggest threat to the Buckeyes, as Babb visited Ann Arbor last month and the Tigers have that home-state pull.

Babb, the seventh-best wideout and No. 41 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, is Ohio State's top priority at the position. He plans to take an official visit this fall, but may not announce his college intentions until the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January.

UNDER THE RADAR

Ohio State has missed the cut for a number of higher-rated receivers in recent weeks, most notably four-star Josh Moore. So with the talent pool shrinking, the staff recently offered a scholarship to Rockledge, Florida, Senior wide reciever Antoine Green

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Green is not ranked by any major recruiting sites, but holds 11 offers from programs such as Boston College, Duke, Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee and UCF. He hauled in 28 receptions for 522 receiving yards and four touchdowns for the Raiders last season.

Green's recruitment really started to take off following a stellar performance at The Opening's Miami Regional, as he posted a 37-inch vertical jump and a sub-4.5 40-yard dash.  He has the frame Ohio State prefers in its wideouts, and is a star on the basketball court, too.

GREAT BLOODLINES

Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford has made Tennessee his home recently, offering scholarships to four prospects from the Volunteer State in the last two weeks. Another one who's hoping to land an offer from the Buckeyes is Memphis Lausanne Collegiate School four-star running back Eric Gray.

"I grew up watching Ohio State, and my uncle, Maurice Hall, played running back for them,” Gray told Eleven Warriors.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Gray is considered the second-best all-purpose back and No. 231 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, having rushed for 2,315 yards and 38 touchdowns to help lead the Lynx to a state championship last fall. He holds a dozen offers from programs such as LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Stanford and Tennessee.

If you're wondering what Hall is up to these days, he started acting after a brief stint with the San Diego Chargers. He's been in television shows such as Grey's Anatomy, NCIS and Criminal Minds.

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