The Hurry Up: Defensive Tackle Includes Ohio State Among Top Schools While Offensive Lineman Pushes Back Announcement Date

By Andrew Lind on May 21, 2017 at 7:15 pm
Aeneas Hawkins
Aeneas Hawkins
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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.

TRIMMING THINGS DOWN ONCE AGAIN

Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller four-star defensive tackle Aeneas Hawkins included Ohio State in his Top 7 on Sunday evening alongside Alabama, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Penn State, Pittsburgh and USC. 

“Ohio State is Ohio State, man,” Hawkins recently told Eleven Warriors. “You’re not going to go wrong with them and you know what you’re getting.”

The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Hawkins — the son of former NFL defensive back Artrell and nephew of wide receiver Andrew — is considered the top-rated defensive tackle in the state and No. 265 prospect overall in the Class of 2018. He's been to Columbus numerous times over the last year, most recently for the Spring Game last month.

Hawkins has always spoken highly of Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson, and the two talked about where he fit into the class last month. He's still considered a priority, even with recent commitments from five-star defensive tackle Taron Vincent and four-star defensive end Brenton Cox already in the fold.

"Coach Johnson, in my opinion, is probably the best defensive line coach in the country and it goes to show with his 10 guys or whatever this year who are probably going to be playing in the NFL this year and doing well," Hawkins said. "A lot of this is connected, so I want to know the people I’m playing with. At Ohio State, people like Vincent, Cox, those type of kids I know. I’m interested to see who comes and what’s going to be happening in that class."

Hawkins was originally set to make his college announcement earlier this month but pushed it back so that he didn't rush to a decision. He'll instead choose his school sometime before his senior season, with the Bearcats and Nittany Lions the biggest threats to the Buckeyes' chances.

CHANGE OF PLANS

Butler, Pennsylvania, three-star offensive guard Jake Kradel narrowed down his list to seven schools — Maryland, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, UCLA, Virginia Tech and West Virginia earlier this month and set an announcement date for June 10. But schools like Iowa and Wisconsin have entered the fray in recent weeks, so he's decided to push things back a bit.

“I’ll commit when I’m ready,” Kradel told 247Sports. “But it won’t be June 10. It will be towards the end of June.”

The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Kradel is considered the 42nd-best offensive guard and No. 984 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, though Ohio State's staff has earmarked him for center. The Buckeyes have been Kradel's leading since they offered him a scholarship in late March, but he wanted to hold off on a commitment until he got to know the coaches better.

Kradel talks to coach Greg Studrawa almost daily, but there are several other candidates — like Fredrick “Juice” Scruggs and Matthew Jones — who could also play center. He'll return to campus next month for a one-day position camp, and that'll go a long way in determining if Columbus is his eventual landing spot.

PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE 

Though he doesn't yet hold an offer from Ohio State, Lawrenceville, Georgia, Archer safety Jalyn Phillips included Ohio State in his Top 10 on Friday afternoon alongside Clemson, Duke, Georgia, LSU, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Oregon, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

This isn't the first time a prospect has done this, and it speaks to how the Buckeyes are viewed throughout the country. The Bulldogs, Fighting Irish and Tigers also haven't offered.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Phillips is only a sophomore, so he hasn't been given an official ranking by the various recruiting sites. He has a great frame, possesses good speed and is extremely physical, and I anticipate an offer will be extended sooner rather than later.

Phillips recorded 38 tackles, six pass breakups and an interception in his first year as a starter, though the Tigers struggled to a 4-7 record last season. He participated in the U.S. Army All-American Combine in January.

ALL THEY KNOW IS SUCCESS

As it continues to sow seeds in the south this spring, Ohio State recently extended a scholarship offer to Suwanee, Georgia, Peachtree Ridge running back Miles "Juice" Friday.  

"Ohio State is one of the schools I've always wanted to go to since I was young," Friday told Eleven Warriors, noting the influence former running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Curtis Samuel have had on kids like himself.

The 5-foot-11, 172-pound Friday is not yet ranked by any major recruiting sites but is well on his way to being one of the top-rated recruits in the Class of 2020 after he rushed for 970 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Lions last season. He already holds more than a dozen offers as a freshman from programs such as Alabama, Louisville, North Carolina, Oregon and Tennessee.

YET ANOTHER PEACH STATE OFFER

Buckeyes also offered a scholarship on Friday to College Park, Georgia, Woodward Academy athlete Arik Gilbert.  

"[I'm] both surprised and really excited," Gilbert told Eleven Warriors. "Ohio State has been on my radar since I started actually watching college football, and to have a chance to go there is pretty awesome."

The 6-foot-5, 232-pound Gilbert projects to be a tight end, defensive end or outside linebacker at the next level. He's also not rated, having recorded only five catches for 46 yards on offense and 13 tackles and one sack on defense during his freshman season. Yet Gilbert holds offers from programs such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee.

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