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.
NO LOVE
Ohio State has already handed out more than 75 scholarship offers to rising juniors across the country, but one prospect still waiting to hear from the Buckeyes is Thousand Oaks, California, Christian five-star defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux.
“I honestly don't know [why they haven't reached out],” Thibodeaux told Eleven Warriors.
The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Thibodeaux is considered the top-rated weak-side defensive end and No. 1 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he recorded 27 tackles for a loss, 17 sacks and five forced fumbles for Dorsey last season. He transferred to Oaks Christian in May to escape the day-to-day trials and tribulations of the inner city.
Thibodeaux more than two dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, UCLA and USC, but said one from Ohio State would make waves in his recruitment.
“They are a great program and run a great system,” Thibodeaux said. “They also put a lot of guys in the NFL.”
Next year will be rather deep in terms of in-state talent along the line, with most already predicting Olentangy Orange five-star defensive end Zach Harrison and Cincinnati Walnut Hills four-star defensive tackle Jowon Briggs to end up in Columbus. Lexington four-star outside linebacker Cade Stover might be better suited as an edge rusher at the next level, too, so it's possible the staff is confident it'll land the talent in its own backyard.
Nevertheless, Thibodeaux believes he'll be a special player in his own right, and is worthy of an offer from the Buckeyes.
“I'm fast, long and technically sound,” he said. “I'm the first off the ball and the first to the quarterback.”
MAKING A PUSH
Though the staff is in the midst of hosting three camps in a little over a week, Ohio State invited Belleview, Florida, four-star offensive tackle Michael Tarquin to campus for an unofficial visit on Monday afternoon.
Fantastic visit at Ohio State, can't wait to come back! Go Buckeyes! pic.twitter.com/NvKjCVtA6e
— Michael Tarquin (@Mike_Tarquin70) June 12, 2017
“It was great,” Tarquin told Eleven Warriors. “Just a great program, [and] I really like the coaches.”
The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Tarquin is considered the 13th-best offensive tackle and No. 106 prospect overall in the Class of 2019. This marked his first-ever trip to Columbus, something that's been planned since the Buckeyes offered him a scholarship last month, and he spent most of the afternoon with head coach Urban Meyer and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa.
“They wanted me to commit. Of course [I thought about it],” Tarquin said. “When I commit, I am done looking at other schools. I am still looking at other places and making decisions.”
Tarquin, who turns 16 years old Wednesday, has narrowed down his list of scholarship offers to Clemson, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State and South Carolina. He admits there are a few other schools he's interested in, but hopes to pick a school following his junior season.
OVER IT
Ohio State welcomed Huntington, West Virginia, Spring Valley four-star offensive tackle Doug Nester for its second one-day camp of the summer on Tuesday afternoon, which marked his third trip to Columbus this spring. That includes the day he was offered a scholarship in early March and the Spring Game in mid-April.
“It was a really great experience getting to work with Coach Stud and working with all of the coaches,” Nester told the media gathered just outside of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. “[He likes my] quick feet, being strong and being able to move well.”
The 6-foot-6, 295-pound Nester is considered the fifth-best offensive tackle and No. 48 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he was named first-team all-state after helping the Timberwolves rack up 4,997 rushing yards on their way to the state title game last season. He holds more than a dozen offers from programs such as Florida, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and West Virginia, and might make a decision on his future in the next month or so.
“It really just depends if it hits me then. I’ll fire off a top list if it hasn’t, but if it has, then I won’t,” Nester said. “[It's] just where I fit in best.”
While most prospects enjoy the recruiting process, that doesn't seem to be the case for Nester. He was pretty reserved when surrounded by eight or so reporters — including myself — shoved their camera phones in his face.
“It’s alright,” he said. “It’s not the best thing, but it’s kind of hard sometimes with all the traveling and everything. But I’ll make it work.”
Adding a player of Nester's caliber would be a great start to Ohio State's 2019 recruiting class. And with starting left tackle Jamarco Jones graduating and left tackle Isaiah Prince eligible to enter the NFL Draft next spring, the position is one that will continue to be of great need for the Buckeyes.
“They're definitely high up there,” Nester said of Ohio State.
A MATTER OF TIME
Dinwiddie, Virginia, four-star linebacker K'Vaughan Pope also worked out for Meyer and linebackers coach Bill Davis on Tuesday, and the feeling surrounding his visit was that he wanted to commit to the staff while on campus.
Virginia four-star linebacker K'Vaughan Pope (@Pop3Bad_81): pic.twitter.com/SsDFFnvbq6
— Andrew Lind (@AndrewMLind) June 14, 2017
At the camp's conclusion, Pope had a sit down with Meyer and Davis.
"Coach Meyer asked me why I want to come here and what other colleges was I looking at," Pope said. "I told him [the reasons and that] I wasn't looking at any other colleges."
A commitment didn't happen, of course, but it may come in the next week or two. It'll be something simple, too.
Pope, the sixth-ranked inside linebacker in the Class of 2018, is not yet finished with his junior year of high school — from my experience covering Virginia public schools, the districts take longer winter and spring breaks and do not have calamity days, which pushes the calendar well into the summer months. And after a stellar showing on Tuesday, the staff would like to see his final grades before accepting his commitment.
A source close to Pope told me everything should check out with his academics, so other factors that may play into his eventual pledge include camp visits this weekend from California four-star linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu and Georgia three-star Michael Harris. Tuliaupupu is a take regardless of Pope's decision, and the staff will chase him all the way to signing day. But this visit will be very telling for Harris, who has long said he would commit to Ohio State the first chance he got.
With four-star linebackers Dallas Gant and Teradja Mitchell already in the fold, the numbers at linebacker are getting tight. I ultimately think Harris' visit comes and goes, and then the Buckeyes bring in Pope.
THERE'S STILL HOPE
On the heels of a surprise visit for Tuesday's camp, Bradenton, Florida, IMG Academy four-star cornerback Houston Griffith included Ohio State in his Top 7 alongside Alabama, Florida State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State and Texas.
T O P 7 pic.twitter.com/4ZC5lxv0Jb
— Houston Griffith (@___HG3) June 14, 2017
The 6-foot-1, 192-pound Griffith is considered the eighth-best cornerback and No. 51 prospect overall in the Class of 2018, as he recorded 15 tackles and seven pass breakups to help the Ascenders to their second-consecutive undefeated season last year.
Griffith was once considered Ohio State's top target at the cornerback position and made two trips to Columbus in a matter of five months. However, the two sides grew apart as the Buckeyes have put more focus into Texas five-star Anthony Cook and Florida four-star Tyson Campbell this spring.
That interest was obviously rekindled with yesterday's visit, but the Fighting Irish remain the favorite in his recruitment at this point in time.
