The new recruiting calendar means the next few months are going to be pivotal for Ohio State's 2019 recruiting efforts. Official visits are already underway and many of the Buckeyes' top targets will come off the board in the next several weeks.
We've long discussed how this weekend's spring game could now be the year's premier recruiting event. The annual scrimmage is slated to bring a number of talented prospects to Columbus, but it's not going to be quite the spectacle of a fall weekend with Michigan or Nebraska coming to town.
We now have a pretty good idea of who's going to be in Columbus this weekend, but I'd certainly expect a few more changes in the next 48 hours as prospects finalize their weekend plans.
During yesterday's spring football teleconference, Urban Meyer discussed how Ohio State is being selective in terms of who to bring in for spring official visits. As Andrew Lind touched on in last night's Hurry Up, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to host an official visit in April if the player isn't looking to make a decision until December or January.
It's tough to argue with the staff's philosophy even though it does mean the visitor list is a bit thinner than we had originally anticipated. Still, Ohio State is bringing in a number of top targets, and there's absolutely a lot to be on the lookout for.
Even with a limited number of official visits, are the Buckeyes on commitment watch this weekend? If I were a betting man, I'd set the over/under on 1.5 commits between now and Monday.
And I'd be tempted to take the over.
Noah Potter • Defensive End • Mentor, Ohio • ★★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 240
Four-star Mentor defensive end Noah Potter heads back to Columbus this weekend for an unofficial visit. We've had the 6-foot-5, 250-pounder on commitment watch for some time now, and it wouldn't be a total surprise if there were some fireworks this weekend.
Potter holds offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, and Notre Dame. He recently made trips to Tuscaloosa, Athens, and Gainesville, so this one feels like it could be winding down. Ohio State needs defensive ends in the 2019 class, and reloading with some in-state stars like Potter and Zach Harrison seems to be a priority for Larry Johnson and the rest of the staff.
Ronnie Hickman • Athlete • Wayne, New Jersey • ★★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 124
Ronnie Hickman may be the top athlete on Ohio State's recruiting board, and he too will be back in Columbus this weekend for an unofficial visit. Hickman is a guy who could play a number of positions, but most of the chatter has revolved around cornerback, safety, and wide receiver.
Always a great time in Columbus. Thank you @OSUCoachSchiano @OSUCoachMeyer #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/WdXQB0vEJF
— Ronnie Hickman (@asvprocket_) February 4, 2018
The Buckeyes have been out in front for a while now with schools like Penn State, Notre, and Florida all trying to make up some ground. He's been a regular visitor dating back to 2016, and though he has no decision timeline, it would hardly be a shock if he were to make things official this weekend.
Harry Miller • Center/Guard • Buford, Georgia • ★★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 54
One of the weekend's official visitors will be Ohio State's top center target. Four-star Buford, Georgia native Harry Miller will be in town with his family as the Buckeyes look to further separate themselves from Stanford, Notre Dame, and Georgia.
Stanford appears to be the stiffest competition in this one, and Miller is also a star in the classroom, so the Cardinal is certainly worth watching. Stanford's admissions process operates on a much different timeline, so he could still take a late-cycle official out west. He was in Palo Alto last weekend for an unofficial visit.
For a while it seemed like Miller was destined to make a decision in the spring, but now it appears there's a chance the recruitment lingers on for a while. One has to think the Ohio State staff would prefer this one ends sooner rather than later.
Garrett Wilson • Wide Receiver • Austin, Texas • ★★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 46
We will include Wilson on this list despite knowing he's taking an official visit to Austin next weekend. Still, anything is possible when a Columbus native – and top target for the Buckeyes – heads back to campus for an official visit.
The nation's No. 6 wideout still has family in Ohio, and while the Longhorns are now the local team, the Buckeyes have overtaken the crystal ball lead on this one.
The ties to the area have been well documented and so has Wilson's connection with Ohio State 2018 quarterback signee Matthew Baldwin. I think the biggest thing working in the Buckeyes' favor may be the more established offense under Meyer and Kevin Wilson.
Tom Herman still needs to show what Texas can do on that side of the ball, and one has to think that's something Wilson will be watching for when he heads to the Longhorns' campus for the April 21st spring game.
Again, a commitment isn't expected this weekend, but stranger things have happened.
It's never wise to rule out a surprise when the Buckeyes host events like the spring game or Friday Night Lights. Last year it was Max Wray and Josh Proctor making surprise commitments over the weekend of the spring scrimmage, and Wray wasn't even in town for the event.
The Class of 2019 is a bit of a guinea pig with the new recruiting calendar, so it remains to be seen exactly how the Ohio State staff handles things. A number of talented 2020 prospects also will be in town, and expecting the unexpected is a solid approach when the Buckeyes host their annual recruiting extravaganzas.
