Four-star Safety Lathan Ransom Commits to Ohio State

By Taylor Lehman on July 16, 2019 at 5:05 pm
Lathan Ransom
Lathan Ransom
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Four-star Arizona safety Lathan Ransom has committed to Ohio State, he announced via Twitter. 

Ransom received his offer from Ohio State on January 24 and chose the Buckeyes over Texas and Notre Dame. 

The Ransom File

  • Class: 2020
  • Size: 6-foot-1, 200 lbs.
  • Pos: S
  • School: Salpointe Catholic (Tucson, Arizona)
  • Composite Rating: ★★★★
  • Composite Rank: 4 (S)

The No. 4 safety made his official visit to Ohio State last among his five top schools, as he made the trip June 21. The only other visit he had taken to Columbus was a month after he received his offer, when he packed a visit to Ohio State and Notre Dame into the same weekend.

Ransom made an unofficial visit to Texas in May, and after his official visits to Texas and Notre Dame in June, the two programs, along with Ohio State, seemed to be in an arms race for Ransom's commitment. But at The Opening Finals in Frisco, Texas, on July 1-3, Ohio State's participating commits swarmed him all week, giving the sense that Ohio State was the leader for the safety.

“I’ve built a really great relationship with Coach Hafley," Ransom told the media in Frisco. "He just came in from the NFL, so I think he really knows what the NFL is looking for. I think he would develop me in ways that some places couldn’t.”

His junior season in 2018 was his true breakout year, as he racked up 82 tackles, six interceptions, eight pass deflections, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He is also five-star running back Bijan Robinson's teammate, and there has been mild discussion of the two hoping to play together. 

OHIO STATE 2020 COMMITS
NAME POSITION OVERALL RANKING POSITION RANKING DATE OF COMMITTMENT
PARIS JOHNSON JR. OT No. 8 No. 1 JUNE 28, 2018
JACK MILLER QB No. 71 No. 2 (PRO-STYLE) JULY 1, 2018
LUKE WYPLER C No. 61 No. 1 JULY 7, 2018
JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA WR No. 89 No. 18 NOVEMBER 4, 2018
GEE SCOTT JR. WR No. 66 No. 13 DECEMBER 25, 2018
JAKOB JAMES OG No. 793 No. 69 (OT) JANUARY 21, 2019
TREY LEROUX OT No. 1,084 No. 94 MARCH 11, 2019
LEJOND CAVAZOS CB No. 251 No. 20 (S) APRIL 12, 2019
JULIAN FLEMING WR No. 5 No. 1 MAY 31, 2019
JAKE SEIBERT K N/A No. 2 JUNE 4, 2019
GRANT TOUTANT OT No. 380 No. 32 JUNE 9, 2019
TY HAMILTON DE No. 779 No. 40 (SDE) JUNE 16, 2019
CLARK PHILLIPS CB No. 46 No. 4  JUNE 21, 2019
CODY SIMON LB No. 153 No. 10 (OLB) JUNE 29, 2019
DARRION HENRY DT No. 121 No. 11 JUNE 29, 2019
JOE ROYER TE No. 452 No. 12 JULY 2, 2019
MITCHELL MELTON LB No. 654 No. 43 (OLB) JULY 3, 2019
CAMERON MARTINEZ ATH No. 366 No. 21 JULY 4, 2019
JOSH FRYAR OL No. 411 No. 22 (OG) JULY 4, 2019
MOOKIE COOPER WR No. 64 No. 11 JULY 8, 2019
LATHAN RANSOM S No. 76 No. 4 JULY 16, 2019

Ransom is the No. 21 commitment of Ohio State's 2020 recruiting class and is another big addition to the secondary. Ransom can play anywhere – whether it be strong safety, free safety or the new bullet position – but it seems he will be tried at either of the strong or free safety positions until he finds his spot.

Ransom's ball-tracking skills are already at a collegiate level, meaning he will likely become a free safety.

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