He's still got it.
Yesterday was six months to the day when Ohio State announced Kerry Coombs would be returning to Columbus. His arrival brought plenty of excitement and helped to ease the pain of Jeff Hafley's departure after he led the charge in turning around the Buckeye secondary.
The 2021 class is a pivotal one for a secondary that's been hit with a number of blows over the last few cycles. Several months back, we talked about how running back and defensive back were two critical areas of need. We're now five months from the early signing period, and both position groups have been addressed in a big way.
It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one, but Kerry Coombs still knows what he's doing on the recruiting trail. Even in the midst of a pandemic that's kept visitors away from college campuses, the Buckeyes have managed to add five defensive backs since Coombs' return to town. More importantly, at least three of the five project as cornerbacks at the next level.
| PROSPECT | HOMETOWN | MEASURABLES | RATING | RANK | POSITION |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jakailin Johnson | St. Louis, Miss. | 6-foot, 168 pounds | ★★★★ | No. 41 | Corner |
| Jordan Hancock | Suwanee, Ga. | 6-foot-1, 170 pounds | ★★★★ | No. 77 | Corner |
| Andre Turrentine | Nashville, Tenn. | 6-foot, 175 pounds | ★★★★ | No. 138 | Safety/Corner |
| Denzel Burke | Scottsdale, Ariz. | 6-foot, 189 pounds | ★★★★ | No. 178 | Corner |
| Jantzen Dunn | Bowling Green, Ky. | 6-foot-2, 178 pounds | ★★★★ | No. 203 | Safety/Corner |
*Note: We continue to believe Cincinnati La Salle's Jaylen Johnson projects as a linebacker.
Is anyone going to be surprised if Cam Brown and/or Sevyn Banks have huge seasons and elect to go pro? Obviously we're still waiting to see what the 2020 campaign will even look like, but I think it's a safe bet that at least one of the two will join Shaun Wade in the 2021 NFL Draft. And that would only increase the need at cornerback.
The country's No. 4 cornerback had been a top-of-the-board target for Jeff Hafley and Kerry Coombs, and Jakailin Johnson's March announcement helped to kick-start a commitment barrage that included the likes of TreVeyon Henderson and Evan Pryor. Johnson will look to bulk up a bit before he arrives in 2021 and pushes for a role early on.
Sunday's commitment from Jordan Hancock gave the Buckeyes yet another priority target at cornerback and a big win over Clemson and the SEC. The staff and the 2021 commits had built a tremendous relationship with Hancock even before his pledge to the Tigers, and that never slowed down after his first commitment was made back in March. This addition more than made up for the loss of Cincinnati corner Devonta Smith to Alabama and may go down as one of the biggest flips in recent memory.
Tennessee defensive back Andre Turrentine had a quiet recruitment leading up to his commitment. Initially listed as a corner before the switch to safety, Turrentine holds offers from all of the national powers and is a candidate to play multiple spots in college. Most of his highlight tape is at safety and his 247 Sports player comparison is a familiar name in Vonn Bell.
Arizona's Denzel Burke sided with Coombs over the entire Pac-12 and a number of national offers as well. The Buckeyes seemingly had their choice between a pair of West Coast corners in Burke and California's Jaylin Davies, but it was the Scottsdale product who won out in the end. Washington has maintained contact hoping for a flip, but Burke is now the proud owner of a sweet pair of Buckeye AF1s and certainly appears to be more than comfortable with his current status.
U gotta have a certain swag to play DB
— Jantzen Dunn (@JantzenDunn) July 18, 2020
Jantzen Dunn has the best size and perhaps the most athleticism of the bunch, and he's reportedly being brought in as more of a pure safety, though the Buckeyes will also be trying him out at corner. The 6-foot-2, 178-pounder was extremely high on the Buckeyes and wasted little time making his decision after a brief flirtation with the folks in Norman. He's got the look of an athletic playmaker from the safety spot; not entirely unlike a Josh Proctor and hopefully a Malik Hooker.
It's yet to be seen if the 2019 single-high safety look will continue, but most are expecting it for the upcoming season with Proctor manning that role. If the plan is to keep the same scheme moving forward, then I think the Hancock addition may have put a bow on the 2021 defensive back class. However, one key target still remains, and he's likely to spend his college days in either Columbus or State College.
Ohio State has 19 commitments in the fold and should have room to add another five to six more (perhaps even seven) before all is said and done. The trenches will be the biggest focus as we move forward, but the country's No. 2 safety prospect is still very interested in the Buckeyes. Missing out on Pennsylvania's Derrick Davis Jr. would be far from catastrophic, but he's a high-end talent who seems destined for the Big Ten.
This is a situation where the pandemic didn't do any favors as Davis was looking to make multiple return trips to Columbus in the spring and summer. Penn State is the presumptive favorite right now, but Ohio State and a few SEC programs still have time to make some moves in the recruitment.
Kerry Coombs has been back on campus for six months now. He's already on track to replenish the defensive back room in a big way come December, and we'll get the first taste of his play-calling duties whenever things get kicked off this fall. His return to the college ranks – despite these strange times we're living in – has been nothing short of a resounding success thus far.
