Edwin Spillman has always felt like a priority to Ohio State.
The 2024 linebacker impressed OSU linebackers coach Al Washington enough at a camp in June to receive an offer. He’s only one of eight players in his recruiting cycle to hold a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes.
Since then, the 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker has tried to make a return trip to Columbus, originally planning on attending OSU’s Buckeye Bash & BBQ on July 29. While those plans fell through, he took in a gameday visit to Columbus Saturday and watched as the Buckeyes beat Akron 59-7.
“I loved it. Just like the atmosphere there was great, just like the whole environment,” Spillman told Eleven Warriors. “I got to talk to coach Day, coach Washington and coach Alford before the game and I really enjoyed that. They all told me that they really liked me and were really interested, they’d like to see me come down more visits down the road and keep that relationship going and everything.”
Spillman said he appreciated OSU had a program centered around life after football and enjoyed how invested Buckeye fans were in the team.
“It was crazy,” Spillman said. “They told me that down in Columbus, most of the people all go out to watch Ohio State games. I thought that was really cool.”
Two weeks ago, Spillman visited Notre Dame, and he plans to visit Georgia and Tennessee in the future. A return trip to Columbus is not off the table.
“I haven’t really planned out a second visit yet, but I’m for sure going to come back soon,” Spillman said.
Young focusing on select schools
While Ohio State has recently expanded its search for 2023 running backs, such as running backs coach Tony Alford attending one of Massillon running back Willtrell Hartson’s games earlier this month, it’s no secret who their top priority is in this cycle: Richard Young.
The 6-foot, 190-pound five-star running back narrowed his school list down to 10 teams back in August, but has told 247Sports this week his focus may be much narrower than that.
“Ohio State and Clemson,” Young told 247Sports about what schools are standing out. "Really, it's the big-time schools and then some others. Alabama is in there too."
Young, who visited Columbus twice this summer, has not made a visit anywhere yet this fall, but plans to in the coming weeks. Clemson running backs coach C.J. Spiller, the former Buffalo Bills running back, recently went down to Young’s hometown of Lehigh Acres, Florida, to scout the phenom running back in person. Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Young is the 21st-rated prospect in the 2023 class and the top-rated running back.
Padilla visits OSU again
As recently as Sept. 10, Dayton resident Joshua Padilla had never attended an Ohio State game. Since Sept. 11, he’s now attended two.
The four-star 2023 offensive lineman first visited Columbus for the home-opener against Oregon on Sept. 11, then made a return trip back to OSU Saturday for the Buckeyes’ 59-7 win against Akron. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound guard made the trek to Ohio Stadium with his brother and his cousin. He told 247Sports this week he enjoyed his visit.
“I liked how the team was supported by the fans, 95,000 even though they were playing Akron,” Padilla told 247Sports. “I see (the team) coming together as a team. They were all excited and they came together.”
It would be hard to say the Buckeyes aren’t a front runner for the Ohio product considering he has visited Columbus a ton in the past few months by going to two games, a July cookout and the OSU spring game. He has another visit with the Buckeyes scheduled for Oct. 30 against Penn State. Padilla is the 194th-ranked prospect nationally in the cycle and the 10th-best guard.
