A 2026 offensive lineman with a handful of Power Five offers already is higher on Ohio State than ever after his recent visit to Columbus.
Virginia prospect Darius Gray was blown away by what he saw during the Buckeyes’ practice on March 9 and earned a new admiration for Ohio State on his first-ever trip to Columbus.
I had a wonderful time at The Ohio State University! The intensity at the spring practice was amazing! I had a very enjoyable time. Thank you @N_Murph @ryandaytime and @CoachJFrye for the welcoming and wonderful time! pic.twitter.com/M4UACH30kF
— DG (@dariusgrayy_) March 9, 2023
“I loved the visit. It was amazing being at a school that competes for the national championship,” Gray told Eleven Warriors. “The intensity of the practice was amazing. You could feel that they want to win a championship this year. The first takeaway of the linemen was their size. They have great size, but they move like they’re 210 pounds.
“I loved (the facilities). The stadium was huge,” Gray said. “I loved the indoor place, the weight room. I loved it all.”
The 6-foot-4, 280-pound prospect met with Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye on his visit and had a productive conversation.
“He gave me tips on how they run things, and he gave me a few things I need to work on,” Gray said. “He wants me to get my ankles more down when I’m making a block so it brings more power.”
After his freshman season, Gray has picked up seven Division I offers total, including North Carolina, Penn State, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin. He hopes to add an Ohio State offer to that list.
“It would mean everything to me,” Gray said at the idea of earning an offer from the Buckeyes in the future. “As a kid, you grow up learning about the top-named schools every year. I think getting an offer from there and them seeing me as one of the top players would be amazing.”
As a freshman, Gray primarily played left tackle for St. Christopher's School (Richmond, Virginia) last season.
“My mentality and the way I see things,” Gray said regarding his best on-field attribute. “I want to dominate every person every play.”
Gray said he hopes to return to Columbus this summer for a camp to work with Frye more extensively.
Scott to visit Ohio State on April 3
One of Ohio State’s priority cornerback targets in the 2024 class has an upcoming visit planned to Columbus, as four-star Ohio cornerback Aaron Scott Jr. told 247Sports he intends to be on campus on April 3.
Other visits Scott plans on taking this spring include Michigan, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Penn State and Oregon. Scott earned an OSU offer at a recruiting camp last June, then visited twice in the fall for the Notre Dame and Michigan games.
In Scott’s junior season at Springfield, he recorded five interceptions. He and Glenville’s Bryce West remain Ohio State’s biggest in-state defensive back targets for the 2024 cycle.
Matthews, Riggs to visit Ohio State in April
A pair of high school teammates with Ohio State offers plan on making visits to Columbus later this spring.
Per 247Sports, four-star 2024 tight end Walter Matthews will make a trip to Columbus on April 1, while his teammate at Hiram High School (Hiram, Georgia) three-star 2024 offensive lineman Jameson Riggs will visit on April 3.
The Buckeyes offered Matthews last June, while Riggs’ offer came in January.
