Following two hectic days at Big Ten Media Days, the Hurry-Up is back to its regularly scheduled programming.
Let’s dive right in.
OSU set to welcome plenty of visitors for SummerFest
One month after concluding the final round of hosting official visits on Ohio State’s campus, the Buckeyes are hosting a large recruiting get-together on Friday, calling it SummerFest. Recruits from various classes are expected to be at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center this evening, more than 35 in total, with no shortage of highly-touted players among them.
While the event is certainly garnered toward prospects in the 2025 and 2026 classes, several of OSU’s 2024 commits are expected to be in attendance to help lend their peer recruiting efforts toward future cycles.
Of note, Northwestern transfer linebacker Nigel Glover will also be at the event, as he’s currently on his official visit to Ohio State before he heads to Michigan later in the weekend. Glover, who signed with Northwestern in the 2023 class and will have four years of eligibility remaining, will likely make a decision on his future soon after he completes his visits.
As far as the 2025 class goes, priority targets attending include offensive tackle Carter Lowe, running back Marquise Davis, tight end Luka Gilbert, cornerback Na’eem Offord and offensive tackle Matty Augustine. Only two 2026 prospects with OSU offers are scheduled to attend: Offensive lineman Sam Greer and cornerback Elbert Hill.
The complete expected visitor list for Friday is as follows (commitments are bolded):
2023
- Northwestern transfer linebacker Nigel Glover
2024
- Four-star cornerback Bryce West
- Four-star linebacker Garrett Stover
- Four-star safety Jaylen McClain
- Four-star offensive tackle Deontae Armstrong
- Four-star offensive tackle Ian Moore
- Three-star offensive lineman Devontae Armstrong
- Three-star offensive lineman Marc Nave
- Three-star running back Sam Williams-Dixon
2025
- Five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord
- Four-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair
- Four-star tight end Luka Gilbert
- Four-star safety Ivan Taylor
- Four-star running back Marquise Davis
- Four-star offensive tackle Matty Augustine
- Four-star offensive tackle Carter Lowe
- Four-star wide receiver Phillip Bell
- Four-star linebacker Dante McClellan
- Four-star defensive end Chris Burgess
- Three-star wide receiver Jackson Wiley
- Three-star linebacker Eli Lee
- Three-star linebacker Grant Beerman
- Three-star defensive lineman Brandon Caesar
- Three-star defensive lineman Dior Garner
- Offensive tackle Rowan Byrne
- Offensive tackle Eidan Buchanan
- Defensive lineman Wilnerson Telemaque
- Defensive lineman Jameil Hamm
2026
- Defensive end Cam Thomas
- Linebacker Kyle Kirby
- Running back Shahn Alston
- Wide receiver Nalin Scott
- Quarterback Nathan Bernhard
- Quarterback Briggs Cherry
- Wide receiver Payton Cook
- Cornerback Elbert Hill
- Wide receiver Jaeden Ricketts
- Offensive lineman Sam Greer
Micah DeBose picks up OSU offer
While the Buckeyes are hosting various prospects on campus Friday, one of the more highly-touted prospects in the 2025 class was already on campus earlier this week. And five-star Alabama offensive tackle Micah DeBose left his visit with an offer from Ohio State.
Im extremely blessed to receive an offer from Ohio State University #blessed #gobuckeyes @CoachJFrye @CoreyDennis_ @ryandaytime @coachcook55 @coachmaye3 @ChapmanShalimar @ParisJohnsonJr @BenThomasPreps @BHoward_11 @ChadSimmons_ pic.twitter.com/eS4Bl20jiV
— Micah DeBose (@MicahDebose) July 26, 2023
The 6-foot-5, 315-pound DeBose, a Georgia commit, is considered the 16th-best prospect and third-ranked offensive tackle in the 2025 class per 247Sports’ composite rankings. Ohio State is hardly alone in trying to flip DeBose from his Bulldogs commitment, with Alabama, Clemson and LSU all among the teams vying for his National Letter of Intent in a year-and-a-half from now.
DeBose’s willingness to visit Columbus certainly puts OSU in the running for his services and near the top of the Buckeyes’ recruiting board at that position for that cycle, along with five-star offensive tackle David Sanders.
Aaron Scott to make long-awaited commitment Sunday
One of Ohio State’s top remaining cornerback targets in the 2024 class is ready to make his college decision. Four-star Ohio cornerback Aaron Scott will announce his commitment at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, his father’s birthday, and choose from Oregon, Michigan and Ohio State.
As of now, the race remains too close to call between the Buckeyes and Wolverines. But that hasn’t stopped OSU commits from continuing to make last-minute pitches to the Springfield product.
2 dayss @AaronScottJr1 #gobucks
— Miles Lockhart (@MilesLockhart1) July 28, 2023
Should Scott commit to OSU Sunday, he’d join cornerbacks Miles Lockhart and Bryce West in the Buckeyes’ 2024 class. Scott has long been on record saying he’d like to play with West in college.
“We talk here and there, almost like every other day, for real. Just asking questions and stuff,” Scott said of West in May. “But we definitely want to play with each other in college.”
Cai Bates commits to LSU
An OSU target came off the board earlier this week, as four-star Florida cornerback Cai Bates committed to LSU.
BREAKING: Four-Star CB Cai Bates tells me he has Committed to LSU!
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 26, 2023
The 62 185 CB from Orlando, FL chose the Tigers over Tennessee, Florida State, & Alabama
LSU being known for producing 1st round picks will stick for a long time being called DBU.https://t.co/8Aibw0gMIW pic.twitter.com/IuITa3cLis
Bates heading elsewhere isn’t much of a surprise at this point, as he didn’t take an official visit to Columbus this summer, only an unofficial trip in early June. With him off the board, the Buckeyes turn their attention to Scott and five-star cornerback Kobe Black as their top remaining targets at the position.
