Heat Check: Recent Ohio State Offers Amaris Williams and Leroy Roker Join the Board, Jordan Seaton Remains the No. 1 Target

Ohio State has positioned itself well to have another top-five class nationally as the Buckeyes, who have 21 commits, sit with the No. 2-ranked class in 247Sports’ rankings. But OSU would like to fill a few more spots between now and December. 

As Signing Day becomes closer, Eleven Warriors’ Ohio State recruiting board grows smaller, as there’s only a handful of realistic targets remaining for the 2024 cycle. However, there are a few late bloomers worth keeping an eye out for in the honorable mention category. 

In case you need a reminder, the criteria used to select the top targets for Eleven Warriors’ Ohio State recruiting board is based on many factors, including roster needs for the program in future seasons, the caliber of the player and how likely that player is to sign with the Buckeyes.

This late in the year, we’ll be a little more loose with the last category since a good chunk of players on this list probably are considered long shots to end up in Columbus, though there’s always at least a puncher’s chance.

Jordan Seaton

Not much has changed with Seaton since last month’s edition of the Heat Check. The IMG Academy product is still Ohio State’s most coveted target on the recruiting trail, and he’s one the Buckeyes have at least a legitimate chance at landing, though Alabama probably should be considered the leader right now. Seaton plans on taking an official visit to OSU on Nov. 11 for the Michigan State game, and it certainly appears his recruitment will go the distance. With three offensive linemen committed for the 2024 cycle, Seaton would be a bonafide addition if Justin Frye can pull this one off. 

Amaris Williams

Williams got offered by Ohio State earlier this week, but he’s been on Larry Johnson’s radar long before that. OSU has been aggressive in its pursuit of the four-star Florida commit, but a visit is likely needed before we can declare that Williams is on flip watch. The Buckeyes aren’t the only one aggressively pursuing the North Carolina commitment, as Tennessee has also had contact with Williams in hopes of flipping him. 

Leroy Roker

Roker may not be as highly touted as some other prospects on this list, but safety is certainly a position of need for the 2024 class. The three-star Florida prospect was offered by the Buckeyes this week and is one of two uncommitted safety prospects OSU has offered. After taking an official visit to Iowa last weekend, Roker won’t waste any time in getting to Columbus; he plans to take an official visit to OSU this weekend for the Maryland game. At this point, he appears to be the most likely addition to the Buckeyes’ safety corps from the high school level for the 2024 cycle.

Nicholas Rodriguez

Rodriguez, who is high school teammates with OSU running back commit Jordan Lyle, is the top remaining linebacker target for the Buckeyes. He visited Columbus on Sept. 9 for the Buckeyes’ game against Youngstown State, where he spent a good chunk of time chatting with Jeremiah Smith. It’s unclear how likely a flip is from Mizzou at this point, but Rodriguez is still on OSU’s radar and there clearly is at least some mutual interest from both parties. 

Chance Robinson

With Jeremiah Smith, Mylan Graham and Jeremiah McClellan already committed to OSU in 2024, adding Chance Robinson would be like adding another luxury car to an already impressive collection. Yet, it remains a possibility. 

Robinson, who plays at St. Thomas Aquinas with Rodriguez and Lyle, visited Columbus for the Western Kentucky game last month and could make another visit for the Penn State game on Oct. 21. Never count out Brian Hartline in wide receiver recruiting, and OSU just might land four prized wideouts in yet another cycle if everything goes right. 

Booker Pickett Jr. 

Miami seems to be trending for the Florida four-star edge prospect. But Pickett Jr. has publicly stated in the past he’s planning on taking an official visit to OSU, with the Penn State or Michigan State games appearing as the two most likely options. If the Buckeyes are convinced Pickett Jr. would be a premier addition to their 2024 class, expect a full-court press when that visit occurs.

Kobe Black

Black is the biggest longshot of any prospect to commit to Ohio State of any of the prospects on this month’s board. The story has remained the same with the Texas product, as the Longhorns remain the heavy favorite to land the five-star prospect. At the same time, he’s yet to commit to Texas. Black will visit Texas A&M this week and the Aggies could be the biggest threat to the Longhorns for Black.

Honorable mentions

Four-star Ohio defensive end and Washington commit Dominic Kirks will visit Ohio State this weekend, a source told Eleven Warriors. The Buckeyes are still evaluating Kirks, so a flip likely won’t happen overnight, but it’s a recruitment worth monitoring in the coming weeks if he lands an OSU offer.

Arizona three-star defensive end Deshawn Warner doesn’t hold an offer from Ohio State as of yet, but the Kansas commit has garnered some interest from Larry Johnson and could be a player the Buckeyes make a move on if other targets don’t work out. 

Other targets seem to be ahead of four-star defensive end Ernest Willor Jr. on OSU’s board right now, but that could change if he visits later this season. There doesn’t seem to be a high chance of either Dylan Stewart or Marquise Lightfoot flipping from their current commitments, but if that changes, OSU would welcome either into the fold. 

Four-star Ohio safety Reggie Powers decommitted from Michigan State last month, but there only appears to be mild interest from OSU’s end in the Centerville product at this time. Ohio State has maintained some contact with Kentucky defensive back commit Terhyon Nichols, and it will be interesting to see if anything materializes between the Cincinnati product and the Buckeyes before National Signing Day.