Josh Myers Adds to the Talent Pool in Ohio

Standing 6-6 and weighing 280 pounds, Josh Myers is already one of Ohio’s best players for the 2017 class.  The offensive tackle has offers from some of the top programs around the country.  The offer sheet includes the likes of Florida, Michigan, Kentucky, and Ohio State.  Myers knows what he is looking for as a right fit.  He told me that he wants a place that provides a family type atmosphere.  Most of the schools he is being recruited by provide that, including Ohio State.  There are many things that Josh loves about Ohio State including the rich history that Ohio State has and the fan support.  He also has a great relationship with Coach Hinton.  Hinton is his main recruiter and Myers talks to him the most.

“Coach Hinton is just so laid back and easy to talk to,” Myers said of Hinton.  “He also is very funny.  I have a very good relationship with him.  I like coach Hinton a lot.”

He recently took a visit to Ohio State in March and loved every part of it.  His favorite part was getting to meet the coaches, including coach Urban Meyer.

“Meeting Urban Meyer was cool!” He said of meeting Meyer.  “I have seen him on TV so many times and then to actually get to know him personally, away from coaching, is just cool.  It was also surprising meeting all of the coaches and realizing that they are normal people too.  Yea they are famous head coaches, but they are normal people like us.”

Myers likes Ohio State a lot but he is wide open in his recruitment.  His goals for this upcoming season are not individual goals, but a team goal of winning the state championship.  He is the only returning starter for an offensive line that graduated four seniors, so he wants to improve his leadership, not only for the line, but the whole team.  The rest of the summer consists of training for football and basketball.  In fact, Myers was running a basketball camp earlier yesterday.  He is visiting Ohio State for Friday Night Lights and is very excited about getting to visit there again and also get to hangout with his friend Danny Clark.

Myers recruitment still has a long way to go, but I like where Ohio State stands right now.  Danny Clark has been recruiting him for a while now and I think that can only help.  He is not going to decide for a while on where he is going, but you can be sure Ohio State is going to be in this until the end.

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MotSaG Chat with Lawrence Cager

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Lawrence Cager is a top Receiver coming out of the 2015 class. He is from Towson, Maryland and is 6’5 weighing around 210. He attended an OSU camp last June. He holds offers from many top programs in the country. 247 has him as a top ten player coming out of Maryland.

Keep reading below to see my interview done with Lawrence.

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Andrew: How has the recruiting process been?

Lawrence: It’s been picking up ever since I got invited to the opening.

Andrew: What schools are showing interest?

Lawrence: Main ones are Ohio State, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Wake Forest, Oklahoma State.

Andrew: What schools are recruiting you the hardest?

Lawrence: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Rutgers and Wake Forest.

Andrew: Is there a list at this point in the process?

Lawrence: My top five are Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Wake Forest but I have 8 other offers.

Andrew: Where have you visited?

Lawrence: Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Oregon State, Oregon, Washington, Florida State, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Purdue, Toledo, UCONN, Virginia Tech.

Andrew: Any upcoming visits?

Lawrence: Virginia, Wake Forest again, NC State, North Carolina, Rutgers again, Alabama, Tennessee, Clemson I think, Kentucky and maybe Oregon State again.

Andrew: How was your Ohio State visit?

Lawrence: I loved it, Coach Zach is a fun guy, so is Coach Larry.

Andrew: You talk to any Ohio State recruits?

Lawrence: I’m really close with Rahshaun Smith, Steven Smothers and Cam Chambers.

Andrew: When would you like to commit?

Lawrence: Beginning or middle of the season I’m projecting. But after I take visits at Ohio State and Notre Dame again and if it goes well I may commit earlier.

Andrew: What did the Buckeye coaches tell you?

Lawrence: Coach Larry Johnson told me that before they offer me, they just want to see more of me because I only played half the season last year so therefore my film isn’t as long as it should be, he said he really likes me, he and Coach Zach, they just need to see more.

Andrew: Is there anything else you want people to know?

Lawrence: I feel like I’m underrated, just watch out for my display of talents at the opening!

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Follow him on twitter: @LC3era_8

Buckeyes Land Second Commit For 2016

Things are going well for OSU in the month of June. Sure May and April were the worst but can’t say that OSU fans aren’t being rewarded for their patience right now. The 2015 class is filling up nicely with some big targets going to drop in the next few weeks. The 2016 class is off to a hot start and the Buckeyes landed their second commitment in the class and it is still 2014.

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Tyler Gerald committed to Ohio State as was first reported by….

Tyler Gerald is a 6’5″ 300 lbs 4 star OG from Portsmouth, Ohio. Tyler comes in as the 121st best recruit in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. The behemoth of a young man came to OSU camp and worked with Coach Warriner and Coach Meyer showing his strength and agility for a big man. He is an athletic kid who could play any spot on the O-Line. He will be a part of a great 2016 class and a strong OL class for OSU. Look for him to help recruit some other trench guys as he goes to camps with them the next 2 years.

You can follow Tyler on Twitter by clicking @tylergerald96.

You can see his highlights by clicking Hudl.

Connor Heyward Creating Own Success Story

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Ohio State fans might know the name Heyward from a recent, successful Buckeye in Cameron Heyward.  Meet his younger and equally as talented, younger brother from Georgia, Connor.  Although he is in the class of 2017, the wide receiver and Safety prospect knows  that it is never to early to start recruiting.  The 6 foot 1 inch rising sophomore, has interest from many schools across the country including Ohio State.  He has been to Ohio State many times for his older brother, but the other day he participated in a camp in which he fought hard and went up against some good competition.

“There were a lot of good players at this camp the competition was very good!” Heyward said of the camp experience.  “The kids from Miami were really good also.  The best part was getting to go 1v1 in front of the coaches, especially coach Coombs.  I really like him.”  Another cool part of the camp Heyward told me was getting to meet Danny Clark.  The two instantly hit it off and Heyward told me they have become good friends.

“Danny Clark and I have a good relationship,” he said of Clark.  “He wants me to come here with him and also take more visits when he is on campus also.”  It is a surprise to nobody that follows recruiting that Clark has been recruiting his heart out for the team.

Heyward loves Ohio State for many reasons and it does not have to do a lot with Cam playing here.  He did say although that is cool, it is not the reason he loves the school so much.  He attributes his love for the school to a couple of things like his relationship with Coach Fickell, the facilities, and the success of the program.

“Coach Fickell and I have a great relationship.” Heyward says of his reasons for loving Ohio State. “We have just been around each other so much.  I also just love everything about Ohio State from the campus to the sports facilities.  Also, there is not a better stadium in college football than the Shoe!”

His brother keeps telling him to work hard, something he really takes to heart on the football field.  For the rest of the summer, Heyward will be practicing and training for Football AND basketball.  Yep.  He is a mult-sport athlete and his team for AAU just made it to the finals for the Nike Peach Jam in Florida, something he is very excited for.  He would love to play both in college if lucky, but would choose football over basketball.  When asked what he would like to say to Ohio State fans, he said, “Go Bucks and stay tuned!”  Connor Heyward is a great prospect and will have a great share of college choices.  But he just loves Ohio State and that is where I think he is going to choose to play College Football.

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Eight Is Great For The Buckeyes

Recruiting is on a roll and after several months of inactivity and lots of players picking schools not named Ohio State it is great to see OSU go on a rampage racking up members of the 2015 class at lightening speed. Just a few weeks ago OSU was at just 2 commits and lots of people were panicking even yours truly was a bit depressed. I knew there was no way OSU would stay down and that Coach Meyer and his staff would eventually make a run. They did not let me down and things are looking like they could explode this summer. So let’s get to know our newest commit shall we.

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Dre’Mont Jones committed to Ohio State today via his Twitter account…

https://twitter.com/TheOfficial_80/status/479315871480156160

Dre’Mont Jones is a 6’5″ 250 lbs 4 star DE/TE from Cleveland, Ohio. It really was just a matter of time before Dre’Mont committed the stud DE was down to OSU and TTUN and well he decided he wanted to win and not suck so he chose OSU. I kid I kid :). Seriously though the kid has a ton of talent and his size is extremely noticeable. He will bring a lot of athleticism and toughness to the defense and has a chance to play early if he can bulk up some this year.

You can get to know and follow Dre’Mont on Twitter by clicking @TheOfficial_80

MotSaG Chat with 2016 DE Malik Barrow

Malik Barrow is not another ordinary football player.  Standing almost 6’4, and weight about 245 pounds, Barrow stands out amongst the crowd almost immediately.  With offers from the likes of Michigan State, Ohio State, UNC, and many others, he is already beginning to make a name for himself as a Sophomore.  Something that is not abnormal anymore.  Barrow recently took a trip to Ohio State for both and Unofficial visit and a camp.  A camp he says he did very well in.

“I did well in the camp!” Barrow sad of his camp performance.  “I went against one of the top 2016 OT recruits, (He did not know his name), and won the battle.  Overall, I think I did very well going against some tough competition.”

Not only was he there for the camp, but was able to spend time with the coaches as well.  He got to meet Urban Meyer and tour the campus for a little bit.  He had nothing but positive things to say about the campus Ohio State in general.

“The visit was great!” He said of his visit.  “Meeting Urban and Coach Johnson was amazing!  I like Coach Johnson a lot as a position coach. Urban told me that they really like the way I play and that they want me to come there.  I also loved the campus and facilities. Everything was great about Ohio State!”

Although Malik loved the visit to Ohio State, he is wide open in his recruitment.  There is not much pressure to stay instate because he is not originally from Florida.  He moved there from Massachusetts when he was younger.  So to think that any of the Florida teams are for sure getting his commitment is wrong.  He is wide open and is hoping to make it to Georgia Tech, UNC, Duke, and UCF over the summer.  I asked him what he would like to say to Ohio State fans and he said, “Go Bucks!”  He enjoys playing basketball and chilling with friends when he is not training for football.  He keeps himself busy with this and stays in shape for workouts by playing some basketball.  I think there is a good chance that Malik could end up here.  He does love Ohio State and everything about it so they have that going for them.  But has many schools around him that he loves also.  This is going to be an interesting recruiting battle between Ohio State and I think UNC and Miami.  He is a recruit we should all be watching over the next couple of seasons.

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Nick Conner Has His Dream Come True

I have been following and covering recruiting for the better part of 20 years now. In my time I have done my best to not get emotionally invested in which recruits pick OSU and which ones do not. I mean Urban Meyer is offering hundreds of kids every year and if I got too invested I would lose my mind considering only around 20-25 will ever make it into OSU. There is an exception every once in a while where I get to know a recruit and almost get fully invested in his drive to become a Buckeye. Today that dream became reality for one young man and I couldn’t be happier for him.

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Nick Conner is a 6’3″ 225 lbs 4 star Top 247 Linebacker from Dublin, Ohio. Nick being a local kid grew up loving Ohio State and worked his tail off to earn his offer to attend Ohio State. He spent a lot of time getting to know the coaches and the players and building on what the coaches wanted him to improve on. He came into camp today with a mission and earned his offer from Coach Meyer and committed right on the spot.

On a personal note I couldn’t be happier for such a quality young man who has done all that was asked of him and didn’t take offense when the coaches challenged him to get better and come and camp with them and ear his offer. The kid bleeds Scarlet and Gray and hopefully all of Buckeye Nation will get behind him and show him some love.

You can see his highlights by clicking Hudl.

You can follow Nick on Twitter by clicking @NickConner11.

MotSaG Chat with Tyrek Tisdale

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Recruiting is a constant process. There is no off-season and there is no it is too early to talk about a recruit because he is only a sophomore. There are recruits in middle schools getting offers and even some still in elementary school. So to have the chance to sit down and talk with a High School kid going into his Junior year it is refreshing. So I sat down today and talked with Tyrek Tisdale a 6’2″ 200 lbs Safety/Running Back from Orlando, Florida.

Tyrek has been on a nationwide tour with a group of Florida HS footballers and visited several school where he also received his first 4 offers from UAB, Louisville, Miami of Florida, and Ohio State. Tyrek said “It has been ridiculous, visiting 8 different Division 1 schools.”.

Tyrek grew up a fan of the Oregon Ducks and who can blame him for most of his life Oregon has been a mecca for offensive minded players who want to showcase their skills on the national scene. The uniforms alone can draw in HS recruits and fans a like. Tyrek doesn’t have any plans right now to visit Oregon but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him eventually make his way to Eugene to take in the gloriousness that is Nike.

Where else does Tyrek have visits planned for this summer? He tells me ” I plan to go visit Miami and Ohio State again this summer.”. Which begged the question for him… Will distance play any roll in where he decides to attend college. His answer was quick and precise “No distance wouldn’t be an issue.” Which is great to hear if you are an OSU fan. He clearly has no qualms leaving Florida or the south.

Tyrek visited Ohio State not to long ago and thoroughly enjoyed the visit telling me that he most enjoyed “Learning about the academics and visiting Buckeye Grove.” Buckeye Grove is a huge draw for receuits because it shows in a grand way how many OSU players have come there and had all-american careers. He also was able to sit down and talk to Coach Meyer and Coach Drayton and loved what they told him. He was also able to meet and chat with current OSU TE Jeff Heuerman on the visit.

Keeping his options open are important to him right now. Tyrek is just getting going into the recruiting process and is getting a crash course early on. He doesn’t have a plan for when he will commit but he does have an early leader for his services telling me that Ohio State is his leader right now and that he could see himself being a Buckeye someday. When I asked him what he would Buckeye Nation to know about him the most his answer was extremely revealing… “I would love for Buckeye Nation to know that we will always beat That Team Up North.”. While he is not ready to commit you can tell he knows what is important about being a Buckeye and that he already considers himself a member of Buckeye Nation.

This is definitely a young player that OSU fans need to get to know and watch and you can do that by following him on Twitter by clicking @TyrekTisdale.

You can view his highlights by clicking Hudl.

Class of 2015 Wide Receiver Recruiting Targets

Ohio State fans have seen things starting to pick up again for the 2015 class.  Less than a month ago, we were sitting at two commits.  Now, we are up to six and are adding more.  Let’s dive into the wide receiver recruiting for the class of 2015 and who I think will end up as Buckeyes in the end.

1. Van Jefferson- Brentwood, TN

Van has just always been high on the Buckeyes.  He visited in March and there were reports that his Dad wanted to talk to the coaches more on how the passing game would be improved.  It seemed like the questions were answered on the visit as by all accounts, the visit went very well.  It is known by many that Van Jefferson has always had the Buckeyes on top.  The school that is giving OSU the most competition in my opinion, is Tennessee.  He is a pure wide receiver.  He runs great routes, good hands, and just an overall sense of the wide receiver position.  He earned MVP at the WR position for the Birmingham NFTC and was invited to”The Opening” in Beaverton, Oregon.  I think that Ohio State is in a good position to land Jefferson.  But, if LSU offers it might be one to watch.  He does like LSU and is an offer he wants.  I do think that he will be a Buckeye, when it is all done.\

2. Christian Kirk -Saguaro, AZ

To many, Christian Kirk is the best wide receiver in this class.  The Saguaro, Arizona standout does it all at the receiver position.  He has good speed, great acceleration, and just has that “it” factor that every college coach is drooling over.  He has been to Ohio State before and loved the visit.  He knows that he could do wonders in Urban’s offense, well he could do wonders in anyone’s offense, but still.  He is visiting Ohio State this weekend and many people think that his college choice will come down to Ohio State and Texas A&M.  He has a top ten right now with schools all over the country from Pac-12 territory to SEC country.  Ohio State is on the list and I fully expect that to be there till the end.  I do not think Ohio State leads right now, but, he is visiting this upcoming weekend, and if all goes well, he very easily could become a Buckeye.   I still think there is work in this recruitment, but it is definitely not out of the question.  If he loves Ohio State again I think we have a good shot.  Stick close to this situation Buckeye fans.

3. Devante Peete- Pompano Beach, FL

Standing just about 6’6, Devante Peete’s size is what most coaches loathe more than anything about Devante Peete.  The St. Thomas Aquinas standout wide receiver, has offers from schools all across the nation.  He has good speed for a tall receiver as well.  The Crystal Balls on Peete are split down the middle 50/50 to Miami and Ohio State.  I think this will come down to the home town Hurricanes and Ohio State.  He has not been to Ohio State but there is a reason he has Ohio State at the top with Miami without even visiting.  St. Thomas has  been good to Ohio State in the past, (Joey Bosa), and I think that is going to continue with Peete as I think he will pick the Buckeyes in the end.  Just a hunch as he has not visited but loves everything about Ohio State.

Class of 2015 Running Back Recruiting Targets

With the emergence of Carlos Hyde, the running back has all of a sudden become a major role in Urban Meyer’s offense.  Not that the running backs on previous Meyer Coached teams were not important, but Hyde became the first Meyer coached running back to total the 1,000 yard rushing mark.  Now that does not necessarily mean that the offense is not fit for running backs, but when you have the likes of Jeff Demps, Percy Harvin, and Tim Tebow to all split reps, well rushes can get clustered.  The running back is one of the more important parts of Urban Meyer’s offense now and it was showcased last season by how much we relied on El Guapo.  Below, I take a look at the running backs that I think have a good shot at becoming Buckeyes and take a guess at who I actually think will become Buckeyes.

1. Damien Harris- Berea, Kentucky
Much like Torrance Gibson from last weeks quarterback article, when it comes to running backs in this class, Damien Harris is at the top of the list.  Many, if not all, consider Harris the best running back in the nation.  I have to agree with this, as he is just the complete package when it comes to everything you’re looking for in a running back.  The one time Michigan commit recently released his top choice of schools, but I see this coming down to Ohio State and Kentucky.  Kentucky is the home state school and he has been there multiple times.  But, he has been to Ohio State multiple times too and is good friends with some of the other recruits in this class that are considering Ohio State.  I do not think that he is even close to being ready to decide again, but I think Ohio State is sitting very nice with Harris and I think that when his recruitment is all over, he will choose the Scarlet and Gray.  I am actually very confident right now that he will be a Buckeye.

2. Larry (LJ) Scott- Hubbard, Ohio
This recruitment has been one of the more interesting ones.  There is no doubt that LJ was very interested in Ohio State from the beginning, but there were some academic issues he needed to work out which he did and Ohio State offered.  Now that Ohio State is in the mix, he has visited the school multiple times.  There were some rumors that Michigan State was leading in his recruitment as he said that he was very close to committing there.  But, a visit to Ohio State a couple of weekends ago, has apparently changed his view on Ohio State and a lot of my sources and people with knowledge of the situation, feel confident that he is trending towards the Buckeyes.  In fact, some people even think that he could be the next commit for the class.  I do not think that is the case.  If he were to commit soon it would be in the summer, but he could drag out his recruitment.  His coach also told me that he is not ready to decide yet.  He is one of the best backs in the nation and would be good to keep him home. I think when his recruitment is all said and done, he will be a Buckeye.

3. Mike Weber- Detroit, Michigan
Ohio State has been recruiting the state of Michigan very hard since Meyer became the head coach, and Cass Tech has been good to them thus far.  Dame Webb, a 2014 recruit, is from the same high school as Weber.  I think that when it comes to running backs, Weber will be the odd man out.  He does love Ohio State and I know he loves Michigan State as well, but I just don’t see Weber being a part of this class.  They are waiting on Harris and then I think they are going to pick one of Scott/Weber.  I do not think that Weber is going to be a part of this class.  But if they wiff on LJ, then I think it could be game on for Weber, especially if LJ chooses Michigan State.

4. Nyehim Hines- Garner, North Carolina
Nyheim Hines would be the perfect fit for Meyer’s H-Back position.  He is blazing fast, running a 4.30 forty, has good hands, and is just great out in space.  I have talked to Nyheim on multiple occasions and he loves talking about Ohio State.  He grew up watching Percy Harvin, and how he succeeded in Meyer’s offense and tries to emulate his game after him.  But, he told me that if he comes to Ohio State, he is not trying to become the next Percy Harvin, but instead, win championships.  He does not have leaders but has visited many schools including Ohio State.  He came away speechless at everything Ohio State had to offered.  He is not ready to make a decision and is trying to narrow down his list, but he assured me that Ohio State would be on that list and also be getting a visit, either in the summer or for a game.  I know that he likes Ohio State a lot and was just excited about the idea of playing in Meyer’s system.  I think the H-Back would fit Hines perfectly and he understands that.  This is going to be my dark horse pick or surprise pick right now, for him to be a part of this class as the H-Back.