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Changes in NCAA calendar
Just kind of a quick programming note. There were some changes made to the NCAA recruiting calendar that are going into effect for the 2020 calendar year. Probably the biggest one in terms of immediate impact is that starting on February 3rd, we're going to enter a month-long dead period, which means no in-person contact with prospects. That is going to last through February 29th.
This is a major change in that, historically, things have opened back up shortly after the February signing period, allowing schools to host prospects during the last few weeks of February.
While I don't think this is something that is going to set the recruiting world upside down or anything like that, I do think it is actually a net-positive for Ohio State. The Buckeyes' strategy over the last few years has been to avoid the big junior days in January and February and push as many key prospects toward March/April visits.
Often times these visits are set around spring practices which allow the players to get a better idea of what things are like around the program. They are often times over-night trips as well, not just a few hours of hype, but a real chance to see a practice, see how the coaches do their thing, and then have extra time for campus tours/academics/etc. It is also something done in smaller groups, which allows for more 1-on-1 time with the position coach and with Ryan Day.
Another reason Ohio State has pushed more for those March/April visits, is the weather. Not only is it generally more pleasant during those months, but January and February visits always lend themselves to ugly weather causing delays or cancellations of flights, so this takes a lot of the guesswork out of it.
Which is why I think February being a total dead period is actually beneficial to Ohio State. The Buckeyes have already been employing a strategy to limit big-time out-of-state visitors during this month, and now the Southern schools won't be able to use that time to get kids on their campuses either. So while not a total game-changer, I definitely think it's a net-positive for Ohio State given their recruiting strategy.
Narrowing focus at receiver
After landing commitments from Jayden Ballard and then Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State has been really zeroing in on a select group of targets at wide receiver in the 2021 class. With Beaux Collins now off the board to Clemson, that number shrinks by a third. Right now the two names that really need to be talked about are Troy Stellato out of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons and Emeka Egbuka out of Steilacoom (Wash.).
There are other guys on the periphery like Gavin Blackwell out of North Carolina or Dekel Crowdus out of Kentucky, but with the big-time haul in 2020 and two great players already committed in '21, the Buckeyes are becoming very selective at the position and that will continue as long as they feel they are in strong contention for Stellato and Ebuka.
Stellato is probably an Ohio State/Clemson battle right now and I continue to have the Buckeyes, Washington, and Clemson as the main three (and for my money, the only three) to watch for Ebuka, a five-star prospect. Have had a pick in for Stellato to Ohio State for a while and still think that is the safe bet right now.
Ultimately I think they'll get the number at receiver to four again, but there is some fluidity there based on attrition and what Chris Olave decides, but Stellato and Ebuka have spots so they wouldn't turn away either of those two.
Quick Sawyer update
Five-star defensive end, and Ohio State commit, Jack Sawyer continues to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from a knee injury suffered in the playoffs back in November. We reported not too long ago that Jack had started doing leg workouts for the first time. He has now ramped things up there and is also jogging and doing some box jumps so it won't be too much longer until he is fully cleared.
Jack is up to 240 pounds right now and looks great physically. This will be his first off-season that he will be putting his full focus on football so the table is set for a big senior year before he makes the short trip to campus next winter to begin his career at Ohio State.
Day hits Scottsdale
Ryan Day will be on the road recruiting this week and he was out in Scottsdale (Ariz.) on Monday, making a stop at powerhouse Saguaro High School. Day made the most of that stop, offering class of 2021 athlete Denzel Burke. The Buckeyes are looking at Burke as a defensive back and he's a guy that is starting to heat up on the recruiting trail.
We'll see where things go with Burke in the coming months, but the Buckeyes were also at Saguaro to see 2021 four-star defensive end/tight end Quentin Somerville. Somerville was a prospect that we spoke with last year on Southern Swing, but things had been pretty quiet with him and Ohio State recently.
That could change here in the coming weeks. I spoke with Somerville and he told me that Ohio State is still on his radar.
"I talked to (Day) for a little bit (recently) and we’re going to set up a visit right after the upcoming dead period," Somerville stated.
As mentioned above, that upcoming Dead Period spans the month of February so look for Somerville to set something up in March or April, likely scheduled around a spring practice. Looking like an unofficial visit first and then we'll see where things stand coming out of that. There will be no shortage of obstacles here for Ohio State, from geography, to Somerville's brother being on staff at Arizona State the last few years (now at New Mexico), to his affinity for UGA (where teammate Kelee Ringo signed in 2020) but an unofficial visit could certainly change things.
