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Rivals100 DE did a Zoom call with Ohio State this week
Earlier this week, the Buckeyes did a Zoom call with one of their top defensive end targets in the 2022 class: Enai White.
This was made public information as one of White’s coaches at his high school posted a photo of him speaking with Day on Tuesday. Joining White on that call was his team’s head coach, Devon Johnson, and associate head coach, Cyril Woodland, who I had a chance to exchange some messages with today.
Woodland referred to their time speaking with the staff as a “great conversation.” This is what he had to say when discussing Day’s message to them.
“Spoke on what the program has to offer,” Woodland said of what Day told them. “He just said [Enai] fits what they are trying to do.”
Last month, White updated his recruitment with our Adam Friedman, saying that he is in frequent contact with both Larry Johnson and Day himself. Woodland went on to detail what White likes the most about Ohio State and why they are catching his attention.
“The history of the program and the way they develop the guys at his position,” Woodland said of White’s interest in the Buckeyes. “[Johnson is] a great guy and coach, and they have a really good relationship.”
Woodland also told me that, as of today, White has not yet scheduled a visit to Ohio State.
Unless there is a major surprise in store, I would not expect White to make a decision anytime soon. White, who is the No. 84 overall player in the 2022 class, released a top 13 in November, and has yet to narrow down his recruitment since then.
I was told last month that Ohio State “will be a player for him, but it’s still very early.” It seems like this will be a battle between OSU and Penn State with a few other contenders, as is the case with Rivals250 running back Nicholas Singleton.
Top-10 OT on Rivals will visit Ohio State after the dead period
Kiyaunta Goodwin, a product of Charlestown, Indiana, is a name Buckeye Nation will be hearing a lot about this year. He’s not a slam dunk for OSU, but Goodwin previously told me back in October that Ohio State is one of his favorite schools. Led by Day and Greg Studrawa, the Buckeyes have made it a point to prioritize the Rivals100 prospect and reciprocate significant interest.
“Yes sir, they told me I’m the top tackle on their board,” Goodwin told me today. “I talk to someone from the staff every day, and coach Day like twice a week.”
The dead period seems like it will never end, with the NCAA Football Oversight Committee recommending that it be extended from April 15 to May 31. Once it ends, however, Goodwin says that he is planning on taking a trip to Columbus.
Also, since this was the first time I’ve spoken with him in several months, I asked Goodwin about his interest in Ohio State. The 6-foot-8, 305-pounder says the opportunity to go up against OSU’s elite group of pass rushers on a yearly basis will only help to improve his skill set even further.
“I think iron sharpens iron, and Ohio State has had some of the best ends to come out the last five years,” Goodwin said. “So, you gotta sink or swim, and I love to swim. The deeper the water, the better for me.”
Kevin Noon and I still have our FutureCasts in favor of the Buckeyes here, though one was submitted for Kentucky last month. Most, including myself, believe Ohio State will be a major contender here throughout Goodwin’s recruitment.
Bennett Christian is “locked in” with the Buckeyes
A couple of days ago, three-star tight end commit Bennett Christian was re-offered by the new coaching staff at the University of Tennessee. Even though the Volunteers have been far from a good team in recent years, it was worth noting as Christian’s father, Bill, played for UT back in the 1970s.
So, I reached out to Christian to see if this will have any impact on his recruitment. This is what Christian, who committed to Ohio State over Penn State and Tennessee back in September, had to say.
“Yeah, I’m locked in right now,” Christian said. “Don’t see that changing.”
Tennessee will always be a school to pay attention to given their location and the connection Christian has to the school. I also heard that the previous staff was not too high on Christian and they weren’t putting on the full-court press for him; it would be interesting, however, to see if things change under Josh Heupel’s leadership.
The Volunteers lost Hudson Wolfe to Ole Miss after not signing a tight end in the 2020 cycle, so they could look to press hard for Christian. At this juncture, I think Christian is being true to what he says, and has shown no signs, at least publicly that is, of wavering on his pledge.
In fact, Christian intends on visiting Ohio State on April 16, which is when fellow commits CJ Hicks and Dasan McCullough will be in town. If other targets show up, then look for this trio of star recruiters to put in some work that weekend.
Maalik Murphy commits to Texas, good news for Buckeye fans
Ever since Steve Sarkisian was hired at Texas, I’ve been asked questions about whether or not that would impact Quinn Ewers’ recruitment. I’ve been adamant that despite Sarkisian’s
incredible success at Alabama, I had heard nothing to make me believe Ewers was not all in with the Buckeyes.
Well, on Saturday, Ohio State fans got what they were looking for to ease any nerves about Ewer’s commitment.
Yesterday, top-50 overall junior Maalik Murphy, a California-based signal caller, announced his commitment to UT. This admittedly does help Texas’ chances with borderline five-star wideout CJ Williams as the two are good friends, but this was an overall good sign for Ohio State, in my opinion.
Texas A&M cannot be slept on, but the Longhorns were viewed as OSU’s biggest threat to keeping Ewers. With Murphy on board, this should put to rest any speculation that Ewers could consider a flip to the Longhorns, at least for now.
Also, in this recent interview, Ewers appears to be all in with the Buckeyes, and is ready to be developed in Columbus at the next level
Andy Anders' Report
Michael Hall gearing up for Ohio State career
While every Ohio State commit in the class of 2021 signed early, not all of them could enroll early.
Four-star defensive tackle Michael Hall is among the commits who will start his Ohio State career in the summer and not the spring, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t already partaking in an Ohio State-esque training regimen.
Mac Stephens, who’s trained numerous collegiate athletes in football, track, basketball and several other sports at his gym, is working with the future Buckeye three to four days a week.
Stephens said the duo is focusing on flexibility and overall shape, and from this tweet it seems those efforts are progressing nicely.
“The main thing right now is just focusing on flexibility, and really getting his body in better condition,” Stephens said. “Because playing college football versus playing in the Big Ten at a school like Ohio State is very different. He’ll be ready.”
It’s also a matter of learning the right way to work out with proper intensity and tempo, Stephens added.
Stephens is familiar with what it takes physically to dominate in D-1 college football, which is why Hall said he decided to start working with the Cleveland Heights High School head football coach.
What’s impressed the trainer, who coached Ohio State junior defensive end Tyreke Smith at Cleveland Heights, is Hall’s athleticism in the presence of his incredible strength -- for an interior defensive lineman that benches 385 pounds Hall can move.
“The thing that stands out is that he’s just so powerful,” Stephens said. “For a high school senior, he’s probably one of the strongest kids I’ve ever been around. He’s probably 295 pounds right now, he’s super athletic. I know he can dunk a basketball, one hand, two hands.”
This is all good news for Buckeye fans. The departure of junior defensive tackle Tommy Togiai left a gargantuan hole in the Ohio State defensive line, and depth is always important with that position group given how defensive line coach Larry Johnson rotates his players.
Seniors Haskell Garrett and Antwuan Jackson will be gone after 2021 as well.
I’ll have a full story out on how Hall is working with Stephens, featuring interviews from both men, to prepare both physically and mentally to step on the field and have an impact this fall at Ohio State. Be on the lookout for it tomorrow.
Stay tuned to BuckeyeGrove.
