Just finished talking with each of Ohio State's 11 early enrollees and two transfers.
There's a lot of content to parse through, but here are a few notes that caught my eye over the last three hours.
CB Jyaire Brown
On his relationship with Perry Eliano: “We talked a couple times… Didn’t talk too much, but talked enough to establish a relationship.
Called Jim Knowles a “great man and a great coach.”
Brown said that winter workouts have gone as expected and is coming in with the expectation of playing his freshman year. He said Ohio State sees him as an outside cornerback, but that he can play nickel if necessary.
Jakailin Johnson is Brown’s roommate and is is “biggest competitor,” describing him as a hard worker with attitude and swagger.
LB C.J. Hicks
He expected to play the Will linebacker spot and confirmed that defensive end Caden Curry is being looked at as a Leo.
Hicks said “Captain Buckeye” is “just a nickname, but realizes that to Ohio State and those around the program, the nickname means a lot and there’s a lot of expectation behind it, but that “pressure makes diamonds.”
OT George Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick called new Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye a “great coach.” He had established a relationship with him over the phone when he was coaching at UCLA.
He called Greg Studrawa leaving “super surprising” and was told mid-practice at the All-American Bowl.
Fitzpatrick views Luke Wypler as his main example in the offensive line room.
Bennett Christian and Devin Brown are his roommates. Describes Brown as "goofy."
He’s currently at 283 with the goal of getting to 295 by the spring.
LB DeaMonte Trayanum
When he transferred out of Arizona State, Trayanum was looking for somewhere that was familiar to him, being from Akron. He said Ryan Day, Al Washington and Tony Alford reached out to him soon after he entered the transfer portal, immediately telling him that they saw him as a linebacker, which he played in high school.
He said he doesn't know which linebacker spot he will play yet, but that he's still getting the fundamentals back down, getting used to playing downhill like he was at running back: "I feel like I'm emptying the tank every day."
On Cade Stover joining the linebacker room: "Cade looks like he's been a dude."
DE Caden Curry
On the LEO: "I feel like I can play the Leo or the end," saying he's being developed more with a athletic build much like the guy he wants to emulate: Nick Bosa.
He also came in knowing he had to gain weight. Came in at 250 with the expectation of getting to 265 by spring.
He calls Larry Johnson an "extra dad" that shows true love to each member of the room. "He told me he wasn't going to leave and he hasn't left."
WR Kyion Grayes
He's been lifting with Emeka Egbuka every day, making sure he's with Egbuka or Marvin Harrison Jr. each time they are working: watching and soaking it all in.
Calls Julian Fleming, "a big brother to him"
On Devin Brown: "The ball comes out fast and hard. It's always where you want it to be."
Sees himself as Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs.
QB Devin Brown
What gravitated him to Ryan Day was the head coach's attention to detail, seeing the binder that he gives to every quarterback of everything one is expected to know.
Described himself as a "gangly" freshman at 5-foot-8, was still offered by Wisconsin as a freshman.
On George Fitzpatrick: "People don't know how athletic George Fitzpatrick is."
Currently sits at 196, Ohio State wants him at 210 by the spring.
On Caleb Burton: "So electric, smooth and twitchy"
He said Kyle McCord has been his main teacher and coach early on with the coaches out recruiting.
WR Caleb Burton
Went to Lake Travis High School his senior year, driving 40 minutes to attend school. Calls former Lake Travis WR Garrett Wilson a "legend." "Everybody still talks about him even when I was there."
He's from the Houston area and has the area code (832) tattooed on his arm.
Said he's the best on the team in Fortnite.
S Tanner McCalister
Said defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was one of the first coaches to call him when he hit the transfer portal at Oklahoma State and the two were very close when they were in Stillwater together.
Calls Knowles' defense "aggressive," saying the coach serves as an "offensive coordinator on defense.
While he was in the portal, McCallister said he watched Ohio State film, seeing a lot of great players to work with on the defensive side of the ball.
McCallister also said he's been working closely with LB Cade Stover, and that he could fit right into the Leo spot.
TE Bennett Christian
He said his blocking skills gave him the opportunity to start as a sophomore at Allatoona High School, and that he was approached to move to IMG Academy that season, but that he chose to stay in Georgia.
Mentioned Mitch Rossi and Joe Royer as his main examples early on.
On possibly playing as a freshman: "Had to bring it up a notch, grind even harder... there is an opportunity to play."
LB Gabe Powers
He said he's still physically developing and learning the defense, saying it helps to have the defensive coordinator as his positon coach.
On CJ Hicks: "We're finally brothers. We're finally together."
From what Powers has seen of Knowles' defense, he said it's based on different sets, switching on and off and calling it aggressive.
S Kye Stokes
To Stokes, the coolest thing is the fact that he's with the team: "I'm playing with Josh Procter. That's incredible.
Already connecting with McCallister, learning the new defense
CB Ryan Turner
Turner started playing cornerback in eighth grade.
He says sees himself as the next great Ohio State cornerback to make a splash in the NFL.
On Madonna-Chaminade teammate and fellow 2022 class member Kenyatta Jackson Jr.'s recruitment: "I feel like I played a part in it a lot."
Much, much more to come over the next few weeks.
There's a lot of content to parse through, but here are a few notes that caught my eye over the last three hours.
CB Jyaire Brown
On his relationship with Perry Eliano: “We talked a couple times… Didn’t talk too much, but talked enough to establish a relationship.
Called Jim Knowles a “great man and a great coach.”
Brown said that winter workouts have gone as expected and is coming in with the expectation of playing his freshman year. He said Ohio State sees him as an outside cornerback, but that he can play nickel if necessary.
Jakailin Johnson is Brown’s roommate and is is “biggest competitor,” describing him as a hard worker with attitude and swagger.
LB C.J. Hicks
He expected to play the Will linebacker spot and confirmed that defensive end Caden Curry is being looked at as a Leo.
Hicks said “Captain Buckeye” is “just a nickname, but realizes that to Ohio State and those around the program, the nickname means a lot and there’s a lot of expectation behind it, but that “pressure makes diamonds.”
OT George Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick called new Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye a “great coach.” He had established a relationship with him over the phone when he was coaching at UCLA.
He called Greg Studrawa leaving “super surprising” and was told mid-practice at the All-American Bowl.
Fitzpatrick views Luke Wypler as his main example in the offensive line room.
Bennett Christian and Devin Brown are his roommates. Describes Brown as "goofy."
He’s currently at 283 with the goal of getting to 295 by the spring.
LB DeaMonte Trayanum
When he transferred out of Arizona State, Trayanum was looking for somewhere that was familiar to him, being from Akron. He said Ryan Day, Al Washington and Tony Alford reached out to him soon after he entered the transfer portal, immediately telling him that they saw him as a linebacker, which he played in high school.
He said he doesn't know which linebacker spot he will play yet, but that he's still getting the fundamentals back down, getting used to playing downhill like he was at running back: "I feel like I'm emptying the tank every day."
On Cade Stover joining the linebacker room: "Cade looks like he's been a dude."
DE Caden Curry
On the LEO: "I feel like I can play the Leo or the end," saying he's being developed more with a athletic build much like the guy he wants to emulate: Nick Bosa.
He also came in knowing he had to gain weight. Came in at 250 with the expectation of getting to 265 by spring.
He calls Larry Johnson an "extra dad" that shows true love to each member of the room. "He told me he wasn't going to leave and he hasn't left."
WR Kyion Grayes
He's been lifting with Emeka Egbuka every day, making sure he's with Egbuka or Marvin Harrison Jr. each time they are working: watching and soaking it all in.
Calls Julian Fleming, "a big brother to him"
On Devin Brown: "The ball comes out fast and hard. It's always where you want it to be."
Sees himself as Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs.
QB Devin Brown
What gravitated him to Ryan Day was the head coach's attention to detail, seeing the binder that he gives to every quarterback of everything one is expected to know.
Described himself as a "gangly" freshman at 5-foot-8, was still offered by Wisconsin as a freshman.
On George Fitzpatrick: "People don't know how athletic George Fitzpatrick is."
Currently sits at 196, Ohio State wants him at 210 by the spring.
On Caleb Burton: "So electric, smooth and twitchy"
He said Kyle McCord has been his main teacher and coach early on with the coaches out recruiting.
WR Caleb Burton
Went to Lake Travis High School his senior year, driving 40 minutes to attend school. Calls former Lake Travis WR Garrett Wilson a "legend." "Everybody still talks about him even when I was there."
He's from the Houston area and has the area code (832) tattooed on his arm.
Said he's the best on the team in Fortnite.
S Tanner McCalister
Said defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was one of the first coaches to call him when he hit the transfer portal at Oklahoma State and the two were very close when they were in Stillwater together.
Calls Knowles' defense "aggressive," saying the coach serves as an "offensive coordinator on defense.
While he was in the portal, McCallister said he watched Ohio State film, seeing a lot of great players to work with on the defensive side of the ball.
McCallister also said he's been working closely with LB Cade Stover, and that he could fit right into the Leo spot.
TE Bennett Christian
He said his blocking skills gave him the opportunity to start as a sophomore at Allatoona High School, and that he was approached to move to IMG Academy that season, but that he chose to stay in Georgia.
Mentioned Mitch Rossi and Joe Royer as his main examples early on.
On possibly playing as a freshman: "Had to bring it up a notch, grind even harder... there is an opportunity to play."
LB Gabe Powers
He said he's still physically developing and learning the defense, saying it helps to have the defensive coordinator as his positon coach.
On CJ Hicks: "We're finally brothers. We're finally together."
From what Powers has seen of Knowles' defense, he said it's based on different sets, switching on and off and calling it aggressive.
S Kye Stokes
To Stokes, the coolest thing is the fact that he's with the team: "I'm playing with Josh Procter. That's incredible.
Already connecting with McCallister, learning the new defense
CB Ryan Turner
Turner started playing cornerback in eighth grade.
He says sees himself as the next great Ohio State cornerback to make a splash in the NFL.
On Madonna-Chaminade teammate and fellow 2022 class member Kenyatta Jackson Jr.'s recruitment: "I feel like I played a part in it a lot."
Much, much more to come over the next few weeks.
