With the 2015 college football season now in the rear view mirror, the focus among programs around the country has shifted towards rounding out their respective recruiting classes. For Ohio State, there’s the added incentive of possibly finishing with the top class in the country at the end of the first Wednesday in February. Being in this position has been a regular occurrence under Urban Meyer.
Three of Meyer’s four classes since he’s been OSU head coach have been ranked in the top five of Rivals.com’s recruiting rankings. And the Buckeyes look to be in line for a similar haul of top talent in 2016. As of right now, they have commitments from 21 players and are currently ranked no worse than third among recruiting services such as Rivals, Scout and 247Sports.
Monday was a particularly fruitful day on the recruiting trail.
It started with the Buckeyes picking up a commitment from wide receiver Binjimen Victor. The Coconut Creek, FL native is the 91st best prospect in the nation according to Rivals and 15th in the state of Florida. Victor’s pledge continues the success OSU has had recruiting the Sunshine State. He’s one of four players among OSU’s 2016 commits who hail from there.
Then came a huge development later in the day which could play a huge role in Ohio State finishing at the top of the recruiting rankings.
Both linebacker Keandre Jones and quarterback Dwayne Haskins, Jr. announced that they were de-committing from Maryland and flipping to Ohio State. Jones is listed as the top prospect in the state of Maryland and 30th best nationally according to Rivals. Haskins is rated third in Maryland and 100th in the nation. These three new additions have the Buckeyes in great shape to finish with a consensus top ranked class.
And things are certainly far from over with Signing Day a little more than two weeks away. There still remain a handful of uncommitted recruits on the OSU radar that could help fill key needs down the road. And as other schools put the finishing touches on their recruiting classes, getting a few more high school standouts to commit has the potential to maintain the Bucks stranglehold at the forefront of the rankings.
Here’s a look at four prospects still considering the Buckeyes and who could be putting on a Scarlet and Gray hat between now and Signing Day.
Potential Late Additions to 2016 Ohio State Recruiting Class
Malik Harrison, athlete, Columbus, OH
Harrison is a local product out of Walnut Ridge High School in the Columbus area. He ranks as the 23rd best prospect in the state of Ohio and played both sides of the football in high school including quarterback on offense. His school finished 7-3 in 2015 and took home the Columbus city championship.
At 6’4″ and 205 pounds, Harrison has decent size and could project at college level as either a wide receiver, safety or even linebacker if he bulks up a bit. With Jalin Marshall having departed for the NFL Draft, he certainly fits the profile as a potential future hybrid back in Meyer’s system along with current Buckeyes like Dontre Wilson.
Harrison took his official visit to the OSU campus over the weekend. It appears that in addition to Ohio State, he’s high on Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan State. Having already visited those first two schools, he’s scheduled to be on MSU’s campus this coming weekend.
Jordan Fuller, safety, Old Tappan, NJ
Fuller is another prospect that is attracting a lot of interest from Big Ten schools and elsewhere. The 6’2″, 190 pound defensive back is rated as the seventh best player in New Jersey. Meyer has stressed the importance of having a strong recruiting presence in that state and a commitment from Fuller would reinforce that notion. He would also help address a clear need on the depth chart, especially with the NFL-related departures of Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell.
The four-star standout was a participant in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl which took place on January 9th. He was one of a few players either currently committed to the Buckeyes or on their radar that played in the game. Like Harrison, he took an official visit to Ohio State this past weekend. Among the other schools he’s considering are Michigan, Penn State and Notre Dame.
Damar Hamlin, safety, Pittsburgh, PA
It’s a given that Hamlin will need to bulk up from his current weight of 179 pounds, but there’s no doubting his talent. He’s rated as the fourth-best player in the state Pennsylvania according to Rivals. During his senior season, he led Central Catholic High School in tackles with 83 while also nabbing two interceptions and three fumble recoveries. The Vikings would also go on to win the Pennsylvania AAAA state title.
Hamlin was yet another uncommitted prospect in Columbus over the weekend on an official visit. And the general consensus is that he’s one of the more coveted players that Ohio State would like to round out their class with. Over the next two weeks, he has visits scheduled with the other two schools he’s considering, Penn State and Pittsburgh. A decision is expected from him before Signing Day.
Rashard Lawrence, defensive tackle, Monroe, LA
Ohio State still has yet to have a player from the state of Louisiana to commit to the school under Meyer. That could all change if Lawrence decides to give his pledge to the Buckeyes. The 6’2″, 298 pound interior defensive lineman is rated as the eighth-best player at his position according to Rivals and 96th overall. He was part of a Neville High School team that came into the playoffs as the number one overall seed and beat their five opponents by an average of 27.6 points en route to the 4A state title.
Lawrence indicated in early January that he’s down to Ohio State and LSU as the final two schools he’s considering. He’s already visited both campuses and is expected to take in-home visits from the members of the respective coaching staffs before making a decision.
Urban Meyer and company have clearly demonstrated an ability to close the deal with recruits during their time in Columbus. 2016 is proving to be no different, as Monday’s news regarding Jones and Haskins certainly indicated. As the letters of intent come rolling in on Signing Day, the excitement and optimism surrounding the future of Ohio State football among fans should undoubtedly be palpable.
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