Four-star recipient Kyion Grayes commits to Ohio

“I am the diamond on the earth, which has not been found.”

Well, Brian Hartline just did some digging and found that diamond.

Chandler (Arizona) four-star receiver Kyion Grayes, formerly an Arizona commit, committed to the Buckeyes about two months later his resignation from the Wildcats.

1000% committed let’s work !!! # zone6 @GarretsonRick @ HIT4ATHLETES pic.twitter.com/feXJFFrBC9

– Kyion Grayes II (@KyiongrayesII) February 28, 2021

Grayes was ranked No. 521 overall (No. 68 WR, No. 6 Arizona) in the class of 2022 at the time of his commitment to the Wildcats, and rose to No. 421 overall (No. 59 WR, No. 3 Arizona) when Hartline offered it. This eventually rose to overall position 313 (No. 47 WR, No. 3 Arizona) as the rating grew in parallel with his passion for the Ohio state program.

It was a very unknown prospect that Hartline and Co. discovered, but now the former three-star prospect has been dug up. He has now committed to the Buckeyes as a four-star prospect ranked No. 127 overall, No. 17 WR and No. 2 in Arizona.

Not that he cares.

“Honestly, I don’t even look at the ratings like that anymore,” said Grayes Eleven Warriors. “I feel like I control what I can control and that’s how I play on the pitch and how I play and everything. Honestly, the ratings for me, I leave it at that. If you are a good player, you are a good player. That was what Coach Hart said: ‘If you are a good player, I will look for you.’ And that is what he did to me ”.

Grayes made his verbal promise to Hartline and Co. around the time of the December 5 state semifinals game at his school, but waited to announce his decision publicly until after he retired from Arizona and after finally visiting Ohio for be 100 percent sure of your decision.

“(Hartline) just said, ‘Take your time and when you’re ready to make a decision, we’ll take it,'” said Grayes. “So I was just letting it all cool down and keeping it low and so I went from there.

“(Hartline said) all I needed to know was, ‘As long as you tell me that, you’re good. Your place is good, you are there and here with us. Just don’t rush the process. ‘”

Ohio State Commitments 2022

NAME	POSITION	GENERAL RANKING	POSITION RANKING	DATE OF COMMITMENT
JYAIRE BROWN	CB	112	13	APRIL 22, 2020
TEGRA TSHABOLA	OT	142	16	APRIL 23, 2020
CJ HICKS	OLB	41	3	MAY 1, 2020
POWERS OF GABE	OLB	39	two	AUGUST 1, 2020
DASAN MCCULLOUGH	OLB	60	7 (ATH)	AUGUST 18, 2020
BENNETT CHRISTIAN	YOU	316	14	SEPTEMBER 1, 2020
BENJI GOSNELL	YOU	274	11	NOVEMBER 4, 2020
QUINN EWERS	QB	1	1	NOVEMBER 19, 2020
CALEB BURTON	WR	23	4	November 23, 2020
JAHEIM SINGLETARY	CB	9	4	JANUARY 2, 2021
KYION GRAYES	WR	127	17	FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Grayes initially wanted to make it official even after visiting Ohio, which he planned to do around February, so that he could see the campus and get a feel for the city. But he admitted that if he couldn’t figure out a time for the visit, he would pull the trigger and pull the trigger he did.

Now that he’s included, Grayes joins Texas five-star receiver Caleb Burton as the second receiver and fourth pass receiver in the class. Grayes and Burton join the receiver to tight end Benji Gosnell and Bennett Christian, while the Buckeyes are forming a core around five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers to add to what has been a fantastic race in offensive recruitment in the 2020 and 2021 classes.

After Grayes was offered by the Buckeyes on October 20, the news started to come from people we talked to that it would only be a matter of time before he announced an Arizona withdrawal and “reopened” his recruitment. But it has never really been so open. Even though Oregon offered after the state of Ohio and even though Texas and Penn State were calling after their withdrawal, they were all Buckeyes.

“Let’s face it, whenever the state of Ohio makes an offer, that’s a big deal. It just is, ”said Chandler’s head coach, Rick Garretson Eleven Warriors. “And then, a lot of times people are going to fall in line and suddenly, like, ‘Oh, crap, I have to take a look at this kid.’

“A school like Ohio State does due diligence on children. So, when they make an offer, it’s a big deal. There’s the state of Ohio, Alabama, Clemson and maybe I would play Notre Dame there, those are the big dogs. That’s when people are like, ‘Oh, he must be a four or five star guy.’ ”

The Buckeyes were at the top of Grayes’ list first, once the offer was made, and their pledge now gives Hartline its ninth receiver pledge in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 classes.

“They are a machine,” said Garretson. “They are a recruiting machine and a football machine. No doubt. ”

And while Grayes should end up as the lowest-ranked prospect among the nine, it’s clear that Hartline saw something in Arizona, just as Ryan Day saw something in a West Coast product, Chris Olave – a former potential customer unannounced with a similar profile as Grayes.

Header photo – Kyion Grayes (right) – Patrick Breen / USA Today