You cannot beat them all.
Can Ryan Day recruit at a level similar to Urban Meyer? Will Ohio be forced to take a more regional approach, with Meyer no longer in charge?
These were two common – and reasonable – questions that were being asked when Ryan Day officially took over the program in January 2019. Day answered the first question with a resounding “yes”. The answer to the second question was an emphatic “no”, while the Buckeyes continue to harvest five-star talent from coast to coast.
Day’s first full class finished in 5th place in the country, behind the usual power programs in 2020. This time, the 2021 class is finishing in 2nd place just behind a Crimson Tide record. Ohio State have signed 21 players and are still looking for five star JT Tuimoloau, as he is unlikely to make a decision until spring.
Alabama added 27 screaming new players and apparently can still fit in another or even two that remain without a contract (it should be good). In terms of average player rating, it is extremely close with the tide at 95.00 and Buckeyes at 94.52. A sophomore head coach battling Nick Saban for supremacy recruiting really tells you everything you need to know about the Ohio State team’s achievements on the trail.
As with all things, it was not a perfect recruitment run for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. The 2020 and 2021 classes saw some notable losses, but five of them stand out from the rest.
5. Tristan Leigh • Class of 2021 • Offensive combat • ★★★★★
The state of Ohio won gold in Virginia with the five-star running back TreVeyon Henderson, but Greg Studrawa was unable to beat yet another of the state’s biggest chances at Tristan Leigh. The Buckeyes were never the team to be defeated in this recruitment, as Leigh’s leaders seemed to oscillate between Clemson, Oklahoma and LSU.
The Sooners were seen as favorites at the end of the game, but Leigh quietly signed with Clemson in December before making a public commitment on January 2. He visited Columbus before the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of Ohio was very present thanks to a strong relationship with Studrawa. The closing probably ruined any chance of Leigh finishing in the Big Ten, despite a great need in the position.
4. Bijan Robinson • Class of 2020 • Running Back • ★★★★★
Unlike Tristan Leigh, there is absolutely was a time when the Buckeyes were the team to beat for the five-star ass Bijan Robinson. The 2020 cycle was problematic for Tony Alford, as the state of Ohio lost Kendall Milton (Georgia) and let Robinson escape his hands. The Arizona native signed with Texas and looked phenomenal as a real freshman. Robinson ran for more than 700 yards, averaging more than eight per attempt and scored six touchdowns this season. The addition of Trey Sermon certainly helped to alleviate the pain somewhat, however.
3. Elias Ricks • Class of 2020 • Cornerback • ★★★★★
The recent focus of #PortalWatch was once a major general target for the state of Ohio. During the 2020 cycle, the Buckeyes were battling the likes of USC, LSU and Alabama for the five-star cornerback Cali-turned-IMG Academy. Ohio was identified as one of its dream schools early in the process. But shortly after Urban Meyer’s retirement, Ricks committed to LSU on Christmas Day 2018.
Bye boy@eliasricks with PICK SIX
ESPN pic.twitter.com/A5G1EEO7it– LSU Football (@LSUfootball) December 13, 2020
Ricks started as a real freshman on LSU’s secondary and shone at times opposite to American cornerback Derek Singley Jr. He recorded four interceptions during his first season and would certainly have seen a lot of action had he ended up in Columbus instead of Baton Rouge. After a bad season for the Tigers, there seems to be some tension between Ricks and LSU. For now, it looks like he will resist the Bayou Bengals.
2. Clark Phillips III • Class of 2020 • Cornerback • ★★★★
The recruitment of California cornerback Clark Phillips III was interesting. At first, it looked like a battle between the state of Ohio and Notre Dame. The Buckeyes outperformed the Irish when Phillips committed in June 2019. That promise lasted six months until Jeff Hafley’s departure probably killed any chance of a four-star signing with Ohio State. A few days after Boston College introduced Hafley as its new coach, Phillips dropped out and signed with Utah instead.
We all saw the problems that Kerry Coombs had in high school last season. And while it is unfair to expect a true freshman to contribute so much, the Buckeyes needed bodies in the defensive backfield and that need continues into 2021. He played early and often for Utes with 26 tackles to go along with a choice of six. Ricks is a better player, but Buckeyes actually did has Phillips in the fold at one point. The pain of losing Phillips and Jordan Battle (which happened before Day took over) took its toll on high school.
1. JC Latham • Class of 2021 • Offensive equipment • ★★★★★
The return of Thayer Munford and the rise of Nicholas Petit-Frere put the state of Ohio in an excellent spot for 2021. The future is also bright with Paris Johnson Jr. waiting behind the scenes. Still, JC Latham’s lack of staff was the biggest scent of the last recruitment cycle. Ohio State was the first favorite for the five-star before Alabama secured its commitment last summer.
Left athletic tackles are not easy to find and it is important to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. Unfortunately, the pandemic and some divided family alliances seemed to hamper the Buckeyes’ chances for the Milwaukee native. It also eliminated any real chance that the state of Ohio would secure the nation’s best 2021 recruiting class. Studrawa and Day turned to a more developmentalist when they launched Louisville’s commit to Zen Michalski. It is now imperative that Buckeyes add at least two pure tackles in the 2022 class.
