Update: Pulling double duty today and combining 2017 and 2018 into one update. Without further ado here is your Ohio State visitor list of note:
Ohio State visitors: Official: McFarland Jr., Harris, Oladipo, Bolds. Non Official: Wade, Davis, Castro-Fields, Campbell, Dudek, Ruiz, Leach.
2018: Slade, Tutt, Fontaine, Young, Raines, Anderson-Butts, Scruggs, Hooker, Clement, Gregory, Morgan, Smith (WR), Gant, Hawkins, Smith (DE), Manns, Scott, Ruckert, Reigelsperger, AsaMoah, Hoelscher
Now that is just crazy. Lamont Wade making another on campus appearance after two at Tennessee is good news. Tariq Castro-Fields is a top target for Alabama so great to get him in as well, especially after Pitts decommitment. Danny Davis at one time got a few crystal balls to Penn State then visited Kentucky a few times and they are the perceived leaders. Would be great get at wider receiver. Kyree Campbell was the 41st DT in 2016 but didn’t qualify for entry at UNC and is a very interesting prospect. Jaylen Harris is taking an official which is great and the longer his recruitment goes on the better it is for PSU as it means OSU is holding out for someone else at WR. Illini commit Oladipo is on an official and the staff view him as a potential do everything D-lineman. I am not convinced he is and think we have enough of those types on the roster already. Makes me wonder if they see him as a fallback or if he is a take right now. Corey Bolds was reported as taking an official to this game by Scout but I have yet to see it repeated elsewhere (someone in the know can confirm). It would be nice to get an official from him as he fits more of a traditional DT. Anthony McFarland Jr is definitely favorited to Miami right now, but we were out of his top 5 and still got one of his 5 official visits. This is great news.
In a perfect transition to the 2018 list; McFarland is from Dematha and bringing 2018 prospects Gregory, Fontaine (who would be such a huge get at a position of need), and Morgan (who we are the absolute favorite for). Slade on campus again and he becoming a regular. Christian Tutt is a top CB prospect from GA. His recruitment will be national but great to get him on campus. PA prospects Young, Raines, and Anderson-Butts are familiar names. Fredrick Scruggs getting on campus is big news, would have been nice if his teammate and ND commit, Matthew Bauer would be joining him. Marcus Hooker is Malik’s younger brother and destined to follow him to OSU. Iverson Clement is a great ATH prospect who could play RB/WR or I see him ending up at CB for Penn State. Great speed and lots of options with him. Jeremy Ruckert the TE from NY will also be on hand, he is one of many TEs that PSU is after for 2018 in a quest to take 2 or 3 after whiffing in 2017. The rest of the names are all from the state of OH: L’Christian Smith WR (3rd prospect in OH for ‘18), Dallas Gant OLB (4th), Tyreke Smith DE (6th), Blaine Scott G (14th), Aeneas Hawkins (15th), Alex Reigelsperger DE (17th), Jornell Manns WR (18th), Cameron Hoelscher ILB (22nd), Brian AsaMoah OLB (UR). That is an incredible list from the state of Ohio where up until this year it has been tough goings for Penn State for quite a while. I find it hard to believe that OSU will let anyone ranked in the top 5 of OH go easily, so while it is nice to get them here, expectations should be tempered. Also, and I hate to say it but from a contrarian position you could point out that there home state Buckeyes are possibly a historically good young team playing in one of the greatest venues of all college football in a White House at Beaver Stadium, it makes you wonder who they’re coming to see. I hope that is not the case, but I would be remiss to not at least acknowledge the possibility.
On to the rankings. Just want to touch on a few names in the 2017 rankings. While McFarland is favorited to Miami getting him in an official has him moved up. Same for Danny Davis getting back on campus. Anthony Hines probably isn’t coming to Penn State but I think it is a lot closer than his crystal ball makes it seem. On the flip side I don’t think Proctor is likely to pick Penn State. The reason is because he just doesn’t seem to have the makeup of the kid who normally picks Penn State in that he wants to make his decision with a public hat pick on signing day; we NEVER win that. Also, he’s in contact recently with Ole Miss. I think there is still time to work on Jordan Anthony especially with family connections to PSU, but now his is favorited to Michigan. Wade-Perry continues to hold out for that Stanford offer. I don’t think Hutch is coming to Penn State. I know some will get angry at that prediction but I just don’t see it. If we strike out with the other LBs, look for Zane Zandier (great name) to get an offer and jump at it. I really like how he plays and am actually hoping he does eventually get an offer. My flip watch is just a list of players we will stay after until signing day. I think Spence, Hainsey, and Kaindoh are the best chances to change their mind. Kaindoh though will probably be to FSU. I would have loved to get one or two of the ND or UMD commits on campus for this game.
Please let me know if I missed something or your general comments!
Commit Watch:
Very Good Chance:
4/5* CB Wade, 3* CB Johnson
In The Battle:
4* RB McFarland Jr., 4* WR Harris, 4* LB Hines, 4* RB/LB Anthony, 4* OLB Proctor, 4* WR Davis, 3* DT Wade-Perry, 3* WR Hamler, 3* ATH Castro-Fields, 3* OLB Zandier, 3* DT Campbell
Work Left To Do:
4* ATH Bowden, 4* WR Ruggs, 4* ATH Bell, 4* DL Jeter, 3* DL Conliffe, 3* DT Martin, 3* DT Bolds, 3* DT Hutch, 3* OT Becton, 3* S Nelson, 3* DL Butler, JUCO OT Traore
Have To Get Really Lucky:
5* OT Wilson, 4* CB Thomas, 4* ATH Hunter, 4* OLB Singleton, 4* C Ruiz
Flip Watch:
Cam Spence (Maryland), Robert Hainsey (Notre Dame), Josh Kaindoh (Maryland), Mark Webb (Georgia), D’Andre Swift (Georgia), David Adams (Notre Dame), Kurt Hinnish (Notre Dame), Axel Nyembwe (Duke), Tommy Christ (Virginia)
2018:
Commit Watch (if it ended today):
4* S Humphries, 4* WR Anderson-Butts, 3* OLB Katshir, 3* TE Pitts, 3* DE Morgan
Very Good Chance:
5* RB Slade, 4* S Young, 4* S Raines, 4* DE Hardy, 4* OT Scruggs, 4* WR Provillon, 4* ATH Clement, 3/4* QB Fields, 3* QB Patterson, LB McElroy, 3* CB Paul
In The Battle:
4/5* TE Kuntz, 4* DT Fontaine, 4* DT Mustipher, 4* TE Ruckert, 4* CB Tutt, 4* LB Gant, 4* DE Smith, 4* G Gregory, 4* LB Shelton, 3/4* WR Simmons, 3* G Scott, 3* LB Bastida, 3* DT Hawkins, 3* WR Manns, 3* ILB Hoelscher
Work Left To Do:
4* DT Friday, 4* WR Dotson, 4* DT Sandidge, 4* WR Smith, 4* OT Duncan, 4* ATH Gervin, 4* ATH Hooker, 3* DE Reigelsperger
Have To Get Really Lucky:
5* RB Gill, 4* S Lytton, 3* OT Reed , 3* DT Stills
Ohio State visitors: Official: McFarland Jr., Harris, Oladipo, Bolds. Non Official: Wade, Davis, Castro-Fields, Campbell, Dudek, Ruiz, Leach.
2018: Slade, Tutt, Fontaine, Young, Raines, Anderson-Butts, Scruggs, Hooker, Clement, Gregory, Morgan, Smith (WR), Gant, Hawkins, Smith (DE), Manns, Scott, Ruckert, Reigelsperger, AsaMoah, Hoelscher
Now that is just crazy. Lamont Wade making another on campus appearance after two at Tennessee is good news. Tariq Castro-Fields is a top target for Alabama so great to get him in as well, especially after Pitts decommitment. Danny Davis at one time got a few crystal balls to Penn State then visited Kentucky a few times and they are the perceived leaders. Would be great get at wider receiver. Kyree Campbell was the 41st DT in 2016 but didn’t qualify for entry at UNC and is a very interesting prospect. Jaylen Harris is taking an official which is great and the longer his recruitment goes on the better it is for PSU as it means OSU is holding out for someone else at WR. Illini commit Oladipo is on an official and the staff view him as a potential do everything D-lineman. I am not convinced he is and think we have enough of those types on the roster already. Makes me wonder if they see him as a fallback or if he is a take right now. Corey Bolds was reported as taking an official to this game by Scout but I have yet to see it repeated elsewhere (someone in the know can confirm). It would be nice to get an official from him as he fits more of a traditional DT. Anthony McFarland Jr is definitely favorited to Miami right now, but we were out of his top 5 and still got one of his 5 official visits. This is great news.
In a perfect transition to the 2018 list; McFarland is from Dematha and bringing 2018 prospects Gregory, Fontaine (who would be such a huge get at a position of need), and Morgan (who we are the absolute favorite for). Slade on campus again and he becoming a regular. Christian Tutt is a top CB prospect from GA. His recruitment will be national but great to get him on campus. PA prospects Young, Raines, and Anderson-Butts are familiar names. Fredrick Scruggs getting on campus is big news, would have been nice if his teammate and ND commit, Matthew Bauer would be joining him. Marcus Hooker is Malik’s younger brother and destined to follow him to OSU. Iverson Clement is a great ATH prospect who could play RB/WR or I see him ending up at CB for Penn State. Great speed and lots of options with him. Jeremy Ruckert the TE from NY will also be on hand, he is one of many TEs that PSU is after for 2018 in a quest to take 2 or 3 after whiffing in 2017. The rest of the names are all from the state of OH: L’Christian Smith WR (3rd prospect in OH for ‘18), Dallas Gant OLB (4th), Tyreke Smith DE (6th), Blaine Scott G (14th), Aeneas Hawkins (15th), Alex Reigelsperger DE (17th), Jornell Manns WR (18th), Cameron Hoelscher ILB (22nd), Brian AsaMoah OLB (UR). That is an incredible list from the state of Ohio where up until this year it has been tough goings for Penn State for quite a while. I find it hard to believe that OSU will let anyone ranked in the top 5 of OH go easily, so while it is nice to get them here, expectations should be tempered. Also, and I hate to say it but from a contrarian position you could point out that there home state Buckeyes are possibly a historically good young team playing in one of the greatest venues of all college football in a White House at Beaver Stadium, it makes you wonder who they’re coming to see. I hope that is not the case, but I would be remiss to not at least acknowledge the possibility.
On to the rankings. Just want to touch on a few names in the 2017 rankings. While McFarland is favorited to Miami getting him in an official has him moved up. Same for Danny Davis getting back on campus. Anthony Hines probably isn’t coming to Penn State but I think it is a lot closer than his crystal ball makes it seem. On the flip side I don’t think Proctor is likely to pick Penn State. The reason is because he just doesn’t seem to have the makeup of the kid who normally picks Penn State in that he wants to make his decision with a public hat pick on signing day; we NEVER win that. Also, he’s in contact recently with Ole Miss. I think there is still time to work on Jordan Anthony especially with family connections to PSU, but now his is favorited to Michigan. Wade-Perry continues to hold out for that Stanford offer. I don’t think Hutch is coming to Penn State. I know some will get angry at that prediction but I just don’t see it. If we strike out with the other LBs, look for Zane Zandier (great name) to get an offer and jump at it. I really like how he plays and am actually hoping he does eventually get an offer. My flip watch is just a list of players we will stay after until signing day. I think Spence, Hainsey, and Kaindoh are the best chances to change their mind. Kaindoh though will probably be to FSU. I would have loved to get one or two of the ND or UMD commits on campus for this game.
Please let me know if I missed something or your general comments!
Commit Watch:
Very Good Chance:
4/5* CB Wade, 3* CB Johnson
In The Battle:
4* RB McFarland Jr., 4* WR Harris, 4* LB Hines, 4* RB/LB Anthony, 4* OLB Proctor, 4* WR Davis, 3* DT Wade-Perry, 3* WR Hamler, 3* ATH Castro-Fields, 3* OLB Zandier, 3* DT Campbell
Work Left To Do:
4* ATH Bowden, 4* WR Ruggs, 4* ATH Bell, 4* DL Jeter, 3* DL Conliffe, 3* DT Martin, 3* DT Bolds, 3* DT Hutch, 3* OT Becton, 3* S Nelson, 3* DL Butler, JUCO OT Traore
Have To Get Really Lucky:
5* OT Wilson, 4* CB Thomas, 4* ATH Hunter, 4* OLB Singleton, 4* C Ruiz
Flip Watch:
Cam Spence (Maryland), Robert Hainsey (Notre Dame), Josh Kaindoh (Maryland), Mark Webb (Georgia), D’Andre Swift (Georgia), David Adams (Notre Dame), Kurt Hinnish (Notre Dame), Axel Nyembwe (Duke), Tommy Christ (Virginia)
2018:
Commit Watch (if it ended today):
4* S Humphries, 4* WR Anderson-Butts, 3* OLB Katshir, 3* TE Pitts, 3* DE Morgan
Very Good Chance:
5* RB Slade, 4* S Young, 4* S Raines, 4* DE Hardy, 4* OT Scruggs, 4* WR Provillon, 4* ATH Clement, 3/4* QB Fields, 3* QB Patterson, LB McElroy, 3* CB Paul
In The Battle:
4/5* TE Kuntz, 4* DT Fontaine, 4* DT Mustipher, 4* TE Ruckert, 4* CB Tutt, 4* LB Gant, 4* DE Smith, 4* G Gregory, 4* LB Shelton, 3/4* WR Simmons, 3* G Scott, 3* LB Bastida, 3* DT Hawkins, 3* WR Manns, 3* ILB Hoelscher
Work Left To Do:
4* DT Friday, 4* WR Dotson, 4* DT Sandidge, 4* WR Smith, 4* OT Duncan, 4* ATH Gervin, 4* ATH Hooker, 3* DE Reigelsperger
Have To Get Really Lucky:
5* RB Gill, 4* S Lytton, 3* OT Reed , 3* DT Stills
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