Ohio State football recruiting 2020 class reset: Breaking down commitments, top targets

Five-star offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. was among a handful of Ohio State recruits to attend the spring game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State’s 2020 recruiting class currently holds eight commits, which is good enough for the sixth-best class in the country.

With spring football over, coaches will shift their focus completely on trying to add more names to this class over the next few months. Here is a look at some of Ohio State’s top recruits and targets heading into the summer.

Offense

Quarterbacks

Committed

The Elite 11 Finalist has been committed to the Buckeyes for almost a year and after coming on a visit for Oho State’s spring game seems pretty happy with that decision.

Top Targets

The five-star recruit is expected to make his decision on Sunday, May 5. He projected top three are Clemson, USC and Oregon with the Tigers as a heavy favorite. He plans to take a visit to Eugene this weekend before making a commitment.

Suggs is a high-caliber two-sport athlete. He’s a four-star quarterback prospect, but also a five-star prospect as a basketball player. His decision could not only what school he likes most, but also what sport he chooses to play.

Breakdown

Ohio State has lost two quarterbacks in the last six months, but adding another one to its 2020 class seems unlikely at this point. If it were to add another, its best bet would be Suggs if he chooses the football route. If not, OSU’s main goal should be holding onto Miller so that it at least has a future starting quarterback.

Running Backs

Top Targets

Day wants to keep high-rated Ohio natives home and Drennen II gives him another opportunity to do so. The Buckeyes and Michigan seem to be at the top of his long list of schools at the moment. He recently took a visit to Ohio State for the spring game.

Milton recently took a visit to Columbus and walked away impressed. He’s also taken visits to a handful of SEC schools over the past couple of weeks and he doesn’t seem to be close to making a decision.

Trayanum stated that at the moment Ohio State and Wisconsin are the front runners with Notre Dame, Penn State and Michigan trailing behind. He’s already taken visits to Notre Dame and Penn State this spring and is expected to schedule his official visits soon. He’s listed as a running back, but at 6-foot, 200 pounds he’s not against playing defense. He could potentially fit the bullet position if he does.

Breakdown

It’s clear that the Buckeyes would like to add a highly rated running back to this class with J.K. Dobbins possibly gone after the season. Drennen as an Ohio native could give them their best chance at landing one, but bringing in a five-star like Milton could be huge for Day.

Wide Receivers

Committed

Scott committed to Ohio State on Christmas Day as one of the first players to do so following Day’s hire.

Smith-Njigba has been committed to Ohio State since November 2018, but he’s still looking at all of his options. Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Ole Miss seemed to still be recruiting him hard despite his commitment.

Top Targets

His decision has come down to Clemson, Penn State and the Buckeyes at this point. He recently took visits to Clemson, Alabama and was also in attendance for the Buckeyes’ spring game. Landing him would give OSU back-to-back years landing a five-star receiver.

Rosemy has been crystal balled to choose Ohio State for a while now and that remains the case. He’s yet to schedule a Columbus visit.

Bunkley-Shelton took a trip to Columbus for Ohio State’s spring game. He’s also taken visits to Oregon and USC in the recent weeks.

Breakdown

Brian Hartline is off to a solid job recruiting as wide receivers coach. He’s earned two commitments and is in the running for a few others. The Buckeyes won’t need a large group of receivers in this year’s class with only four seniors and a good amount of underclassmen who are expected to see the field this season.

Offensive Line

Committed

Johnson Jr. never decommitted from Ohio State after Urban Meyer retired, but he treated the announcement as an opportunity to look at all of his options. After taking visits to a handful of schools he’s stayed put and was even in attendance for the spring game. He — along with Jack Miller — may be the Buckeyes’ most important recruit.

James has taken two visits to Ohio State this month and doesn’t seem like he’s going to look at other options at this point.

Leroux seems to be in the same position as James as a player content with his decision. The Buckeyes were one of three Power Five schools to offer him.

Wypler — who’s been rehabbing from a shoulder injury — took a trip to Ohio State earlier this month as a “check in.” He — like many of the commits in this class — decided when Urban Meyer and Greg Schiano were still on the staff. The new coaching staff hasn’t changed his decision, but the visit gave him a chance to get to know some of the new coaches.

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Top Targets

The Buckeyes have been the favorite to get a commitment from Atteberry who recently took a visit to Columbus. He’s expected to take an official visit to Ohio State in June.

Fryar was in attendance for Ohio State’s spring game. He’s also taken visits to Indiana, Alabama, Louisville, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Penn State this spring. He plans to cut his list to seven schools this Sumer.

Breakdown

The Buckeyes need bodies on the offensive line and its a strong emphasis in 2020. Right now they have four commitments, but don’t be surprised if they added a few more.

Defense

Defensive Line

Top Targets

Henry has taken multiple visits this spring as the Buckeyes try to grab three top 300 players from Cincinnati. Henry is good friends with Paris Johnson Jr. and Jaheim Thomas and the three have expressed the desire to play together.

Mills has already taken an official visit to Notre Dame and is expected to take one to Ohio State this weekend. Right those two schools are his top choices and he plans to make a decision in June.

Craig recently took a visit to Tennessee. The trip was the first of five official visits recruits can take. At the moment there is no crystal ball prediction of where he will commit, but Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame are considered heavy favorites.

Breakdown

Henry is probably Ohio State’s top defensive line target at this point, especially because of his relationship with two other recruits. The chances are landing a five-star defensive lineman in this class are slim following Bryan Bresee’s commitment to Clemson.

Linebackers

Top Targets

Sherman is planning to take an official visit to Ohio State this week and it will be the first time he’s met with the new coaching staff in person. He’s already taken an official visit to Georgia.

Thomas recently got an offer from Ohio State making it very likely that he chooses the Buckeyes. The four-star Ohio native has the size and skill to play both linebacker and defensive end at the college level. He’s taken several unofficial visits with Paris Johnson Jr. and Darrion Henry including Ohio State, Alabama, Tennessee and LSU.

Williams could fit Ohio State’s new bullet position perfectly at 6-foot-1, 216 pounds. He was in attendance for Ohio State’s Student Appreciation Day. He plans to take an official visit to Columbus in June. He will also take official visits to Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Tennessee and expects to make a decision by September.

Breakdown

Ohio State only has one commitment from a defensive player so far and after creating a new position they’ll need to start recruiting guys fit to play it. That starts with landing either Sherman or Williams in this class. Thomas seems like a lock, especially with two of his close friends leaning towards Ohio State as well.

Defensive Backs

Commits

Getting Cavazos to recommit was huge for Day as it gave the Buckeyes its first defensive player and added to the new coach’s accomplishments in a short time on the job.

Top Targets

Gray is coming off a three-day visit to Ohio State over the weekend and plans to take an official visit later this year. He wants to take all of his official visits before making a commitment at the Under Armor All-American game.

The Buckeyes have had to rebuild its relationship with the Michigan native after all of the changes to the coaching staff. He recently took a visit at the beginning of the month, but has no timeline for a decision. There is a good chance that Ohio State will be among his official visits as well.

Hyatt recently got an offer from Ohio State and there is no timeline for when he’ll make a decision, although he seems very likely to prefer the Buckeyes.

Breakdown

Cavazos is the only defensive commitment at the moment, but expect that to change over the next few months. One of the reasons why they lack players at this point is because Larry Johnson is the only returning coach from last season. Many of these players are still getting to know the four new defensive coaches.

Special Teams

Ohio State seems more interested in getting guys with a defined position as Martinez is one of the few guys listed as an athlete still seriously considering the Buckeyes. The three-star recruit plays quarterback for his high school but is being recruited as a wide receiver or a defensive back by most Power Five schools. The Buckeyes and Wisconsin are among the schools that would give him the option of which side of the ball he wants to play on.

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