Things are about to start heating up for the Ohio State football team… and not just the weather.
While it may not look or feel like it now, spring is quickly approaching Columbus, Ohio, and that means Ryan Day and Ohio State’s coaching staff are about to get a lot busier.
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In addition to spring practice, Ohio State will also be hosting recruiting camps soon, including the likes of the Spring Game. These recruiting camps are crucial for Day and the coaching staff when it comes to roster building.
The camps give the Buckeyes a great opportunity to identify recruits they believe have the traits to be future Buckeyes. It also gives the coaching staff a chance to build on relationships with recruits they are already interested in.
One of the recruits Ohio State is looking to add to its 2027 recruiting class is four-star cornerback Jaden Carey (Fort Lauderdale, FL / St. Thomas Aquinas) who Ohio State offered in spring of last year. It has been almost a year since the Buckeyes offered Carey, and the staff has used this time wisely.
Now, Carey views Ohio State as one of his top schools, naming them in his newly released top seven schools on Monday.
Alongside Ohio State, Carey also listed Florida, Auburn, Notre Dame, Miami, Oregon and Ole Miss in his top seven schools.
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The Buckeyes have some stiff competition for Carey, and while there is no one school that seems to have an advantage over the others, Florida and Miami have taken advantage of the close proximity to Carey, seemingly making them Ohio State’s biggest competition for him.
Carey unofficially visited with Florida already this spring, and all signs point to the visit going as well as possible. Additionally, Miami quickly visited with Carey following its defeat to Indiana in the national title game. Ohio State’s coaching staff also recently visited the St. Thomas Aquinas this spring and much of their attention was directed towards Carey.
The Buckeyes certainly have to like where they sit in Carey’s recruitment but they also know it is far from over. Carey will likely schedule more unofficial visits with his contenders this spring and then schedule official visits with those he feels best about.
Ohio State will need to get him on campus this spring for a recruiting camp to remain contenders, and it would be surprising if they are unable to do so. Official visits will be critical in his recruitment, so Ohio State needs to ensure they are one of his top schools when the time comes to schedule them.
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Carey is the No. 38 CB in the 247Sports Composite and he is the No. 356 national recruit. He is also the No. 36 recruit from the talent-rich state of Florida.
Quick Hits
Ohio State was named a finalist for another blue-chip prospect over the weekend when 2027 five-star offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller (Coatesville, PA / Coatesville) named the Buckeyes one of his top four schools.
Earlier this month, Ohio State hosted Hiller on an unofficial visit and reports were it went as well as possible. We know have proof of that as he has the Buckeyes as a finalist alongside Alabama, Tennessee and Florida.
Hiller also released his official visits schedule with his finalists, and while he plans to visit with Ohio State, he has not yet settled on a date. Ryan Day and the Ohio State coaching staff will need to work with him to find a weekend that works if they are going to remain contenders in his recruitment.
Ohio State 2027 five-star edge commitment DJ Jacobs (Roswell, GA / Blessed Trinity Catholic) surprised the college football landscape late last December when he committed to Ohio State over the heavily-viewed favorites, Miami.
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Since committing, Jacobs has said all the right things when it comes to his recruitment, but he has also not hid the fact Miami is not officially out of the running until National Signing Day. This was further solidified when he told EJ Holland of On3 recently that Miami is still heavily recruiting him.
Ohio State will have to continuously work to keep Jacobs in its 2027 class, but the work should be well worth it for a talent like Jacobs.
