Ohio State Recruiting: Top OT important commit for the Buckeyes

The top offensive tackle in the 2020  recruiting class has chosen to play for the Buckeyes. Cincinnati’s Paris Johnson, Jr announced his commitment late Thursday night. What does it mean for Ohio State recruiting?

Ohio State landed a mighty big fish on Thursday night when top offensive tackle Paris Johnson, Jr announced his intention to suit up for the Buckeyes.

The 6’7″, 285 lb Johnson has yet to play his junior year of high school football, but is rated by 247Sports as the #1 tackle in the country for the class of 2020. He’s the top player in the state of Ohio, and a top 10 player nationally.

Johnson took to twitter to announce his college choice.

Johnson joins OT Jake Wray and DB Lejond Cavazos in a 2020 recruiting class that’s already ranked #4 in the country. That ranking could rise over the weekend. Ohio State’s top QB target in the class, Arizona’s Jack Miller, plans to announce his college choice on Sunday.

In Johnson, Ohio State is getting an aggressive, technically skilled tackle with prototypical size and room to grow. Urban Meyer and company have emphasized the importance of offensive tackle in the upcoming recruiting classes. While they’re still looking for tackles in 2019, Johnson’s commitment goes a long way towards solidifying the offensive line for years to come.

It’s also a big win for the future of the Buckeyes with Ohio players.

While most top talent in the state dreams of wearing the scarlet and gray, Cincinnati has often been an outlier. The top player in the state for 2 of the past 3 cycles has come from Cincinnati.

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Both left for other schools. 2016 OT Tommy Kraemer plays his football at Notre Dame. 2018 OT Jackson Carman famously spurned the Buckeyes for Clemson.

OSU has usually kept its best at home until recently. Doing so in 2020 with a Cincinnati product helps mitigate the reputation damage caused by Carman’s defection. It can only help with future players from the area, including two 4-star teammates at Princeton.

Johnson’s commitment also helps ease the sting of Michigan OT prospect Devontae Dobbs choosing Michigan State over the Buckeyes. Dobbs told ESPN radio in Michigan that MSU won out by staying true, and leveled some accusations against other schools recruiting him.

"“I didn’t like recruiting because coaches lied to me. They did stuff that wasn’t ever going to happen. Places like Ohio State had coaches that told me, ‘You’ll come in and play a ton as a freshman.”"

There is precedent for freshman playing along the line at OSU, most recently with two-year starter Michael Jordan at left guard. The Buckeyes also lose key players to graduation after the 2018 season, including seniors Isaiah Prince  and Demetrius Knox. Jordan himself could turn pro after a strong junior season.

All of which emphasizes the importance of Johnson’s commitment.

Next: Recruiting preview of things to come

With Johnson and Wray in the fold for 2020, Ohio State has potential bookend tackles to take them into the middle of the next decade. As usual in the Urban Meyer era, the future looks bright for the Buckeyes.