Ohio State Recruiting: Buckeyes win game, lose battle with Hoosiers

Just a day after beating the Hoosiers on the field the 2019 Ohio State recruiting class suffered a loss to Indiana. 4-star RB Sampson James decommitted from the Buckeyes to play for Tom Allen in his home state. Where does this leave the Buckeyes’ RB recruiting for 2019?

Indiana gave Ohio State more trouble than most anticipated on Saturday — and not just on the field of play.

Sampson James, a 2019 running back prospect from Avon, IN who committed to the Buckeyes in March, announced his flip to the Hoosiers just hours after attending OSU’s big win over Indiana in the Horseshoe.

James announced his decision via Twitter.

Ohio State doesn’t lose many recruiting battles, particularly to programs like Indiana. James’ hometown is just an hour from Bloomington though, and his little brother is a 2020 prospect with ties to the Indiana program. Still, James was thought to be a solid commitment.

It stings even more to learn that his primary recruiter at Indiana was none other than former Wolverine Mike Hart — though OSU fans will note it marks Hart’s first win ever against the Buckeyes.

James’ decision leaves RB recruiting wide open for 2019. The Buckeyes have a commitment from just one other player at the position — Georgia’s Steele Chambers, who many project as a linebacker at the next level. So what’s next for RB coach Tony Alford and company?

There were a few names on Ohio State’s running back board when James signed on to play in Columbus, and Ohio State has stayed in touch.

Look for IMG’s Noah Cain to resurface on the radar. Cain was once rated as a 5-star prospect though he’s fallen in the rankings of late. His crystal ball selections favor LSU, and the Texas schools can never be ruled out for the Denton native.

His recruitment remains wide open, however, and he has always expressed an interest in Ohio State. Cain may now be priority number one in Columbus.

Cain’s IMG teammate Trey Sanders happens to be the top ranked RB in the nation. Cain seems the likelier of the two to come to Ohio.

Another player with ties to OSU is Kenny McIntosh, a South Florida native who ranks as the country’s 10th best back. His friendship with fellow Floridian Jordan Battle, a DB commit for Ohio State, could pull him north, though Miami looks like the school to beat right now.

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While the staff will certainly want a replacement for James in the class, RB isn’t a huge priority right now. Ohio State took two in 2018, and assuming Brian Snead is cleared to play, both he and Master Teague look like excellent additions to the team.

Meanwhile, the 2020 class already has a back on board in Darvon Hubbard, and the staff is in good shape with several RBs in that class.

James’ decision drops the 2019 class down to 14th in the country and 3rd in the Big Ten behind Michigan and Penn State. However, no reason to panic — Urban Meyer’s track record on the field and on the recruiting trail means giving him and his staff the benefit of the doubt.

Next. 4th and Short, questions following Week 6. dark

While another top-2 class may be out of reach, trust Meyer and company to pull this 2019 class into the top 10, regardless of James’ defection.

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