Ohio State recruiting: What are the chances J.T. Tuimoloau is a Buckeye?

J.T Tuimoloau is one of the best high school defensive linemen in recent memory. Can the Ohio State football program pull him to Columbus?

J.T Tuimoloau would start off his Buckeye career as the second most famous J.T on campus.

Of course, J.T. Barrett owns a boatload of Ohio State passing records and was an integral part in multiple Big Ten championships, multiple big-time bowl wins, and quarterbacked the Buckeyes through the regular season in the 2014 national-title winning season, but J.T Tuimoloau is different.

A defensive end by trade, he can play all along the line with the versatility to play tackle or end.  The Sammamish, Washington product draws a comparison to a former Buckeye standout and current Pittsburgh Steeler defensive lineman Cameron Heyward.

J.T. draws a 9/10 rating on the 247Sports scale of motor, athleticism, and explosiveness while also garnering 9/10 grades of size, strength, and versatility. He is big at nearly 6’5 and 280 pounds, but exceptionally strong and quick, and shows good hustle, all the tools he needs to become another big-time Larry Johnson factory prospect.

With all of his ability, every school around the country should be after him, and they are. Tuimoloau has offers from nearly every major school in the country, and he has certainly taken his time making a decision.

With COVID-19 affecting his visits to schools, visits he would have likely taken starting in the summer of 2020, he has been unable to go places he wanted to visit and it has certainly slowed down his recruiting timeline.

This hurts Ohio State, as he has been able to visit Alabama, Oregon, USC, and Washington. To what extent this hurts the Buckeyes is unknown. In October, he released his top 7 schools which included Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, and USC.

Then in mid-December, he released his top-five list which subtracted Michigan and Oklahoma. Nobody really knows when he will make his decision. It could come on National Signing Day in February at the earliest but he could very well push his signing until after that date into the spring.

It seems to be a three-way race for J.T. between Alabama, Washington, and the Buckeyes. Ohio State was also pursuing other Seattle-area target and top recruit in Emeka Egbuka, and they secured his services earlier in December. Egbuka is friends with Tuimoloau and is surely in his ear about becoming a Buckeye.

The competition between Washington and Alabama is stiff, but Ohio State is thought to be in the driver’s seat. Washington has the pull of being close to J.T’s home, and are really pushing the “hometown hero” factor into his recruitment.

Alabama on the other hand is using a similar tactic to Ohio State in that they are one of, if not the most prestigious college football program that sets the standard of winning the national title each year and regularly puts defensive lineman in the NFL. USC and Oregon seem to have little to no chance unless a major change occurs soon.

Like I stated previously, Ohio State seems to be in the driver’s seat, and all four of the 2020 247sports crystal balls have been for the Buckeyes. Steve Wiltfong, one of the most respected people at 247, placed the crystal ball for Ohio State with a 5 (out of 10) confidence rating, the highest of the four.

Behind Ohio State, I think it is a close battle for second place but Washington in my mind holds a slight lead over Alabama. Personally, I think he will not make a commitment until April, so the Huskies and Crimson Tide have time to make up some ground, but at the end of the process, I believe J.T. Tuimoloau will be an Ohio State Buckeye.