Ohio State football: Benjamin Gosnell explains why he couldn’t pass on OSU

Benjamin Gosnell is a 4-star tight end that is a part of the Ohio State football team’s highly-anticipated 2022 class, which is currently ranked #1 in the country.

According to 247 Sports, the Buckeyes have 11 hard commits including Quinn Ewers, Jaheim Singletary, Caleb Burton, CJ Hicks, and more. Gosnell committed to Ohio State in early November via Twitter.

“I’m proud to be a part of this class because of the caliber of athletes they already are,” Gosnell told me. “I feel like we’ll go #1 because of what we’ve already done and the type of people we have committed doing so much recruiting. All of those guys are really good recruiters as recruits to bring in other athletes and high caliber players.”

Gosnell already has plenty of experience playing with and around talented athletes. Jefferson Boaz (North Carolina), Stephen Gosnell, Logan Ray (NC State), Landon Stevens, Quincy Smith, and Isaac Washington (Tennessee) all played alongside Gosnell at East Surry High School before going on to play at the next level.

“We all complimented and held each other accountable. We’re working hard every single day. They all want to work. We lost a lot of top athletes that went to North Carolina and NC State,” he said. “With the people we have now, they’re really hardworking and relentless. We’ll definitely be really successful this year and next.”

Gosnell, who’s out of Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, is the 9th ranked player in the state according to 247 Sports. He’s also the 265th ranked player in the nation which earned him scholarship offers from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Penn State, and others. The Ohio State football program offered the 4-star prospect on June 2, 2020.

Gosnell later mentioned San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle as a player that influences his game: “He’s not the biggest, tallest or thickest but the passion Kittle plays with is the reason he can block 6’4, 285-pound defensive ends screaming off the edge. He’s really technically sound. People try to say I’m undersized but the film can speak for itself.”

As a sophomore, Gosnell caught 25 passes for 422 yards and five touchdowns as East Surry went undefeated and won the state championship in 2019. Gosnell wanted to find a school that had high-level academics, elite coaches, and a winning culture, as well as prepare him for the future. He felt the Ohio State football team was the clear choice.

“I had a mental check box from what I wanted out of a college,” Gosnell explained. “Ohio State checked every single one of them from academics and life after football to preparing for the NFL and how to conduct yourself professionally. They’re really good coaches and with the overall success of the program, I couldn’t say no to all they had to offer.”