Ohio State football: What commitment from Kyle Stokes means

The Ohio State football team got a commitment late on Sunday night from three-star athlete Kyle Stokes. Here’s what it means for the 2022 class and where Ryan Day might play him.

In recent weeks, the Ohio State football team has lost its standing as having the best recruiting class in the country. In fact, they have now fallen to third. Hopefully, that ranking should rise after the commitment of three-star athlete Kyle Stokes.

Stokes committed to the Buckeyes late Sunday night. He did so after having offers from over 30 schools, including Alabama, Auburn, and Notre Dame. He had offers from all of the big boys but decided that Ohio State would be the right place for him.

Stokes probably saw the number of Buckeyes that got drafted and decided that was something he was interested in joining. Ryan Day knew that the Draft results could be used as a recruiting tool, and it has already paid dividends in that regard.

As for Stokes himself, he is someone that can be used in a variety of ways. He stands 6’2 and 185 pounds. Based on the tape I’ve seen, he seems like someone who would see time at defensive back at the next level. He seems to have the most skills there.

Stokes doesn’t seem like someone who is afraid to come up and hit someone. He seems like a sure tackler as well. Most of his game on the defensive side of the ball seems focused on stopping the run. He can get downhill really well to plug up holes.

On offense, his skills aren’t quite as refined. He doesn’t catch the ball with his hands as much as he should, instead letting it get into his body. He has moves but doesn’t look particularly fast on tape. That’s something he can certainly improve on.

It’s unclear what position Stokes will play yet. But the Buckeyes get someone with a lot of raw potential who can unlock it with some coaching.