Ohio State football: A look at the 2022 recruiting class
By Del Barris
The Ohio State football team has one of the best-recruiting classes in the country for the class of 2022 and they are looking to get their ranking even higher.
With the addition of cornerback Ryan Turner, the Buckeyes now have twelve commitments in their 2022 recruiting class and have crept ahead of LSU into second once again in the recruiting rankings. This is probably a good time to take a look at how this recruiting class is shaping up.
Ryan Day currently has commitments from four five-star players, including the number one player in the country, quarterback Quinn Ewers of Southlake Texas. Cornerback Jaheim Singletary (Jacksonville, FL) and outside linebacker C.J. Hicks (Dayton) are both in the top-twenty nationally, and wide receiver Caleb Burton (Austin, TX) is listed fourth at his position. Hicks is also the top player in Ohio.
From a positional standpoint, one of the biggest areas of need is the defensive line. The Buckeyes will lose a minimum of three defensive tackles and three defensive ends. So far, they have no commitments for either of these positions.
The guy to keep an eye on is Caden Curry (Greenwood, IN). He projects as a 3-technique tackle (lines up on the outside shoulder of the guard), but he could move outside to end. He’s considered to be leaning towards Ohio State. They’re going head-to-head with Clemson for Kenyatta Jackson (Hollywood, FL), the number five weakside defensive end.
Neither side appears to be the frontrunner right now. Keep an eye on this battle as it is believed he has a very high ceiling. According to Eleven Warriors, defensive tackle Nick James (IMG Academy) is Ohio State’s to lose. The sixteenth-rated player at his position plays for a school located in Florida but is an Alabama native. This would be a good acquisition for the Buckeyes.
Linebacker is certainly another area of need. The program lost four after last season and will lose another three at the end of 2021. The status of redshirt freshman Mitchell Melton is also up in the air after suffering what Day said is a long-term injury.
In addition to the aforementioned C.J. Hicks, they also have a commitment from Gabe Powers (Marysville); these are the top two players in Ohio. Both play outside, so there is still a need to add an inside linebacker or two.
Justin Medlock (Manvel, TX) is a possibility, but the recruiting experts at 247 Sports are predicting he will go to Oklahoma. If Henry To’o To’o chooses the Buckeyes as his landing spot after leaving Tennessee, it will certainly help this unit, but the Buckeyes are in need of long-range help.
The Buckeyes need to add a running back to this class and are going after Dallen Hayden (Memphis, TN). Tennessee is considered the leader for the country’s number twenty-two back, but Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford is continuing to push.
The Buckeyes were already deep at receiver before adding Burton, but they also have a commitment from Kiyon Graves (Chandler, AZ), who is in the top twenty at the position. Offensive line coach Greg Studrawa has done a great job building the depth of his unit over the past few recruiting cycles.
He already has tackle Tegra Tshabola (West Chester, OH) committed, and the Buckeyes are considered the favorite to land the nation’s number ten tackle, Aamil Wagner (Dayton). The team needed tight ends in this class and got pledges from two. Benji Gosnell (Pilot Mountain, NC) and Bennett Christian (Ackworth, GA) are both among the top-fifteen tight ends.
The addition of Turner helps boost the depth at cornerback. The Ohio football program will lose at least three and possibly four at this position after this season, so adding players here has been a must for this class. Joining Turner and the five-star Singletary is Jyaire Brown (West Chester, OH), the number four player in Ohio.
There is a very good possibility the Buckeyes will be adding one of the top safeties in the country. Xavier Nwankpa (Des Moines, IA) loves the Ohio State program and would give the team the pure safety that it is in need of.
He’s the top player in Iowa and one of the highest-rated recruits to ever come out of the state. Speedster Kye Stokes (Seffner, FL) committed to OSU the other day just a few days after being offered a scholarship, and is another pure safety. He recently ran a 10.8 in the 100 meters.
The Buckeyes have a plethora of official visits scheduled for June. It’s not unreasonable to expect a flurry of commitments to follow. Recruiting is very fluid and this class is a long way from being complete, but Ryan Day and his staff have certainly put together another outstanding one so far.