Former Ohio State football player becoming thorn in side of OSU recruiting?

Former Ohio State football player Marcus Freeman seems to be getting more annoying for the Buckeyes by the day as his recruiting prowess continues to develop.

Notre Dame created quite a stir last week when they secured a commitment from a 2023 five-star player from Ohio. It is something we haven’t seen much of in recent years. Five-star Ohioans usually end up playing Ohio State football. The irony in this is the Irish may not have been able to pull off this one without the help of a former Buckeye, who is quickly becoming a thorn in the side of OSU recruiting.

The player I’m speaking of is defensive end Brenan Vernon of Mentor. The former Buckeye I’m speaking of is Marcus Freeman, who played for OSU from 2004 to 2008. The new Notre Dame defensive coordinator has raised the level of that program’s recruiting. In just a few months on the Irish staff, he’s brought in four four-star recruits and the five-star Vernon. The average rating for those recruits is 95 (according to 247 Sports’ ratings).

Vernon isn’t the only 2023 Ohio five-star Freeman could land for Notre Dame. He has them in the thick of things for Pickerington safety Sonny Styles. There has been one prediction for Styles to Notre Dame already, but the Buckeyes have built a very strong relationship with him.

He has taken unofficial visits to Mississippi and Florida State and was recently offered a scholarship by Alabama, but all agree this will come down to Notre Dame and Ohio State. Styles is the number one player in Ohio in the 2023 class.

He’s also the top-rated safety in the country and the fifteenth overall player. At 6’5”, 216 pounds and just entering his junior year, he could end up playing anywhere from safety to defensive end. His size reminds me a lot of former Buckeye defensive end Sam Hubbard, who was a high school safety.

Styles speaks highly of OSU linebackers’ coach Al Washington, but I’d feel better about the Buckeyes’ chances if it were not for Freeman. Keep in mind there is a long way to go, about seventeen months to be exact before the class of 2023 is able to sign with a school. A lot can and will happen.

While Freeman may be helping the Irish greatly on the recruiting trail right now, I don’t think this is going to be a prolonged thing. I firmly believe he is on the fast track to becoming a head coach. I doubt if it will happen after this season because 2021 is only his first as a coordinator. If he strings together two successful seasons with Notre Dame, I think you’ll see his name mentioned for more than a few head coach openings.

Many of their fans and even the Irish’s official social media people have been claiming ND now owns recruiting in the state of Ohio. While Freeman looks like he can make things more difficult for the Buckeyes in their own state, reeling in one five-star recruit doesn’t mean ownership of anything.

Ohio State football will continue to win more than their share of battles within Ohio and, as we’ve seen, they are recruiting at an extremely high level nationally. It will take more than one good recruiter for Notre Dame to match what the Buckeyes are doing in regards to bringing in elite talent.