Ohio State football: Top LB target spurns Buckeyes

This one hurts. The Ohio State football program doesn’t get every player they recruit, but losing out on this one hurts. Tackett Curtis, a four-star linebacker from Louisiana, chose USC over the Buckeyes.

Because the Buckeyes did so well in bringing in five-star C.J. Hicks and top-ten Gabe Powers in last year’s recruiting class, many don’t see the big deal in losing out on Curtis. For me, this one hurts because defensive coordinator Jim Knowles handpicked him as THE linebacker he wanted.

Knowles put on a full court press to land him. For a while, it looked like the Buckeyes might have an edge over USC and Wisconsin, who was doggedly pursuing Curtis as well. All of that changed quickly in the last day or so when predictions began to roll in for USC. When the dust had settled, Curtis announced he’s joining the Trojans. The 6’2”, 218 pound native of Many, Louisiana is the nation’s number five linebacker and a top-100 player nationally.

This leaves Ohio State still without a linebacker for their 2023 class. There are currently nine scholarship linebackers on the roster. All will still have eligibility after this season, but I’d count on at least one leaving for one reason or another.

The Buckeyes need to add one to this class and I’d actually like to see them add two. Arvell Reese of Glenville High School in Cleveland has been predicted to the Buckeyes for a couple of months now. The 6’3½”, 212-pound Reese is rated number twenty-five at this position.

My guess is Ryan Day and Knowles will be giving him a lot more attention in the coming weeks. There are four other uncommitted linebackers who the Buckeyes have offered a scholarship, according to 247Sports, but none have OSU high on their list right now. I fully expect the Buckeyes to try to flip a committed player.

As I’ve said before, recruiting is very fluid-things are always changing. Names of targets will begin to emerge in the coming days and weeks. We’re still five months from the early signing period and a lot is going to happen during that time.