Many fired off jokes about the Ohio State Buckeyes landing a 2029 high school cycle recruit on Tuesday. After all, wouldn't it be worth the coaching staff's time to fill out a 2027 class that's a tad shallow?
Well, there's a tangible reason: 2029 Bellflower, California, product Austin Miller is expected to be one of the top recruits in the entire class. Per Cleveland.com's Andrew Gillis, "Austin Miller, a 6-foot-5 receiver committed to Ohio State on Monday night. He’s the first pledge in the 2029 class for the Buckeyes. While recruiting rankings have not come out yet for the 2029 cycle, Miller is expected to be one of, if not the top receiver in the entire cycle."
If you are going to do something ridiculous, like sign a recruit two cycles past the one seeing recruits fly off the board left and right, you have to make it count. In that regard, you cannot blame Cortez Hankton for taking a major swing. It's more likely he's in Columbus than Arthur Smith, since the latter has been basically a career NFL coach and may be seeking a chance to get back into the league with a successful stint in Columbus, and Hankton just spent four years with the LSU Tigers. Who knows how things will progress in the next several years? Maybe Hankton could end up in the offensive coordinator seat one day.
Miller has impressive physical tools, and it's not like other schools at the top of the food chain weren't offering him. The USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks, Washington Huskies, Miami Hurricanes, and TTUN all did. Miller had a market, and the Buckeyes cornered it. Of course, there's plenty of time to be flipped. Literally, it's years' worth of time. Three seasons. But even 2027 recruits will be flipping plenty between now and signing day. There are recruits who committed at the beginning of June who've since flipped.
Ohio State needs to live in the moment with recruiting
In a transfer portal-driven world, landing someone years in advance, even a foundational guy, doesn't hold the same value it used to. New needs could pop up between now and then, and if UTSA Roadrunners import Devin McCuin and LSU Tigers transfer Kyle Parker work out this fall, Ryan Day may be more inclined to restock the cupboard via the portal every January.
The team has introduced several receivers in the 2026 class who could either be NFL-bound, seniors, or depart via the portal by the time 2029 rolls around. Chris Henry Jr. likely fits the first category, but it's unclear about the rest.
There are so many variables, so it's unclear what led to the thought process of offering a 2029 recruit in the first place when there's only 5-star Big Walnut receiver, Jamier Brown, in the 2027 class at the WR position. If there's a school that should be trusted to have something cooking up, though, it's the Ohio State University.
But, you know, it'd be nice to see some receivers in that 2027 recruiting cycle soon.
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