There is little certainty surrounding 5-star Ohio State Buckeyes receiver commit Jamier Brown's return to Huber Heights Wayne High School from a brief stint at Big Walnut. Local reporters spotted Brown at Wayne, and that's the only reason why anyone knows at all.
Cleveland.com's Andrew Gillis shared the tight-lipped response from Big Walnut on the massive Ohio high school transfer: "A spokesperson for Big Walnut confirmed that Brown is no longer enrolled in the district. Big Walnut will also not have any further official comment on the issue."
Brown had just commented on the door being "closed" at Wayne and another opening at Big Walnut at the end of June, saying, Â "I wanted a change of scenery and to be closer to Ohio State. ... When God closes one door, He always opens another, and that's what He did for me."
Why the sudden change? If Brown's decision was driven by being closer to OSU, why is he now moving away from Columbus? Is it appropriate for Buckeye fans to freak out about this?
Ohio State replaced the guy who recruited Jamier Brown
Something that is absolutely not working in Ohio State's favor is the fact that Brian Hartline recruited Brown to the Buckeyes. Per Gillis in February, "Hartline’s departure was a bit surprising to Brown -- not that he left, but rather the timing of it and how quickly it seemed to come together."
That definitely feels more important now in light of recent developments. Cortez Hankton had interest in Brown while he was with the LSU Tigers, but that obviously didn't develop much. You hope the relationship has developed since Hankton was hired at OSU.
It's not quite clear, though. Nothing is clear right now when it comes to Brown. What is clear is that Hankton has not had the easiest time filling Hartline's shoes, and his early recruiting track record in the new gig could take a major hit if Brown is flipped from the 2027 class.
Could Jamier Brown consider joining Hartline at USF?
Brown was always high on Hartline. Could that bring him to Tampa to help raise a USF Bulls program that should be increasing financial resources in the coming years? It'd be a massive shocker, in no uncertain terms.
Crazier things have happened, though. It's hard to say that'd be any more shocking than the No. 1 overall 2022 high school recruit, CB/WR Travis Hunter, joining Deion Sanders' Jackson State Tigers of the FCS's SWAC.
Brown grew up with a strong pull to the Scarlet and Gray, but in the NIL era, that kind of pull is secondary to the almighty dollar. Recent 5-star Indiana Hoosiers receiver commit Monshun Sales grew up with the nickname "Bama" and still spurned the Alabama Crimson Tide. It's a cold business, and it's one run by cold, hard cash.
That'd be the reason to be skeptical about a Brown flip, since the Buckeyes could still outspend anyone if the price isn't too high.
After it was deemed too high for 5-star Baylor (TN) running back David Gabriel Georges, and the Tennessee Volunteers swooped in for his decision, maybe we can't ignore other schools preparing similar all-in pitches, though.
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