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If Ohio State lands top wideout targets, where will it turn for one more?

Jeremy-Birminghamby:Jeremy Birmingham•07/16/18•

Birm

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Today’s Ohio State recruiting Question of the Day

Good Monday to you all.

Today’s #RecruitingQuestionoftheDay is about the future of Zach Smith’s Zone 6 wide receivers.

Here’s the thing, Andrew. Marcus Washington and Jameson Williams are going to commit — somewhere. Whether it’s Ohio State or Missouri, Texas, or Alabama, there’s no definitive answer at this point. I think there’s a bit more confidence right now around Williams, but there’s no denying that the Ohio State coaching staff feels good about the current standing with each of these St. Louis products.

That’s good news, too. After landing 5-star Garrett Wilson, this duo is right at the top of the Buckeyes recruiting big board for wide receivers.

For the sake of this exercise, let’s assume that both Washington and Williams commit to the Buckeyes and all is well in Columbus. After that, Smith, Urban Meyer, Mark Pantoni and the gang will be able to sit back and choose a fourth wide receiver for Ohio State’s 2019 recruiting class. I personally think that’s necessary knowing that the Buckeyes will lose at least four wide receivers from the current roster.

So, who are the guys that really move the dial? Here’s how I see it beyond the “Big Three” of Wilson, Washington and Williams right now.

Kyle Ford, Orange, California • ★★★★

Make no mistake: Kyle Ford is at the top of the board with Williams and Washington. He’s just a bit more of a long shot for Ohio State at this point, but given the chance to ramp up the chase for 6-foot-2, 210-pound Ford without having to worry about balancing resources between a bunch of top targets, there’s no doubt the Buckeyes would crank up the energy here.

Ford is the real deal. He continues to say that an Ohio State official visit is in the works, so there’s a chance to make a play here.

Elijah Higgins, Austin, Texas • ★★★★

I want to be clear here that I think Elijah Higgins is good enough to play at Ohio State. But from talking to him during The Opening in Dallas, I was far more impressed by what kind of person he is than how talented he is on the field. He’s an absolutely great kid, and I think that’s one reason why Buckeyes fans should be rooting for him to join the ’19 group. Plus, taking another of Austin’s best players away from the Longhorns would be a nice little bonus.

Wandale Robinson, Frankfort, Kentucky • ★★★★

He’s not a prototypical wide receiver. In fact, I think his Ohio State career would be spent mostly on special teams in years one and two, but Wandale Robinson is an interesting player to consider for this fourth spot.

Why? Because he does things the rest of the names we’re considering here really don’t. The Buckeyes coaching staff has made a lot of guys a lot of money from the H-back position, and Robinson would be a wise choice to continue that tradition.

David Bell, Indianapolis, Indiana • ★★★★

I think that David Bell is one of the Midwest’s most talented 2019 athletes, and he’s a player that Ohio State would love to keep away from in-conference foes. He is not in a hurry to make a decision and that benefits the Buckeyes, but I also get the feeling he’s looking for a more pass-happy offense to thrive in.

That’s where I see the list currently. I don’t see a path for either Trey Knox  or Milton Wright with the Buckeyes at this time unless one or both of them became more open to the idea of playing tight end at the next level.

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