National Signing Day primer: Buckeyes ready to ink Big Ten's best class

COLUMBUS — The wildest year in Ohio State football history is nearing an end. Thankfully.

The Buckeyes fared pretty well, all things considered. Ryan Day’s program has done especially well on the recruiting trail, thriving in a time when some of the country’s premier programs are just treading water.

Though they have the Big Ten’s top-ranked recruiting class and the nation’s No. 2-ranked class, the last nine months since the NCAA initiated its first Covid-19-related dead period in March haven’t been easy for the Ohio State coaching staff. The challenges of 2020 have forced an increased focus on character, and the lack of visits from top prospects have meant adjustments to the long-held norms of recruiting. Those differences have been further amplified in the last handful of weeks, a time when coaches would normally be on the road instead of an endless parade of Zoom calls and FaceTime conversations.

New year, new challenges, right?

“It’s been a different type of challenge,” Ryan Day said on Sunday. “Usually it’s jumping on planes and flying all across the country. Going from school to school. This year, it’s been being able to connect with families and recruits that you just haven’t been able to spend much time with or bring on visits and do those type of things. So that’s been challenging.”

This recruiting cycle, Day’s third signing day period as the Buckeyes head coach, has been an exercise in adapting.

“There’s just been so many different things that have come up,” Day said. “But the one thing that has been a little different in terms of the recruiting is just that nobody’s been visiting. So this time of year, you’d be in the middle of official visits. People would be on the road recruiting, and that’s not the case this season. So going into signing day, it’s been a little less hectic, but that doesn’t mean our day-to-day is less hectic. There’s been a lot to juggle.

“Overall, it’s just been unique. And I think our staff has done a good job of handling it.”

So have the young men and the families being recruited by Ohio State. Perhaps in some ways the oddities of this year have helped the Buckeyes feel more confident than ever about the strength of the commitments they have, knowing that decisions were based solidly on the relationships forged with the Ohio State coaches and among the recruits themselves. The culture that has defined the program in Columbus is trickling down to the next wave of Buckeyes.

“I think our 2021 class is really strong,” Day said. “We’ve got great people, got great culture already and great families.

“With everything going on right now, you want to make sure you bring in the right people. That’s what really, really matters. … We have plenty of talent, we have really good coaches, but we have to make sure we’re bringing the right fit character wise. If you want to come to Ohio State, it’s because you want to be great. And I think this class wants to be great. They said it from the jump. [We’re] looking forward to signing them on Wednesday.”

How many kids will Ohio State sign in the Early Signing Period?

Right now, Ohio State has 21 commitments in the Class of 2021. Each member of the class is intending to sign with the Buckeyes in the early signing period, which runs from Wednesday through Friday.

How many Ohio State signees are planning to enroll early?

There will be at least fourteen early-enrollees from the 2021 recruiting class — and if 5-star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka solidifies his decision on the matter, the number will climb to 15. Here, minus Egbuka, is who will begin their Buckeyes careers in January.

• QB Kyle McCord, 5-star, Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joe’s Prep
• RB TreVeyon Henderson, 5-star, Hopewell (Va.)
• RB Evan Pryor, 4-star, Cornelius (N.C.) William A. Hough
• WR Jayden Ballard, 4-star, Massillon (Ohio) Washington
• WR Marvin Harrison, 4-star, Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joe’s Prep
• TE Sam Hart, 3-star, Aurora (Colo.) Cherokee Trail
• OL Ben Christman, 4-star, Richfield (Ohio) Revere
• OL Zen Michalski, 4-star, Floyd’s Knob (Ind.) Floyd Central
• DL Jack Sawyer, 5-star, Pickerington (Ohio) North
• DL Tyleik Williams, 4-star, Manassas (Va.) Unity Reed
• LB Reid Carrico, 4-star, Ironton (Ohio)
• DB Jantzen Dunn, 4-star, Bowling Green (Ky.) South Warren
• DB Denzel Burke, 4-star, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro
• P Jesse Mirco, 3-star, Australia

Will the Buckeyes have any signing day surprises?

It’s not possible to predict each and any potential surprise — that’s what makes them surprises. But right now there’s little to no momentum for any last-minute flips to the Ohio State recruiting class. There have been a number of names still discussed over the last few months, but the principles in those discussions, guys like former Buckeyes cornerback commit Devonta Smith, LSU commits Derrick Davis and Garrett Dellinger and in-state linemen like Terrence Rankl, Paul Rodriguez and Tomas Rimac, haven’t been able to gain any traction.

5-star offensive tackle Tristan Leigh is expected to sign somewhere this week, but the Buckeyes are not anticipating it will be with them. He’s visited Oklahoma and Florida in the past two weeks and didn’t make it to Columbus in October as he had been planning to.

Stay tuned to Lettermen Row throughout the week for more on the early signing period and the Buckeyes 2021 recruiting class.

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