Dotting the 'Eyes: Tyler Foster visits Ohio State, Mekhail Sherman will visit
Stay in touch or be left out because Ohio State recruiting is a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week obsession. What’s the latest news as the Buckeyes build for the future? Get that and more Sunday through Thursday on Lettermen Row, including today’s talk about Tyler Foster, Cameron Martinez and Jake Seibert.
Tyler Foster visits Ohio State practice on Tuesday
Ohio State may be inching closer to sending out a scholarship offer to Pickerington North 2019 tight end Tyler Foster. We told you three weeks ago about Foster’s visit with the Buckeyes for the home game against Minnesota on Oct. 13.
Last week, we talked again about the Ohio Bobcats commitment and his continued conversations with the Ohio State coaching staff.
“I text with [Alex] Grinch regularly,†Foster said. “Wednesday night was my first phone conversation [Buckeyes tight ends] coach [Kevin] Wilson.
“He said he loved the way I play and carry myself. He also said to keep working hard and he would be in touch next week.â€
Apparently, Wilson meant what he said. On Tuesday night, Foster once again visited Ohio State, taking in a practice session with the Buckeyes as a sideline observer.
“Coach Wilson invited me to come today to see how their practices work,” Foster told Lettermen Row on Tuesday night. “They do a lot of the same drills that we did at Pick North, and our practices were structured similarly as well.
“Then a member of their recruiting staff showed me around their facilities. It was a great time.”
Urban Meyer also spent a moment or two talking with the 6-foot-6, 235-pound Foster.
“I spoke with [Urban Meyer] briefly after practice,” he said. “[Meyer] said that it was great to see me again and that we will keep in touch.”
Mekhail Sherman will visit for The Game
There may not be a bigger priority left on the Ohio State 2020 recruiting board than 5-star linebacker Mekhail Sherman and next weekend he’ll be back in Columbus as we said he likely would a few weeks ago.
I’ll Definitely Be Up @ The Horseshoe For The TUN Game! Show Me Love ! #GoBucks
— Mekhail Sherman🌹 (@JuicedUpK9) November 14, 2018
Sherman, the country’s 13th-ranked player in the Class of 2020, will be in town with his teammate, wide receiver Rakim Jarrett. It’s unknown whether or not defensive tackle Tre Williams will accompany that duo. Three highly-ranked players from Washington D.C., all of them made their first trip to Ohio State together at the end of June.
Cameron Martinez hoping to reconnect with Ohio State
Awhile back, Muskegon (Mich.) 2020 athlete Cameron Martinez was hearing from Kerry Coombs, the former cornerbacks coach at Ohio State who made a living recruiting that state exceptionally well.
Martinez, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound receiver/defensive back prospect, won a state championship at quarterback for Muskegon Central Catholic in 2016. He actually camped in Columbus at Friday Night Lights in the summer of 2017 after he had begun to open up communication with former receivers coach Zach Smith at a one-day camp earlier that summer.
Earlier this week, Martinez was offered by Michigan, a game-changing offer for him and the biggest name among his 12 early opportunities. He has not heard from Ohio State since Smith’s termination in late July.
“I wish,” he told Lettermen Row when asked if he’d heard from new receivers coach Brian Hartline. “[Ohio State] has to be the hardest school to get into contact with.
“I want to hear from them again because they’ve always been a favorite school of mine. I love what they do as a program and the quality of coaches they have. I even know of the importance of [Ohio State strength] coach Mick [Marotti] and how he helps develop you physically and mentally.”
As a junior, Martinez has had a monster season. He’s racked up 207 carries for 2,177 yards and a whopping 10.5 yards per carry topped off with 33 rushing scores. He’s also completed 28 of his 48 passing attempts for 610 yards and 11 more touchdowns without an interception. The Michigan offer was a big one, but he’s not close to a decision as he tries to sort out all potential options down the road. The Wolverines view him as a defensive back option at safety or, potentially, a wide receiver.
“Jim Harbaugh said he and [Wolverines defensive coordinator Don] Brown were watching my film and they really liked me and how I can make plays,” Martinez said. “What’s stopping me from committing immediately is just having a good support system that helps me understand that whether a school like Michigan offers me or a school I might like a lot, I still have to fully go through the process. I need to make sure it’s the best fit academically first. Then football and everything else.”
Ohio State has offered a number of big-time players in the state of Michigan’s 2020 class already. Could Martinez be next?
Another Blair Academy prospect interested in Ohio State
In the Class of 2018, Ohio State came very close to landing Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) defensive end Jayson Oweh, who opted for Penn State over the Buckeyes. In the Class of 2019, they fell short on Blair Academy defensive end King Ojabo, who committed to Michigan.
How will they fare for the next big-time defensive end out of Blair, Aaron Armitage? The 6-foot-5, 240-pound prospect in the Class of 2021 is hoping to hear from Ohio State so he can make his decision for himself.
“I haven’t heard anything yet from Ohio State,” Armitage told Lettermen Row. “I hope my coach has received something. It’d be pretty awesome. I grew up watching Ohio State and a couple of other schools. I know all about the great players that attended Ohio State, guys like Joey Bosa stand out. It’s pretty cool to think about being recruited by them.”
As of now, Virginia is the one school that has offered Armitage, who transferred to Blair Academy this summer from Trinity-Pawling but is still living in Ajax, Ontario. He’s expecting his recruitment to ramp up similarly to Oweh’s and Ojabo’s, and he will use their experiences and advice to help him prepare for what’s ahead.
“They have told me that it is a fun process and that I will enjoy it,” he said. “I just have to stay humble and keep working harder to get better each day.”
Blair coach Jim Saylor is a former teammate of James Franklin’s, so Armitage does expect that he’ll hear from the Nittany Lions soon.
“I know Penn State is probably interested because of the Virginia offer and Coach Saylor’s help,” he said. “I have not personally talked to Coach Franklin yet, so I am patiently waiting to see what occurs.”
Armitage, who just turned 16 last week, will visit Rutgers this weekend.
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