Ohio State October Offensive Recruiting Goals Priorities

Ohio State recruiting is a year-round venture, and Lettermen Row is trying to keep everyone up to speed on just how the Buckeyes’ efforts are going. At the beginning of each month, our staff will make a to-do list for Ryan Day and his staff on the recruiting trail while reviewing the prior month’s list. A look at what October should contain for Ohio State.

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is entering arguably the best stretch of its 2023 schedule. The Buckeyes in October have home games against Maryland and Penn State, and they hit the road for Purdue and Wisconsin.

Those home games against the Terrapins and Nittany Lions are going to serve as massive recruiting weekends for the Buckeyes — especially against the Nittany Lions.

But there is a lot more than those two weekends for Ohio State this month and Lettermen Row lists out a few goals and priorities for the scarlet and gray on the offensive recruiting trail.

Offensive Line R-E-L-A-X

Ohio State is now down to three committed offensive linemen in its 2024 class. Three-star Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic IOL Marc Nave decommitted from the Buckeyes on Saturday afternoon.

In talking with Lettermen Row sources Sunday morning, the split was a mutual one and there is no ill-will by Nave or Ohio State in the departure. What this now means, however, is that the Buckeyes are looking for both another tackle (more on that down below) and now an interior option.

It’s either going to be a high-level flip or a transfer portal option. The first flip option that comes to mind that genuinely makes sense is four-star North Richland Hills (Texas) IOL Daniel Cruz. The No. 9 IOL and No. 147 overall prospect according to On3 is the only other IOL that made an official visit to Ohio State this summer. He was scouted as a center but has the athleticism to play guard at the next level.

Plan and Attack

As mentioned above, the Penn State game on Oct. 21 is going to be the Buckeyes’ most important recruiting weekend of the season. There’s still speculation about what time that game will kick off — either noon or in primetime — but whenever it is, expect at least over two dozen prospects in the Horseshoe.

Lettermen Row is already piecing together the guest list for that game, but the biggest thing for Ohio State with all the talent expected to be on campus is how to strategize its time. Commits like Jeremiah Smith and Mylan Graham will be there. Major targets like Chance Robinson and Marquise Davis will also be there.

In an effort led by head coach Ryan Day and general manager Mark Pantoni, those two will have to devise and execute a plan that gives every prospect the time they deserve with the staff. Fortunately, Ohio State has one of the best recruiting departments in the country, but with one massive weekend on the schedule, everything has to go off without a hitch.

Take a Seat

Ohio State has a need for a plug-and-play offensive tackle in the 2024 cycle. And there’s only one more player available on the board, as of now, for offensive line coach Justin Frye.

Five-star Bradenton (Fla) IMG Academy offensive tackle Jordan Seaton is that guy. The No. 1 offensive tackle in the country and No. 7 overall prospect according to On3 reportedly has named Alabama and Tennessee as the main contenders for his pledge, but Ohio State is in the shadows.

He and Frye have built up a relationship before other programs really got into the mix. Ohio State is slated to host Seaton for his official visit on Nov. 11 for the Michigan State game, but this entire 31 days for Frye, Day offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and many others, is all about communication.

If he is as big of a priority as sources inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center have made him out to be, that recruitment has to ramp up into something more.

Buckle Down

This last goal and priority is more geared toward the end of the month, but if it applies at the beginning then so be it.

Every day that passes by we get closer and closer to the early National Signing Day when push comes to shove and those verbal commitments get turned into signed National Letters of Intent.

Ohio State has 21 total commits in its 2024 class — which ranks No. 2 in the country. Twelve of those 21 commits are on the offensive side of the ball. Two names that might cause some worry for Buckeye fans are wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Jeremiah McClellan.

Smith continues to reassure he’s locked in with Ohio State, and he is. But the continuing visits do create some sense of natural doubt to creep in. McClellan visited Oregon for the Colorado game and that was an eye-brow-raising move. Lettermen Row sources have indicated Ohio State isn’t concerned there, but it is something to monitor.

Buckle down here means to remind the commits of why they committed and why they committed to Ohio State in the first place.

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