Ohio State EDGE target Marquise Lightfoot commits to Miami, what’s next for Buckeyes

COLUMBUS — Ohio State had hoped it was going to go back-to-back to start the week on the recruiting trail.

The Buckeyes failed to land four-star Chicago (Ill) Kenwood Academy EDGE Marquise Lightfoot on Monday evening. Ohio State came up short to Miami in the race for Lightfoot. The Buckeyes had appeared as the apparent favorite over the last month or so for the No. 5 EDGE in the country and No. 60 overall prospect.

Lightfoot’s decision to choose the Hurricanes over the Buckeyes comes on the heels of Ohio State landing five-star Chicago (Ill) St. Ignatius defensive lineman Justin Scott.

Ohio State was a very close second, however, but Miami had a well-sought-out pitch and continued to showcase the priority he is to the program.

It is a tough loss for the Buckeyes, who according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine were the heavy favorite to start the day Monday, but there isn’t time to sulk.

Ohio State is still after a number of major EDGE targets, highlighted by five-star Washington D.C. Friendship Collegiate Academy prospect Dylan Stewart. Stewart is the No. 1 overall prospect in the country by On3 and is trending toward the Buckeyes.

The direction now for Ohio State, Ryan Day, Jim Knowles and Larry Johnson remain 100 percent focused on Stewart. It is still in contention for five-star Buford (Ga) defensive lineman Eddrick Houston as well.

Perhaps the positional idea of its targets changes a bit, but Ohio State remains locked in and focused on those two targets as the summer begins to turn the corner.

Additionally, the Buckeyes are waiting for answers from Jayden Jackson as well as D’antre Robinson, who made an unofficial visit in June.

Losing a Midwestern prospect certainly has its sting, but Ohio State won’t sulk long about Marquise Lightfoot. That communication will remain intact, too.

For now, however, he heads to South Beach.

The post Ohio State EDGE target Marquise Lightfoot commits to Miami, what’s next for Buckeyes appeared first on On3.