What commitment of Damarion Witten means for Ohio State
COLUMBUS — Ohio State is a few pieces away from finishing its 2024 offensive recruiting class.
It picked up a major addition on Saturday night when four-star Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville tight end Damarion Witten committed to Ohio State.
Witten, the No. 12 Ohio prospect and No. 353 overall prospect according to the On3 Industry Rankings, is the 16th pledge to the class.
He joins four-star Chattanooga (Tenn) Baylor School tight end Max LeBlanc in the haul for position coach Keenan Bailey this cycle.
But what does Witten’s addition to the class mean for the Buckeyes moving forward?
Lettermen Row answers that question and more below.
Let’s take a look.
ICYMI: In-state tight end target Damarion Witten commits to Ohio State
What commitment means for Ohio State
Damarion Witten and his commitment are symbolic to the stance of the Buckeyes’ in-state recruiting push which has been revitalized under head coach Ryan Day.
Witten and four-star Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville cornerback Bryce West committed on the same day. Those two are the sixth and seventh Ohioans committed to the 2024 class.
Garrett Stover, Deontae Armstrong, Devontae Armstrong, Sam Williams-Dixon and Marc Nave are the other five.
Additionally, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound tight end gives the Buckeyes a resurgence in the historic Glenville pipeline. The Cleveland, Ohio, program has sent a number of its players the two hours south to Ohio State like Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr. and Marshon Lattimore.
2023 four-star linebacker Arvell Reese is the most recent signee from Glenville to Ohio State.
What Witten gives Ohio State on the field
This is an interesting section to dissect for a number of reasons.
For starters, Witten is going to be in the tight end room once he signs his letter of intent with Ohio State. His aforementioned 6-foot-2 frame doesn’t look like it will get much bigger and at the next level, that won’t be conducive, especially for the Buckeyes.
But that’s where the introduction of positionless football can take place for Ohio State. Witten has all the athleticism in the world and truly is a special and unique talent. He has an impressive catch radius and his ball skills in live reps is a major strength.
Where he will need to develop in the blocking game. Whether he will be a traditional tight end and have his hand on the turf or in a more specialized role, Witten has sought out coaching from Bailey already on blocking.
Tight end is one of the toughest positions to learn when transitioning from high school to college, but Witten has all the tools to find a role with the Buckeyes.
How Damarion Witten Impacts 2024 class ranking
Witten did not push the needle in the rankings the same way his teammate Bryce West did once he committed.
Ohio State still has the No. 2 overall class in the On3 Team Industry Rankings. The Buckeyes only trail Georgia right now. They are ahead of Florida, Alabama and Michigan.
The Buckeyes remain in the top spot in the Big Ten recruiting rankings. Michigan, USC, Penn State and Wisconsin round out the top five.
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