What commitment of five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott means for Ohio State
COLUMBUS — Ohio State sounded off the holiday fireworks a few days early.
Five-star Chicago (Ill) St. Ignatius defensive lineman Justin Scott shocked the recruiting world Sunday night and committed to the Buckeyes.
Scott, the No. 2 defensive lineman and No. 8 overall prospect according to On3, is the highest-rated defensive prospect in the 2024 class.
His commitment comes as a surprise despite his longevity and regional distance to Ohio State.
But what does it all really mean for the Buckeyes?
Lettermen Row breaks it down below.
Let’s dive in.
ICYMI: Five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott commits to Ohio State
What commitment means for Ohio State
Right off the bat? Take a bow, Larry Johnson.
The veteran defensive line coach swung and missed plenty in the 2023 cycle. There were questions about his abilities and concerns.
Johnson hushed all of that with Scott’s commitment.
Ohio State needed this type of recruitment win, specifically on the defensive side of the ball and especially in the defensive line. Scott is the first five-star defensive prospect committed to Ohio State since Sonny Styles and CJ Hicks in 2022.
The Buckeyes have pieced together, arguably, the best offensive class in the country. It’s starting to trickle over into the defensive side of the ball too.
Elite players follow elite players.
Four-star Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville cornerback Bryce West committed to the Buckeyes on June 24. It took Scott eight days to follow suit.
Ohio State is still waiting on decisions from Dylan Stewart, Eddrick Houston, Marquise Lightfoot and a number of defensive prospects.
What Scott gives Ohio State on the field
Justin Scott is listed at 6-foot-4, 315-pounds in the On3 database and he plays on Friday nights with every bit of that frame.
He is disruptive the moment the ball is snapped and has great usage of his hands to shed blocks during pass plays, but also combats well when needed to block protect to free up play for the linebackers behind him.
On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings, Charles Power, has additional words on Scott’s on-field abilities.
“He really moves exceptionally well at that size,” he wrote. “Especially you turn on the film, he is light-footed. This is a guy who at that size can run sideline to sideline, make some really impressive plays in pursuit.”
One of the biggest things that pushed Scott toward Ohio State was how he can develop under Larry Johnson, and not what Johnson has seen from Scott — but what he hasn’t.
“One thing that he did that other coaches didn’t on these OVs was that he sat down and watched my film with me,” he said. “Off the rip, not even playing the first clip, he pointed out three things I need to work on. Just seeing him pay attention to the small details was huge.”
Simply put. Justin Scott is a game-wrecker in the interior and having a force like that opens up a lot of things for everyone else.
How Justin Scott Impacts Class Rankings
Despite Scott being ranked and rated as highly as he is, the Buckeyes did not budge in the On3 Team Industry Rankings.
Ohio State is still in the No. 2 spot, but it is closing in on top-ranked Georgia. The Buckeyes are ahead of Florida, Alabama and USC in the top five.
They have a commanding lead in the Big Ten as well. In the 2024 rankings, which account USC and UCLA, Ohio State is No. 1 and ahead of USC, Michigan, Penn State and Nebraska.
The post What commitment of five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott means for Ohio State appeared first on On3.
