Published Dec 14, 2021
2022 Early Signing Day: Where does Ohio State stand?
Colin Gay  •  DottingTheEyes
Managing Editor
Twitter
@ColinGay_Rivals

One more day.

Ohio State will begin to secure its 2022 class tomorrow morning as letters of intent start rolling into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

Here's a refresher on where the Buckeyes stand as the culmination of their No. 4 recruiting class inches closer and closer.

2022 commits 

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Devin Brown is a prototypical Ryan Day quarterback: excelling in and around the pocket with accuracy and strength behind his throws. The 6-foot-2, 185- pound four-star pro-style quarterback joins a room with two scholarship players: C.J. Stroud and Kyle McCord.

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Joins an Ohio State running back room as one of two 6-foot backs, along with Marcus Crowley, while also coming in at 192 pounds. However, Dallan Hayden already shows a level of physicality in his runs and is unafraid of contact. He joins a full and young room with TreVeyon Henderson, Evan Pryor and Miyan Williams.

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Kojo Antwi matches the trend of how many Ohio State receivers are built: around 6 feet tall and between 185-200 pounds. Whether it's one-on-one situations on the outside, in the backfield or on punt return, Antwi was elusive and fast out of the snap. Has the body to make an impact right away.

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Kaleb Brown is on the shorter side, joining a room where he will be the only scholarship wide receiver under 6 feet tall. However with a bigger body, Brown could be physical, lining up in the slot and in the backfield at St. Rita. Look for Brown to potentially be an impact at H-back.

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Despite coming in as one of the lighter guys in the wide receiver room, Caleb Burton may be the top projected receiver in Ohio State's class, coming in as the fifth-best receiver from Texas. Comes in as a similar body type to Jameson Williams in the 2019 class.

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Kyion Grayes has breakaway speed on the outside along with cutback ability in open space. He can easily get by corners on the outside off the line of scrimmage. He has the exact body type that Chris Olave had when he was coming in.

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At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, Bennett Christian is already a matchup issue. Comes in 10 pounds heavier than Jeremy Ruckert was in 2018, and could come in and have the ability to run and pass block right away. For a position that's seemingly in limbo, Christian seems to have a good a shot as any to make an immediate impact.

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George Fitzpatrick is on the lean side for a college offensive tackle, but seems to have the height and the athleticism warranted for the position, showing an ability to get downfield and block for receivers and running backs. With Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones at tackle, Fitzpatrick may be more of a multi-year project for the Buckeyes.

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Avery Henry is heavier and a bit taller than Fitzpatrick, but projects similar in terms of development. Ohio State offered Henry when he was a two-star prospect, but worked his way to a three-star his senior year. This in-state tackle may be a few years away.

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If there's any offensive recruit that's going to make an immediate impact for Ohio State, it's Tegra Tshabola. He comes in as one of the tallest and one of the biggest offensive linemen in the room: as tall as Thayer Munford and four pounds lighter than Dawand Jones. With Harry Miller and Matthew Jones projected to fill the guard spots in 2022, it would not be a shock if Tshabola pushed for playing time, even though he will not be enrolling early.

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Kenyatta Jackson isn't the biggest, but it's nothing Ohio State can't develop over time. He shows an ability to rush the backfield with tenacity off the edge, something Ohio State will continue to need as defensive line coach continues to build up his room.

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CJ Hicks seems to explode off the snap, rallying to the football in an instant. Hicks also showed that speed at running back too, showing an elusiveness and physicality which makes him very difficult to bring down and very difficult to stop.If this is his approach, he could be the first of the class to see the field in 2022.

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Listed as an outside linebacker, Gabe Powers is a dynamic pass rusher and can get in the backfield and side-to-side easily to stop the run. He's a bigger linebacker that could later be projected as a defensive end depending on what Ohio State's need is.

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While Hicks has a similar body type and he's heading primarily to linebacker, Alex "Sonny" Styles is one inch taller and is a true safety/linebacker hybrid. Ohio State's could move him to the linebackers room for good and bulk him up a bit, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he serves as that fifth "defensive back" as the "bullet." Styles has the talent to play right away, but age will continue to be a question as a reclassified 2023 five-star.

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Terrance Brooks is a typical corner, shutting down opponents on the outside, while reading the quarterback's eyes well and finding a way to pounce on opposing receivers. He also has a level of speed that allowed him to play wide receiver and return kicks at Little Elm High School. He's a similar size to Denzel Burke coming out of high school, which could favor the freshman in a wide-open cornerbacks room.

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Jyaire Brown, a teammate of Tshabola at Lakota West, played both ways in high school. But whether it was receiver or cornerback, which he's slated to play at the next level, Brown showed an ability to showcase speed and change direction quickly, staying on top of receivers in man coverage situations like he was the receiver himself.

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Ryan Turner has the typical build of an Ohio State corner, committing to the Buckeyes in May. While he's not the top prospect out of the group of three Ohio State secured, Turner provides similar attributes to both Brown and Brooks out in coverage.

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Kye Stokes comes into a safety position that is pretty full in terms of talent returning. But he will also be one of the taller and lankier safeties in the room, using his experience and speed as a receiver to get to opposing receivers and backs at the second level quickly.

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2022 targets 

Caden Curry would be a huge addition to Ohio State's defensive line room, having a frame and size that could allow for some versatility at the next level. This should be one Ohio State feels very good about, especially in the days leading up to his commitment announcement.

This has the makings of possibly being a two-for-one with his brother: 2023 four-star wide receiver Zachariah Branch, but it's one Ohio State seems to be falling behind in. Zion Branch would be extremely helpful in a secondary that really needs all the help it can get heading into 2022, but the Buckeyes seem to be trailing USC as decision day approaches.

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Ohio State may be behind on Christen Miller, but it's a prospect the Buckeyes still seem to be fighting, sending head coach Ryan Day and defensive line coach Larry Johnson to Ellenwood, Georgia for a home visit. The hometown Bulldogs seem to be the favorite here, but Ohio State would be smart to get some more depth in the middle of its defensive line heading into 2022.

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Omari Abor would seemingly be the perfect pairing with Jackson in the 2022 class. He's strong at the point of attack and really uses his hands well along with an athletic build and get off at the line of scrimmage. While Abor is keeping his signing under wraps until the Under Armour All-America Game Jan. 2, this one seems to be leaning Ohio State.

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Earnest Greene is getting the attention of a lot of the blue-blood programs. Texas, Ohio State, Alabama and Georgia are the four finalists for the No. 2 guard in the country, standing at 6-foot-6, 330 pounds. Ohio State would love to win this one, but it seems behind, especially with Greene's connections late down south with Alabama and Georgia.

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This one remains hard to read. Ohio State needs depth at defensive tackle, and would love for Hero Kanu to be their next defensive tackle. But with new blood at two of his other finalists in USC and Oklahoma and the fact that Kanu remains relatively quiet about where he will go, this one's a toss up, especially since he will announce his decision Jan. 8 at the All-American Bowl.

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This one's not clear either. Ohio State seemed to be at the lead for four-star center Carson Hinzman, but didn't send Day for a home or school visit. Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst did visit. Could Hinzman sign in the early period? Could he wait? Who knows, but he's definitely someone Ohio State could use, especially with his versatility at both center and guard.

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Transfer targets 

With one day left before the early signing period, Ohio State's really only connected with one transfer: Miles Frazier. Monday night, the FIU tackle announced his top-three: Ohio State, Florida State and LSU. The Buckeyes had been connected to former Oklahoma tight end Austin Stogner, who announced his commitment to South Carolina Monday night. In Frazier, Ohio State would have a safety net if Hinzman were not to pick the Buckeyes, adding depth to the outside in a talent it can plug and play right away, likely keeping Johnson on the inside.