Not even the COVID-19 outbreak can slow down class of 2022 Cincinnati (Ohio) La Salle running back Gi'Bran Payne. The four-star prospect has continued to rack up offers during the NCAA mandated Dead Period as he is emerging as one of Ohio's most heavily recruited rising junior prospects.

"This week I received offers from Nebraska and Michigan State," said Payne. "Last month I received Penn State. I also have Northwestern, Pitt, Akron, UC, Western Michigan, Purdue, Kentucky, Iowa State, Minnesota, Indiana, Louisville, Michigan, and Boston College."

Ohio State has recruited the La Salle program heavily, taking three players off the Lancers' 2019 State Championship team in class of 2020 kicker Jake Seibert as well as commitments from class of 2021 standouts Jaylen Johnson and Devonta Smith.

Payne's recruiting process is actually ahead of where those three were at the same point and Ohio State has started building a relationship with the electric runner.

"We're talking right now about trying to get up there in the summer," Payne said on his talks with Ohio State. "I'm definitely going to get there in the fall for a game. I've been talking to coach (Tim) Hinton and coach Alford. Over the past couple of months I've started having a weekly call with coach Alford."

Ohio State has landed two running backs in the 2021 recruiting class, providing the Buckeyes an opportunity to really focus on getting a head start on the 2022 class. Payne will likely be a big part of those evaluations.

"Coach Hinton tells me that he just wants me to come up and meet with the staff and have some conversations and start building a good relationship," Payne explained. "He said he loves me, loves my film and that I'm a good hard worker. Coach Alford is trying to get me up to visit and he said as our relationship starts building he does see me getting an offer."

With a couple of teammates committed in the 2021 class, Payne certainly hears plenty about Ohio State.

"They're definitely on me, especially Jaylen because he committed earlier," Payne said. "He's always telling me that I'm already committed basically, he's always saying that to me."

For now, Payne is taking things slow. The offers haven't stopped coming in and he plans to evaluate each and every school and has no plans to narrow things down anytime soon.

"Until my junior year when I start breaking it down more, I'm looking at every school the same," he said. "But I did like watching Ohio State growing up. I definitely like their running back success and the team chemistry, just seeing how far they made it in coach Day's first season, that really impressed me."

While Ohio State is one school that Payne has been calling each week, there is another Big Ten power that Payne is also building a strong relationship with.

"I'm talking to Michigan a lot," he said. "I talk to both coach Harbaugh's. I've been talking with the running backs coach (Jay) but I've also had calls with both him and the head coach, Jim Harbaugh. I probably talk to them the most (of any school)."

"I did some research and they've got like the biggest stadium, the stadium is just huge," he continued. "They have a crazy fan base and they have a good running back history,"

Despite missing a few games due to injury, Payne still rushed for 790 yards on just 77 carries and scored 12 total touchdowns.