It’s been almost a full month since National Signing Day came and went. But this is my first day and first foray into the Scarlet and Gray Report. So I wanted to start off by looking back before looking forward.
That’s why we’re kicking things off by taking a quick look at Ohio State’s 2022 recruiting class. We’re starting by giving you guys some thoughts about what was another top-five signing class for Ryan Day and Co. The following is a grading of the Buckeyes’ offensive haul in 2022.
Tomorrow we will do an evaluation of the defense.
Quarterback
Grade: A+
Day was at it again at quarterback in this class. First, he landed five-star and No. 1 overall player in the class Quinn Ewers by flipping him from Texas. When Ewers reclassified to 2021, Day went to work again with his flipping skills by snagging Devin Brown in November.
For Day and quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis to pull those off one after the other, there is no other grade to dish out here than an A-plus. It was another example of the fact that Day’s reputation as a quarterback developer and play caller is going to continue Ohio State’s trajectory of becoming a quarterback factory for years to come.
Running Back
Grade: B
Dallan Hayden is the guy Tony Alford wanted, and he got him. It feels unfair to label the one-man haul of Hayden as a B. Especially after Alford smashed such a major home run with the two-man class of TreVeyon Henderson and Evan Pryor in 2021.
Hayden isn’t the flashy, high-profile player that either of those two running backs were. But he is still a solid one-man haul even if there’s not a ton of pop behind his name and ranking.
Wide Receiver
Grade: A
This could be an A-plus, but I’m docking it just a tad because there wasn’t quite the same five-star power in this year’s class like there was in 2020 and 2021. That’s mainly because Caleb Burton got injured and saw his stock dip from being a five-star prospect and top-ranked receiver in his class.
But Brian Hartline’s four-man haul of Burton, Kyion Grayes, Kaleb Brown and Kojo Antwi is spectacular nonetheless. Grayes might be the most underrated player in the country and has the potential to become a fan favorite in Columbus and his quarterback’s favorite, most reliable target. Ohio State showed once again in this cycle that quarterback and receiver are two positions that will continue getting restocked with the nation’s best high school talent.
Tight End
Grade: B+
Bennett Christian has a chance to come in right away and make an impact in a tight ends room long on talent but short on experience. Given that Christian is coming into the program as perhaps the biggest player physically in the room and that he comes from a system where he developed into an outstanding blocker, he will have a chance to see the field early.
The Buckeyes originally aimed to sign a two-man tight end class but saw Benji Gosnell decommit and wind up with Virginia Tech. That wasn’t too much of a sting, though, because it wasn’t a sure thing that Gosnell would develop as a tight end. Many see him as a linebacker or defensive end – which is the position he is slotted in the Rivals rankings.
Offensive Line
Grade: C
Not being able to lock down a top-tier national offensive tackle target for a second straight cycle was arguably the biggest disappointment for Ohio State in this class – next to losing commitments from five-star cornerbacks Jaheim Singletary and Terrance Brooks and not signing five-star safety Xavier Nwankpa.
Tegra Tshabola came on late in the process and developed better physically and as an offensive line prospect. But I lean that Tshabola will eventually become an interior lineman for the Buckeyes. George Fitzpatrick still has a lot to learn about the position since he’s only played it for two full seasons. Carson Hinzman was a great pickup, but he’s an interior lineman. And Avery Henry is a developmental player who is at least three years away from making an impact.
Ultimately, though, this grade is more about the players Ohio State did not land at the position rather than who it did land.
Overall
Grade: A-
The 2021 class had its defensive blue-chip monsters like J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. But the class was mostly defined by how loaded it was on the offensive side of the ball with five-stars in Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, Donovan Jackson, Kyle McCord and eventually Ewers.
The 2022 class is still loaded with offensive talent. But it didn’t have quite the same pop as that 2021 haul. Maybe that’s unfair to compare the two classes, but I think an A- for the offensive side feels proper.
