Ohio State searches from coast to coast when on the recruiting trail, but it also looks for its next best players all over the globe.
The Buckeyes’ 2022 recruiting cycle finished as the No. 4 class among college football programs. They landed 21 commitments, including a pair of five-stars for the fourth time in the last five cycles.
From Florida to Wisconsin and Arizona to Ohio, Ohio State trekked across 12 states to recruit its next wave of talent on the football field.
The start of the 2022 season is still over a month away for the Buckeyes, and Scarlet and Gray Report will profile each of the newcomers who joined Ohio State since the end of spring practice. Next up in the Newcomer Profiles is incoming freshman defensive lineman Hero Kanu.
Position: DL
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 293
Year: Freshman
Last school: Santa Margarita Catholic
Recruited by former defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs and current defensive line coach Larry Johnson, Kanu is a unique recruiting story.
Originally from Geltendorf, Germany, Kanu moved to California in October 2020. He played organized football for the first time just over a year ago in 2021.
Kanu was a club soccer player in Germany, but focused on American football to play at the next level. Joining the football team at Santa Margarita Catholic, Kanu compiled 83 tackles and 10.5 sacks across two seasons in high school, and he also made 19 tackles for loss just last fall.
Holding nearly two dozen offers, Kanu first camped at Ohio State in June 2021. He chose the Buckeyes over competing programs such as Alabama, Clemson, Michigan and Notre Dame.
Kanu rose through the high school ranks on his way to the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, where he announced his commitment Jan. 8. He ranked as the No. 12 defensive tackle recruit in the 2022 class, and will be an interesting player to follow as he begins his Ohio State career soon after playing organized football for the first time.
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