Recruiting Roundtable: New TE offer, Caden Curry, shot with Tristan Leigh

Ohio State is less than two weeks away from the beginning of their upcoming season, but that does not mean recruiting has halted whatsoever. The Buckeyes continue to be in the hunt for key prospects in both the 2021 and 2022 cycles.

With that being said, Andy Anders and Joseph Hastings take a look at three topics related to Ohio State football recruiting. In this edition of "Recruiting Roundtable," they discuss their thoughts on the program's new tight end offer, where they believe the Buckeyes stand with top-40 junior Caden Curry and if LSU and Oklahoma struggling this season helps with Ohio State's pursuit of Tristan Leigh.

Anders: It indicates to me that the staff believes Benji Gosnell is trending away from Ohio State.

With three-star tight end Bennett Christian already in the fold for the Class of 2022, the Buckeyes are looking to bring on a second tight end, and for a while now it appeared the four-star Gosnell would be that player.

But as time has gone on, Pitt and Florida have made some headway in Gosnell’s recruitment. Since the contact period started Sept. 1, he’s been hearing pitches from a lot of schools, and it’s allowed the Panthers and Gators time to catch the Buckeyes.

There’s a chance Gosnell could just be hearing other schools out and taking a deep breath before he pulls the trigger on an Ohio State commitment -- he is still a junior, after all -- but with this offer, the writing may be on the wall.

Delp in his own right is a solid prospect, though. Should Ohio State land him eventually, he’d be a good addition to the class.

Hastings: This offer makes it apparent to me that Ohio State believes Gosnell is no longer theirs to lose, which seemed to be the case several weeks ago.

I have yet to change my prediction, but the momentum is now on Florida's side when it comes to Gosnell's recruitment. He recently labeled the Gators as his No. 1 school as he's impressed with their use of Kyle Pitts and the relationship he has with their tight ends coach, Tim Brewster, is strong.

Delp being offered is important because he brings some of those same elements that Gosnell would have brought if he committed and signed with the program: A big tight end capable of being a receiving threat and complementing Bennett Christian well.

According to MaxPreps, Delp has 14 receptions for 325 yards and four touchdowns in just three games this season. The product out of West Forsyth High School also recently had a monster game where he had 205 receiving yards on just six catches.

Based on my conversation with Delp, I could tell he is in no rush with his recruitment and is waiting for more offers to pour in. As a result, it's too early to say where exactly Ohio State stands in this one.

What is not debatable, however, is that Kevin Wilson and company are hoping to add another tight end in this class who is a legitimate receiving threat. Christian is more than capable of catching the football, but it is his blocking where he really excels. Adding Delp or Gosnell would give the Buckeyes some future tight ends that would complement each other well.

Anders: That’s how I see it at this stage.

Curry won’t narrow down his top schools until he can start taking visits, but there’s a lot going for Ohio State right now.

First, he has family ties to Columbus and many of his family members are still Ohio State fans. Although Curry told me that his relatives aren’t pressuring him to commit anywhere, it’s still a level of comfort and knowledge of the program that gives an edge to the Buckeyes.

Second, recruiting is all about relationships, and Curry has built a strong bond with Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson. The two talk weekly. Head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson have built a good rapport as well, and over the past several months, Curry has probably talked to Ohio State more than any other school.

Being from Indiana, Curry will have an easier time visiting Ohio State -- once he has the opportunity to do so -- than some of the other schools at the top of his recruitment. Florida, Oregon, Alabama, Clemson, those teams are much further away.

Long way to go in this one, but yes, I think the Buckeyes are the early favorite.

Hastings: Andy's recent conversation with Curry is definitely very interesting.

Curry opened up about his relationship with defensive line coach Larry Johnson and the rest of the staff, his family ties to Columbus and said that Ohio State is among his current leaders.

The Rivals100 prospect also recently spoke with Rivals recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt, and noted that the staff watches his film every Saturday. They give him pointers and advice on how he can improve his game.

Columbus was also listed as a place he intends on making his way out to in the future, even if it's a self-guided tour.

Looking at his location, his high interest in Ryan Day's program and the Buckeyes' rich tradition when it comes to developing pass rushers, it is fair to assume that Ohio State should be seen as the early favorite for Curry's services.

Alabama, Clemson, Florida and Oregon are also some schools that are catching Curry's attention at this time. None of those programs, however, can say they have produced a top-three pick at his position in three of the last five NFL Drafts.

We will continue to closely monitor his recruitment, but I like Ohio State's chances with Curry right now.

Anders: Could it be a make-or-break situation? I don’t believe so. Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley has a proven track record that points to a quick bounce back for the Sooners. Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh has developed some great offensive lines in Norman.

LSU just won a national championship, and while Joe Burrow and much of the talent from that team is gone, the Tigers have recruited well enough in recent years that there shouldn’t be long-term concerns there either.

But it could help level the playing field. Obviously, the best players want to see their future schools on top, and the excitement behind a potential playoff run for Ohio State certainly wouldn’t hurt it in its pursuit of Leigh since LSU and Oklahoma are both already all but eliminated from that hunt.

One team that hasn’t struggled, however, is Clemson. Clemson looks like the best team in college football, at least among the teams that are playing right now. And the school is very much a factor in Leigh’s recruitment.

Getting Leigh for the recruiting summit Oct. 24 will be huge. Perhaps his potential future teammates can gain some momentum for the Buckeyes. But, as of right now, I still see them as trailing a few other schools for his commitment.

Hastings: I am not surprised at all by what has transpired with LSU so far this season.

Last year's season was magical and they suffered too many key losses for me to believe that they would even win the SEC West this season. I am a little bit more surprised by Oklahoma's 2-2 start, and that the Sooners are sixth in the Big 12 standings.

These are the two schools that are viewed as the favorites for five-star offensive tackle Tristan Leigh's services, so their respective start to the seasons actually benefits Ohio State. Leigh won't be making a decision until early January, so the Buckeyes being in the playoffs while LSU and Oklahoma possibly missed participating in their conference championships would be the best-case scenario.

I've also noted multiple times that Leigh's perceived leader has switched up on several occasions in his recruitment. It's gone from Clemson, to LSU and now Oklahoma has received a few FutureCast predictions on his profile page. He is not someone who has had a clear-cut favorite from the beginning, so his mind is definitely open.

Now, he is slated to attend the Buckeye Bash in 11 days, so maybe Ohio State can gain a little momentum after his family's trip to Columbus.

Stay tuned to BuckeyeGrove.