Relationships are key for John Dunmore
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Rivals100 wide receiver John Dunmore has become a popular guy in the recruiting world. The 6-foot-3, 170-pounder is ranked as the No. 41 player overall by Rivals.com and holds more than 30 offers to date.
One of those offers is from Ohio State and the Buckeyes have hit south Florida hard through the years, especially in pursuit of wide receivers and defensive backs. It doesn't hurt that it is a tight community and that Dunmore knows several players who once called the area home before heading north to Columbus (Ohio).
"I have known (Binjimen Victor) since my freshman year when he was a senior, I trained with him," Dunmore said.
The first step in landing any player from the area at Ohio State is getting that player to come up on a visit, something the Buckeyes were able to do with Dunmore in April.
"Ohio State visit, it went (well). I experienced snow for the first time," Dunmore said. "That was good. Just kicking it with Urban Meyer, Binjimen Victor, coach Zach Smith… it felt good."
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Dunmore said that he would like to visit Ohio State two more times, once in the summer on another unofficial visit and then for a game weekend in an official capacity.
What does Dunmore like about Ohio State?
"I know that Ohio State has a coach to develop me, coach Zach Smith, great coach and it is just about relationships, how I feel," Dunmore said. "It is just the feeling, that is basically it."
The talented wide receiver is big on relationships and the Buckeyes have done a good job with that so far. What is it that Dunmore likes so much about Smith?
"Cool guy, him and coach Keenan (Bailey), I can't forget about coach Keenan," Dunmore said. "I knew coach Keenan for going on about four years now. They are both great coaches, both can develop me, it is proven with Michael Thomas, Curtis Samuel, Binjimen Victor, Johnnie Dixon, I can keep going. The coaches can definitely develop me to the next level, which is the league."
Ohio State is not the only school in the region that Dunmore is looking at. He also has taken an official visit to Ohio State's biggest rival, Michigan.
"That was also a great experience, it did not snow but me and my family got to experience the cold," Dunmore said. "Kicking if with coach (Jim) McElwain and coach (Jim) Harbaugh and coach (Sherrone) Moore. I also went up there with Keontra Smith and Te'Cory Couch, those are both of my godbrothers, so it was like a whole family there, it was good."
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With offers from the three big Florida schools (Florida, Florida State, Miami), many people think it might be tough to get Dunmore out of the state, and if he leaves Florida, that he might not leave the South. The Chaminade Madonna star says that may not be the case.
"It just depends on the best place for me. I have no problem with leaving Florida, it is just the best place for me," Dunmore said. "Whether it is Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Florida State… even a California school, whatever is the best place for me."
Dunmore admits that he has not given much thought when he would like to shut down his recruitment but he is starting to feel the heat from it.
"At first it was good, now it is getting stressful," Dunmore said. "It is getting down to it. It is stressful."