Relationships are key in recruiting Bijan Robinson

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Buckeyes have had some tremendous running backs through the years and that means that you cannot discount Ohio State in the recruitment of any top-flight back from year-to-year.

Ohio State has done a great job with Rivals100 back Bijan Robinson out of the state of Arizona and an upcoming official visit could go a long way in helping the Buckeyes' chances to land one of the nation's premiere backs in the 2020 recruiting cycle.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder holds more than 20 offers already and is ranked as the No. 55 player in the country in the most recent Rivals.com rankings. Robinson describes himself as a back that can do just about anything on the field and is just as much of threat to be a pass catcher as he is to be a runner and would rather 'make you miss' than 'run you over' with a vast arsenal of moves in the open field.

Robinson remembers watching another versatile back in Ezekiel Elliott playing in the scarlet and gray and that immediate recognition of what Elliott did with the Buckeyes and is now doing with the Dallas Cowboys gave the Buckeyes immediate credibility when they came calling.

"The impact that he made with that team, how they utilized him for their run game and pass game was a big interest for me," Robinson said. "When coach (Tony) Alford did hit me up last year, it was automatic, it set off that this is a great school that I want to be at. Just getting to know him was the best thing for me as well."

Robinson has really taken a liking to the Ohio State running back coach and that relationship with Alford continues to grow as the process is really starting to heat up and Robinson is starting to make some cuts down in the schools that he is seriously entertaining committing to.

"It is a great relationship," Robinson added. "He was actually just here (earlier this week). We talk a lot. Just about life, rarely about football which is the best thing because we will always have football. He just tells me a lot about school, education and just believe in my faith. Just a lot of things that are important for this recruiting process for me."

Robinson also has a strong relationship with current Ohio State running back JK Dobbins. The rising junior is coming off of a back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for Ohio State and also knows what it is like to come from out-of-state into the Buckeye program. Robinson has had several good talks with Dobbins and values the information that he has received from the current Ohio State back.

"I talk to him a lot," Robinson said. "He tells me a lot of great things and he will tell me the truth, it is all '100' with him, which is what I need and the best thing for me. He is a really cool guy and we have a lot of similarities in personalities and I feel that is the best thing for me."

Robinson will have a chance to potentially talk to Dobbins in person with an official visit coming up on June 14th. It will be the first of the cycle for Robinson has he will have his first chance to really learn about the Ohio State campus, facilities and academics on an in-person level. He knows all of that will take care of itself, but he also has another goal on his visit.

"I just hope to interact with the players, talk to them a lot and see how they like it and how they came in when they were freshmen," Robinson said.

Robinson will have four more officials to take beyond that and believes that Texas, USC and UCLA will get three of them and is still trying to figure out who might get the final one.

Don't look for this recruitment to come to a sudden end, however.

"I will probably take three or four in the summer and then probably take one in the season," Robinson said. "So, the recruiting process will probably go into towards the end of the season when I will try and make that decision."

Robinson is the high school teammate of Lathan Ransom, a fellow member of the Rivals100 and a top-flight safety. The Buckeyes will host Ransom the following weekend on an official visit. It is by design that the two don't visit on the same weekend, but you better believe that they will trade notes afterwards.

"We know it was be super cool and super fun to be up there together, but I feel we should experience it on our own, get a feel for it just by ourselves," Robinson said.

Current Ohio State quarterback commit Jack Miller is friends with the talented duo and is doing everything that he can do to try and persuade a strong contingent of Arizona talent to join him in Ohio.

In the end, Robinson will have to make the choice that is best for him. Not for Miller and not for Ransom.

The Buckeyes hope the official visit makes a compelling enough argument for Robinson to get on board.