Salley enjoyed every aspect of his time at Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The football camps at Ohio State are a major attraction not only for out-of-state players but players from within the borders of the state of Ohio too and class of 2023 offensive tackle AJ Salley took full advantage of his day in front of the Ohio State coaches to make an impression.
Salley, who checks in at 6-foot-5, 231-pounds used his time to play on both sides of the ball but with the majority of his reps on offense. But it was more than that as well as the Miamisburg (Ohio) product had a chance to take in the full Ohio State experience, see what the Buckeyes had to offer and check out the campus.
“It's a family down here, there's tradition, there's a lot of culture and they don't just care about football when you come here. They care about putting you in a position to succeed in the future, not just football,” Salley said. “I really like that. We had a big academic meeting, it's not just football, they just really stress everything else, aspects of life, not just the game.”
Salley already holds seven offers including ones from Kentucky, Cincinnati, Iowa State and Tennessee to name a few. Wednesday’s work was an opportunity to show coaches like Greg Studrawa and Kevin Wilson where Salley’s game is with two seasons of high school football left to play and make a case for an offer. And while that was all front-and-center, this was just as much about getting better as a football player, as well.
“It was a really good experience to finally get in front of the coaching staff and show them how I move, and how I play as a player,” Salley said. “But it was more of a teaching moment. You I learned a lot with Coach Stud and Coach Wilson, they really coached me up, it didn't feel like a camp and more like a practice.”
At just around 230 pounds, there will be a need to put on weight for the next level if Salley is going to stay on the offensive line. That is something that the 2023 star is aware of and discussed with the Ohio State coaches and has been talking to family about in the past.
“I talked to Coach Stud about it after the camp. He told me that he thinks, and my dad was thinking around 250 (pounds or) 260, at the lightest, maybe upwards of 280. But we're still deciding on that,” Salley added.
The Ohio State camps are a mixture of drill work and competition with the famous “Winner/Loser Day” echoing on the outdoor fields of the WHAC. How did Salley feel that he performed in his competition drills?
“One-on-ones (were) really fun, I didn't lose a lot of reps, I had a really good day,” Salley said. “All the drills, I feel like I ran pretty well. And it was an amazing time.”
Ohio State just recently said goodbye to a talented offensive lineman from Miamisburg with Josh Myers, who is now with the Green Bay Packers in the NFL. It would be safe to say that Myers is not only someone that Salley looks up to, but pretty much anyone from the community has through the years.
“I really only have great things to say about Josh, I grew up with him, as like a mentor and a big brother and I was the little kid chanting his name in the stands on Friday night trying to get his attention,” Salley said. “ It’s amazing what he's been able to accomplish.”
Salley plans to keep up the communication with the Ohio State staff and plans to attend a couple of games this upcoming season on unofficial visits.
The coaches will be keeping an eye on him until then and there is a very clear objective for Salley in the coming months.
“They want to continue to evaluate me and the main thing is they want to see me put on a little bit of weight,” Salley said.