COATESVILLE, Pa. – It wasn’t hard to pinpoint Samson Okunlola as he glided across the field and overpowered defensive linemen on April 11, 2021.

Okunlola was on our radar heading into that day’s Under Armour Camp Series on the outskirts of Columbus. But he was closer to the edge than the center. He had offers from Tennessee, Penn State, Michigan, Oregon and Georgia, so the Thayer Academy (Mass.) four-star was one of the key names to track heading into the event.

But his presence preceding the showcase was overshadowed by five-star and No. 1-ranked offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, Ohio State commit Tegra Tshabola and in-state Ohio stars (and eventual Buckeyes commits) Luke Montgomery and Josh Padilla.

That didn’t last long.

Okunlola, along with Proctor, wound up dominating the conversation in the days that followed from those who evaluated the camp. It was pretty instant that the 6-foot-5, 295-pound Okunlola had the tools to become a special prospect, and the push came from yours truly for Ohio State to extend him an offer. He landed that offer a couple weeks later, became a fairly key Buckeyes target, and he soon rose into a borderline five-star prospect.

Fast forward to May 15, 2022 at the Philadelphia Rivals Camp Series, and he’s gotten even better, more physically refined. He is named after the Biblical figure Samson, who was known in the Bible for his immense size and strength.

It's as fitting a first name as a high school player can have.