March is shaping up to be a big month for Ohio State as the recruiting Dead Period will end and allow the Buckeyes to host prospects for unofficial visits. Those visits will mostly coincide with spring football practice as Ohio State's plan is to get as many key targets as possible onto campus in March and April.
One prospect who won't have to work very hard to make it to campus is class of 2022 Westerville (Ohio) South athlete Kaden Saunders. The rising junior speedster has grown up just minutes from campus and getting back to OSU is on his agenda when the Dead Period comes to a close.
"I'm going to be at Michigan on March 1st and back to West Virginia on March 7th," Saunders explained. "Toward the end of March or early April I'm going to try to get to a practice at Penn State and I'm also going to get to a spring practice at Ohio State."
Ohio State has already started to push to make that March visit happen so it's just a matter of coordinating the right date at this point.
"Coach (Al) Washington was talking to my Dad and he just said that he wants to get me back on campus soon." Saunders continued. "Whenever they want me to come down to campus, I can come down so it's just about finding the time to do it."
An interesting dynamic with Ohio State and Saunders is the discussion about future position. Former Buckeye assistant Jeff Hafley liked Saunders' speed in the secondary, but wide receiver has been his natural position over the years and one that he enjoys playing.
"They were talking to me about defensive back when coach Hafley was there," Saunders recalled. "I don't know if they still like me at defensive back or receiver. I like receiver a lot more, my heart is on the offensive side of the ball."
Saunders anticipates that his next visit to campus will entail meeting with new defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs but also getting some clarification on where the Buckeyes view him at this point.
While the Buckeyes have not yet offered, Michigan, Penn State, and West Virginia have and are all expected to get visits during the spring.
On Michigan - "Coach Warinner was just in our school watching us workout (In January). They have been in contact a lot and just trying to get me back up there so I'll be back there on March 1st."
On Penn State - "Coach Terry Smith, I talk to him and coach Seider from Penn State. I'm looking forward to meeting the new receivers coach as well. That is important for my next visit (to Penn State) just how I interact with the receivers coach and how he works with his players and everything."
On West Virginia - "Coach Trickett and coach Parker are my guys there. Coach Trickett is always at my school whenever he is allowed to be. Coach Parker came over from Penn State so obviously our connection is pretty strong. What he's going to be doing with the offense at West Virginia is what I like to hear as a receiver."
