Signed: Shaun Wade
Jacksonville (Fla.) defensive back Shaun Wade was the first player to commit to the Ohio State class of 2017 but he also was one of the players that the Buckeyes had to recruit the hardest even after he gave his pledge the day of Ohio State's National Championship win over Oregon for the 2014 season.
The five-star defensive back did not see schools stop pursuing him and the Buckeyes had to hold off Florida and Alabama among others down the stretch to hold on to the commitment of Wade. It was not until December that Wade came out and officially shut everything down and said that he done listening to other schools and set to enroll early with the Buckeyes.
Wade capped off his senior season by winning the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year award. He is joined by new teammate Tate Martell who won the honors on the offensive side of the ball. Wade was happy to be recognized but has worked to put it all in perspective.
"It is a great honor but that is high school, that is the past now," Wade said in a video produced by the Ohio State football program upon enrolling for the January semester. "(I am) starting college now, so that is the past and it does not mean (anything)."
Wade's high school, Trinity International, is no stranger to producing top flight players and Wade is just the next in line out of a program that has produced players like D.J. Matthews, Jeffery Holland, Kevin Toliver, Brett Bowers and Nick Washington to name just a few players.
It is there that Wade has learn to appreciate the game of football and understands all of the work that goes into perfecting the craft.
"It is an aggressive game that you have to be focused for," Wade said. "You have to have the mindset to play football. If you don't have the mindset, it is just hard. Everything about life is hard and it just teaches about life."
Wade is part of a defensive back class that includes six (if you count Brendon White's move to offense) players who check in at either four-stars or five-stars. It is truly a one-of-a-kind type of class and means that there will be plenty of competition just among the class of 2017. The opportunity will be there however with the Buckeyes losing three defensive backs for a second year in a row to the NFL Draft.
"It is a process, they have great corners in front of me right now and I just have to come and compete with them," Wade said. Coach (Kerry) Coombs teaches great technique and you see that he gets a lot of DBs into the league. He has three going this year, he knows what he is doing."
Credit to the Buckeyes for being able to hold on for two years on an out of state player who had a who's who list of offers. Wade shocked many with such an early commitment to Ohio State but he was steadfast in sticking with Ohio State, even if there were some flirtations with other schools. Credit the Ohio State coaches as well for not only connecting with Shaun but his family as well and those bonds are what cemented this commitment.
"My parents love all the coaches (here)," Wade said. "When they first came up here and they connected. They did not want me to go anywhere else. The coaches are great here, they teach you life lessons here, so I really love this program."