After addressing its biggest need on defense the first two days of this week, Ohio State has now addressed its biggest need on offense in the 2021 cycle, landing a big-time running back. Cornelius (NC) Hough star Evan Pryor announced his commitment to the Buckeyes on Monday evening, becoming the eighth Rivals100 product to give an early verbal pledge to Ohio State in the 2021 recruiting class.

Pryor had Georgia and Penn State among his finalists but in recent weeks it really came down to staying at home with North Carolina or branching out and making his way to Columbus.

"It was really just the way they compete year round," said Pryor of his decision. "Always contending for national titles, playing in the playoffs and things of that nature. Also the relationship that I've built with some of the commits."

From Kyle McCord to Ben Christman to Jaylen Johnson, the Buckeyes have had no shortage of commits in Pryor's ear recently. It has been an "iron sharpens iron" type of pitch from the other future Buckeyes.

"Just the level of competition and the way that guys from Ohio State go on to The League," he said of his recent discussions with the other commits. "If you want to play in the NFL, if you want to win a national title, if you want to play with the best guys, these are all the things that I've been hearing and that I had to take into account."

But the most recent push from the coaching staff is what may have pushed things over the top for Ohio State. Pryor was slated to make an unofficial visit to Columbus on March 18th, a visit that was supposed to be a big data point in his decision making process. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, that visit was no longer possible in the near future. That could have put Ohio State at a serious disadvantage, but the way the Buckeyes handled things really impressed the four-star prospect.

"It's huge how coach Day and coach Alford have been keeping in touch," Pryor explained. "I feel like they had kind of an idea that maybe something like this would happen (in terms of COVID-19 putting a pause on visits) so just keeping in touch over the phone even though I couldn't get on campus. They had me on the phone with academic advisors and just making sure I was getting the whole experience and showing me that I'm wanted."

Pryor joins a class that will almost certainly have multiple running backs in it, but he doesn't fear that competition and in fact see things with a glass half full perspective.

"It doesn't concern me at all," he stated. "If anything, it will help me. You've got to look at the big picture here and look at where I'm trying to go, which is the NFL. Getting through college and being successful, but also being healthy as well, so having another back is definitely something that I look at (as a positive)."

Pryor is commitment No. 13 for Ohio State's top-ranked 2021 recruiting class.