Ohio State’s Biggest Remaining 2018 Recruiting Targets

While the recruiting class of 2018 is already off to a great start, there are some remaining targets on board that could make this class extraordinary. There is still a long way to go until the new signing day in December, as well as the original one in February, and a lot will change between now and then.

The Buckeyes sit at 12 total commitments right now, and are No. 2 in the 247Sports team rankings. The class is expected to be around 25 in number, and there is still a little over half way to go. It is likely that we will see some decommitments, however, so the number will constantly be in flux.

So far of the 12 commitments, eight have been on defense. While the defense seems to be losing the most players to the NFL each year, the offense is going to need some play makers after losing Curtis Samuel and Noah Brown last year, and J.T. Barrett and possibly Mike Weber next year.

The majority of the largest remaining targets are on the offensive side of the ball. There are still a few on defense, however, and those guys could really cement this as OSU’s top defensive class of all time.

Let’s take a look at who I feel are the five biggest targets left for the Buckeyes and their chances of landing each.

Jackson Carman – 5-Star – Offensive Tackle – Fairfield, Ohio – No. 1 OT – No. 12 Overall

This list starts and ends with Jackson Carman. The Buckeyes rarely let their own 5-star kids out of their own backyard, and losing Carman to an out-of-state foe would be a huge loss for Urban Meyer. There is a reason that he is rated so highly, and that is because he is a dominant force on the offensive line. Clemson and Ohio State have been listed as his co-leaders for a while now, which has Buckeye Nation in a bit of a tizzy.

He took a trip to Clemson back in March and immediately after his visit said they were his top school. He has since visited Columbus and met with Meyer, who I am sure told him what a priority he was for this class. Carman just scheduled a trip for mid-June to go out to Los Angeles and see USC, so they could be one to watch as well. When all is said and done with this recruitment I think Carman ends up a Buckeye, although this might drag out a bit.

My Crystal Ball: Ohio State

Zamir White – 5-Star – Running Back – Laurinburg, North Carolina – No. 1 RB – No. 5 Overall

Currently, the Buckeyes have two running backs committed, if you count Jaelen Gill among them. Brian Snead out of Florida was the first to commit last year at Friday Night Lights and Gill committed earlier this year. With the chance that Mike Weber could leave after a successful redshirt sophomore season, the depth at running back could take a significant hit. Enter Zamir White, the No. 1 overall running back in the country. This one was long thought to be a battle between Georgia and Clemson, two schools close to home.

However, the Buckeyes have made significant strides in the past few months, and he has even been spotted wearing OSU gear on social media. White is committing to a school on June 27th, and while I expect the Buckeyes to have a hat on the table come decision day, I don’t expect him to pick Ohio State. White’s mother has been pretty public about her desire for Zamir to play close to home, and unless OSU can change that mindset in the next three weeks, expect White to end up at Georgia.

My Crystal Ball: Georgia

Micah Parsons – 5-Star – Defensive End – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – No. 1 WDE – No. 3 Overall

Ohio State has landed quite possibly the best defensive line class under Urban Meyer already this season, and we still have a ways to go. They already have Brenton Cox, Taron Vincent and Andrew Chatfield in the fold, and are likely the leader for Micah Parsons out of Pennsylvania. Parsons was at one time a Penn State commitment, but he decommitted back in April. There were frequent visits to Columbus during his time as a Nittany Lion commitment, so many figured it was only a matter of time. He has been a big presence on social media, even commenting on the Ohio State class when linebacker Teradja Mitchell committed last week.

He did just visit Penn State however, so the Nittany Lions are not out of this one quite yet.  I believe Parsons sees what the Buckeyes are building defensively and coach Larry Johnson remains a large figure in this recruitment. If he can get Parsons to buy into the Buckeye way, then I think this one trends toward Columbus.

My Crystal Ball: Ohio State

Anthony Cook – 5-Star – Cornerback – Houston, Texas – No. 2 CB – No. 8 Overall

Do the Buckeyes really need another cornerback after last year’s historic class? The answer is without a doubt, yes. When you are constantly churning out NFL prospects at the rate that Ohio State has been, then you need to keep bringing in the talent to replace it. While the defensive backfield is a bit younger than it has been in past seasons, by the time Anthony Cook were to see the field who knows who might be playing on Sundays.

Right now the Buckeyes are sitting in a good position with Cook, with his last visit taking place at the Spring Game. All signs point to Ohio State being the landing spot right now. OSU invaded Texas last year and are hoping they can land the state’s No. 1 prospect this year. Adding Cook along with Sevyn Banks on the outside, and with Jaiden Woodbey and Joshua Proctor at safety would be a nice haul for Kerry Coombs and company.

My Crystal Ball: Ohio State

Kamryn Babb – 4-Star – Wide Receiver – St. Louis, Missouri – No. 9 WR – No. 47 Overall

While the majority of the Ohio State wide receivers are fairly green on the field, there is no doubt their talent is off the charts. They were able to bring in a trio of athletic receivers in last year’s class with Trevon Grimes, Jaylen Harris and Ellijah Gardiner. Coach Zach Smith is hoping they can land their No. 1 wide receiver target in 2018 in Kamryn Babb out of CBC in St. Louis.

Babb is a 6-foot-1 190-pound wide receiver who is quick and can make the play over the middle or down the field. The Buckeyes do not have a wide receiver committed in this class yet, and they are hoping to land a few, but none more than Babb. He recently released his list of top schools and the Buckeyes made the list, as did Big Ten foes Michigan and Nebraska. He has a big crystal ball projection for Ohio State right now, and if they can get him back on campus this fall for an official they should be able to seal the deal.

My Crystal Ball: Ohio State

So there you have my list of top players left in this recruiting class. Will they nab all five? Will they get any of them? We will wait and see how things progress over the next few months, but right now I really like the Buckeyes chances in landing most of the guys on this list.