Cody Simon, a linebacker from Jersey City, N.J., is now officially a Buckeye.
Simon sent in his signed Letter of Intent to join Ohio State’s 2020 recruiting class.
He’s a prototype of the kind of linebacker the Buckeyes are trying to bring in: quick and agile enough to cover skill players in space.
Here’s a look at what Simon brings to Ohio State.
Ranking: He is a 4-star prospect, considered the No. 9 outside linebacker and 3rd-best player in the state of New Jersey this year.
Other Offers: He picked the Buckeyes over offers from schools like Notre Dame, Penn State, Miami, and Nebraska.
Positional Projection: Simon could slot in at any of the three linebacker positions for the Buckeyes. At 6-foot-1, 218 lbs, he’s a little bit undersized to play MIKE at the moment, but has the quickness to play at the SAM or WILL positions.
Commitment: He committed to the Buckeyes in June 2019.
Enrolling: Simon is expected to finish out his senior year before enrolling at Ohio State over the summer.
Projected Impact: With virtually the entire two-deep back at linebacker in 2020, it will be hard for any of the freshmen to get into the regular rotation.
Simon will have an opportunity to avoid a redshirt by making an impact on special teams, and then could jump into a more regular role on defense in 2021.
You can watch Simon’s junior season highlight reel below.