The first player to commit to Ohio State’s 2019 recruiting class is not going to be a Buckeye. Offensive guard Doug Nester from West Virginia flipped his commitment to Virginia Tech. Nester first committed to the Buckeyes back in August 2017, and made regular appearances at Buckeyes games this fall. However, he also made trips to Virginia Tech and Penn State during the year.
This weekend is an absolutely massive one as Ryan Day and his new staff try to fix a dangerously thin offensive line situation. Right now, the Buckeyes have only 11 scholarship linemen for 2019. That’s far less than normal and a major concern for Day’s first season.
Offensive line is notoriously one of the most difficult areas on the football field to evaluate when players jump from high school to college. It’s sometimes hard to tell which players will take coaching well and be able to add size without sacrificing quickness. There are a lot of “misses” and if you have an even slightly shaky line, it can derail your entire offense…
Before Doug Nester was a 4-star offensive line prospect, and before he was an Ohio State verbal commitment, he was a Buckeye fan. Just a leisurely three-hour drive to the OSU campus from his home in Huntington, West Virginia, Nester has followed the Buckeyes for years, citing players like Terrelle Pryor, Braxton Miller…
The final National Signing Day of 2019 is right around the corner – just 51 short weeks away! A lot is going to change between now and then. At least four players are going to leave the program before fall camp even starts. Then the 2018 season will play out. Some guys will get hurt. After the year, a talented group of seniors will leave.
Rated a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 offensive tackle in the 2019 class by the 247Sports Composite, Nester (6-6 302) plays for Spring Valley High School in Huntington, West Virginia. He committed to Ohio State over offers from Alabama, Florida, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, North Carolina, Nebraska, and Tennessee.
