Ohio State QB Commit Air Noland Details What Separated Buckeyes in 'Close' Recruitment

Ohio State class of 2024 quarterback commit Prentiss "Air" Noland has thrown for 8,024 yards and 104 touchdowns in three years at Langston Hughes High School.

Author:
Casey Smith
Apr 10, 2023 10:21 AM EDT

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Ohio State Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes got their quarterback of the future, but it wasn't by a landslide.

The Buckeyes landed a commitment from a four-star and the seventh-best quarterback in the class of 2024 in Prentiss "Air" Noland Saturday night, but it wasn't until his visit to Columbus on March 31 that he was sold on where he wanted to play.

"It was close 'til I had to visit Ohio State," Noland told ESPN "They stuck out, just kind of left everybody in the road from a development standpoint, from a comfortability standpoint, from an institution standpoint, and just the connection with the coaching staff standpoint, so Ohio State kind of shot through the roof."

Noland also squashed the notion that Ohio State was a late-comer to his recruitment.

The left-hander said quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis had recruited him since October 2022, despite receiving an offer on April 1 and committing a week later.

He said head coach Ryan Day got involved in his recruitment as well, which "speaks for itself," but Noland said he and Day built a "great connection" on the visit.

Noland is a gunslinger, completing 67.8 percent of his 718 careers pass attempts for 8,024 passing yards and 104 touchdowns. He had a monster junior season in 2022, throwing for 4,095 yards and 55 touchdowns to just four interceptions, adding six scores on the ground en route to a state championship.

The Fairburn, GA. native said he "can't wait to get back up to Columbus" and that "we develop at Ohio State."

"The development of not only just the quarterback but everyone around the quarterback," Noland said. "The team, it's a brotherhood. Outside of football, they're a brotherhood, and the connection that I have with Coach Day, Coach Dennis and Coach [Brian] Hartline, it speaks for itself. I felt like it was home. My family felt like it was home when I visited Ohio State."