5-Star Charles Lester III Tabs Ohio State Finalist, Buckeyes to Receive Official Visit

The Ohio State Buckeyes are in the thick of the race for the two-way Charles Lester

Author:
Matt Galatzan
Apr 18, 2023 3:17 PM EDT

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Ohio State has been chasing traction with five-star recruit Charles Lester III for more than a year, having offered back in January of 2022.

Of late, it seems as if OSU has made real progress with the Sarasota (Fla.) Riverview star, much like it has with many in his home state. Lester was recently in Columbus for an unofficial visit and he is working on plans to return for an official visit at some point before the projected cornerback is to make a final collegiate decision.

"It was good," he told Buckeyes Now. "I was just enjoying the time around the players and coaches. They have a history of producing great DBs.Coach (Ryan Day) just basically told me he would love for me to be a part of the program."

As for the official visit, summer projections are popular in the class of 2024 right now, particularly in the month of June. But with the new NCAA rule of unlimited official visits, some may elect to utilize the trips during the season itself. Regardless of when Lester wants to dig into the people in and around the OSU program the next time he is in Columbus.

"I've seen everything, so the trips are about bonding experiences and trying to get comfortable," he said.

With a verbal commitment likely more "towards the end of the season," Lester will have plenty of trips and time to evaluate between finalists Georgia, Alabama and Florida State beyond the Buckeyes, too. Lester is rated as a five-star via 247Sports, though he ranks higher overall nationally at Rivals (No. 28) and On3 (15). Ohio State has signed multiple members of the South Florida Express club 7-on-7 program, where Lester plays, over the years, including Brandon Inniss, Carnell Tate and Cedrick Hawkins in the class of 2023.