How Austin Siereveld's Commitment Impacts Ohio State’s 2023 Recruiting Class
Ohio State secured a long-awaited commitment on Wednesday afternoon when West Liberty (Ohio) Lakota East four-star offensive lineman Austin Siereveld pledged his services to the Buckeyes over finalists Alabama and Notre Dame during a ceremony at his high school.
The 6-foot-5 and 315-pound Siereveld became a hot commodity on the recruiting trail last fall after he was named second-team all-state while playing in the Greater Miami Conference, one of the tougher leagues in Ohio, against teams like Cincinnati Colerain, Cincinnati Princeton, Fairfield and West Chester Lakota West.
Siereveld currently plays all over the offensive line for the Thunderhawks, but his future in college and beyond is on the interior at either guard or center. The Buckeyes often target players who are position versatile, not to mention that he has the size and temperament needed to bully opposing interior defensive linemen.
Siereveld is also the starting center on Lakota East’s varsity basketball team, which speaks to his overall athleticism and footwork. But it’s worth noting the Thunderhawks’ football team features a run-heavy offense, so he’ll have to work on his pass blocking before he can make an impact for the Buckeyes.
That draws comparisons to former offensive lineman Josh Myers, who played tackle at nearby Miamisburg before developing into a second-team All-American and second-round NFL Draft pick at center.
“The first thing that pops when evaluating Siereveld is his size,” Irish Breakdown’s Bryan Driskell said. “Siereveld possesses a thick, stout lower body and the kind of upper body that will continue to fill out. Siereveld isn’t your typical 315-pound player in that he has a lot of bad weight that needs to come off. Like all young linemen his body will see changes, but for Siereveld you could see him adding another 10-15 pounds once he gets into the Ohio State strength program.
“Ohio State needs movers up front, and that describes Siereveld’s game to a T. He has above average length for a guard and his thick lower body combines nicely with good natural strength. He shows some punch, but it’s his lower body and weight that allows him to move defenders off of the ball.
“Siereveld shows strong short-area quickness, especially when working vertically off the ball. He plays with good pad level and works his feet well through contact. At times he’ll lunge, something he needs to work through, but when he sinks his butt and works his feet he can be dominant at the point of attack. He fits in well with the Ohio State run scheme due to his ability to be a dominant down blocker and ability to get a push in one-on-one blocks. He is quick enough off the ball to be effective on quick kicks and traps, and with technique improvement he should be capable of handling being on the second level more effectively.
“His pass protection game will be much better inside, as well. His kick slide and change of direction isn’t quick enough to play tackle, but when working in tighter quarters at guard he projects as a quality pass blocker. He needs to be quicker with his hands and improve his ability to reset in pass pro, but that can be improved upon."
As for how he fits into the class, Siereveld becomes the third in-state offensive lineman to commit to Ohio State this cycle, joining Findlay four-star tackle Luke Montgomery and Huber Heights Wayne four-star guard Joshua Padilla.
It’s actually the first time the Buckeyes have secured a pledge from the top three lineman in Ohio since 2009, when Cleveland Glenville four-star tackle Marcus Hall, Toledo St. John’s Jesuit four-star guard Jack Mewhort and Youngstown Boardman four-star center Corey Linsley joined the fold.
Mewhort was notably an All-American and first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2013, while Linsley went on to become the highest-paid center in NFL history after signing with the Los Angeles Chargers last year. Hall was two-year starter at right tackle, as well, so Ohio State would certainly like this group to pan out the same way.
That said, the Buckeyes typically aim to take four or five players in the trenches each cycle, and this year should be no exception despite the move from former offensive line coach Greg Studrawa to new associate head coach/offensive line coach Justin Frye.
Other names to keep in mind for those final few spots include Brockton (Mass.) Thayer Academy five-star tackle Samson Okunlola; Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep four-star tackle Chase Bisontis; Windsor (Conn.) Loomis Chaffee School four-star tackle Olaus Alinen; and Indianapolis Roncalli three-star tackle Trevor Lauck.
Of that group, only Alinen has set up an official visit with Ohio State, as he’ll be on campus from June 24-26, which is shaping up to be a pretty significant recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes, with Montgomery, four-star tight end commit Ty Lockwood and several top targets expected to be on hand, including Lehigh Acres (Fla.) Senior five-star running back Richard Young and Many, La., four-star linebacker Tackett Curtis.
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