2022 Ohio State Offensive Tackle Target Olaus Alinen Sets Commitment Date
Windsor (Conn.) Loomis Chaffee School four-star offensive tackle Olaus Alinen announced on Friday evening he will make his college decision among finalists Alabama, Georgia, Miami (Fla.), Ohio State and Oregon at 9 a.m. on July 22.
The 6-foot-6 and 315-pound Alinen, who is considered the 15th-best offensive tackle and No. 123 prospect overall in the class of 2023, picked up an offer from the Buckeyes in December and then made his way to campus for the first time in March.
During that multi-day visit, Alinen watched a spring practice and spent time with head coach Ryan Day and new offensive line coach Justin Frye. He also received a private tour of Nationwide Arena, as his father is a close friend of Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.
Alinen took official visits with all five of his finalists in June, including with the Hurricanes on June 3-5, Crimson Tide on June 10-12, Bulldogs on June 17-19, Ducks on June 21-23 and Buckeyes on June 24-26. He then returned to his native Finland to mull over his options with his family.
Unfortunately for Ohio State, Alinen has been trending toward Miami as of late, which means the staff will likely have to look elsewhere in order to fill out the class.
The Buckeyes already hold four commitments along the offensive line from Findlay, Ohio, four-star tackle Luke Montgomery, Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne four-star guard Joshua Padilla, Liberty Township (Ohio) Lakota East four-star guard Austin Siereveld and Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School three-star offensive tackle Miles Walker, but the hope is to take two more tackles.
Other targets remaining include Braintree (Mass.) Thayer Academy five-star Samson Okunlola, Mount Pleasant (S.C.) Oceanside Collegiate Academy four-star Monroe Freeling and Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic four-star Oluwatosin Babalade, who will make his college decision on July 31.
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