Taking A Look At Ohio State’s Top Targets For The 2023 Recruiting Cycle
With the calendar turning to September, Wednesday marked the first day that college football coaches are allowed to contact prospects from the class of 2023.
That said, BuckeyesNow has decided to take a look at Ohio State’s top targets for the next recruiting cycle, with the prospects listed in alphabetical order.
Phenix City (Ala.) Glenwood School Cornerback A.J. Harris
The Buckeyes welcomed Harris and his parents to campus for a one-day camp visit in June and he really seemed to hit it off with defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs, who put him through an intense individual workout on the outdoor fields at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Coming out of the visit, there was a belief that the 6-foot-2 and 180-pound Harris – who is considered the third-best cornerback and No. 13 prospect overall – could commit soon thereafter. However, Clemson and Georgia have made a push in the months since, and he's now expected to make his decision sometime during or after his junior season.
Harris is set to return to Columbus for an unofficial for Ohio State’s Oct. 9 game against Maryland. That visit could help the Buckeyes separate themselves from the Bulldogs and Tigers once and for all.
Andrew Lind/BuckeyesNow on Sports Illustrated
Findlay, Ohio, Offensive Tackle Luke Montgomery
The 6-foot-5 and 260-pound Montgomery is a bit raw as an offensive lineman after playing tight end and defensive end early in his high school career, but he’s still viewed as a 'can’t-miss' prospect for the Buckeyes given his location and overall potential.
That became especially apparent as Montgomery – who is actually still listed by recruiting services and being targeted by some schools as a defensive lineman – conducted more than a dozen unofficial visits this summer to several of the nation’s top schools, including Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
Three trips to Columbus in that same span, as well as two unofficial visits scheduled for the fall (Sept. 11 against Oregon and Oct. 30 against Penn State), have Ohio State as the presumed frontrunner, though. It also wouldn't be a surprise to see him commit during either of those visits.
Pickerington (Ohio) Central Safety Sonny Styles
It should go without saying, but given his proximity to campus and his ability to play almost anywhere on defense, the 6-foot-4 and 215-pound Styles is undoubtedly Ohio State’s top target for the next recruiting cycle.
Styles’ dad, Lorenzo Styles, played linebacker for the Buckeyes in the early 1990s, and many expect him to follow in those footsteps. It is worth nothing, though, that his older brother, Lorenzo Styles Jr., is entering his freshman season at Notre Dame. The biggest difference, however, is that Ohio State targeted and eventually landed several higher-rated wide receivers last year, including Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jayden Ballard.
The younger Styles, meanwhile, was on campus several times this summer and plans to return for the Sept. 11 game against Oregon. And while he doesn’t have a commitment date in mind, he could pull the trigger at any point in time and become the Buckeyes’ second pledge, joining Thompson’s Station (Tenn.) Independence four-star tight end Ty Lockwood.
Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy wide receiver Carnell Tate
The 6-foot-2 and 185-pound Tate has long been considered Ohio State’s top target at the wide receiver position, and a pair of one-day camp visits in June alongside his parents and other members of immediate family have the Buckeyes in a great spot as he heads toward an Oct. 8 commitment date.
That being said, Tate – a Chicago native who is considered the nation’s 10th-best wide receiver – also took three trips to Notre Dame in June and has a return visit scheduled for just six days before his announcement. If there’s any school that poses a threat to the Buckeyes, it’s the Fighting Irish.
Ohio State would certainly love to get him back on campus before then, as well, but perhaps the next time he’s in Columbus will be as a member of the Buckeyes' 2023 recruiting class.
Andrew Lind/BuckeyesNow On Sports Illustrated
Lehigh Acres (Fla.) Senior Running Back Richard Young
Similarly, the 6-foot-0 and 190-pound Young made his way to campus twice this summer, including a two-day camp visit in June and the Buckeye Bash and BBQ in late July. He’s clearly built a strong relationship with running backs coach Tony Alford, which is key as Ohio State aims to take two running backs next cycle.
If the Buckeyes are able to secure Young’s pledge, that would go a long way in their pursuit of Orlando Dr. Phillips four-star offensive tackle Payton Kirkland and Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola five-star defensive end Derrick LeBlanc, as the trio has discussed playing together in college.
Young does not have any scheduled visits or a commitment date in mind, so Ohio State must continue to make him a priority if the Buckeyes want to fend off the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Miami (Fla.) and Oklahoma, among others.
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