Ohio State Targets Former Notre Dame Signee, Do-it-All Athlete Hillman

Buckeyes target two-way star less than 24 hours after being back on the market

Author:
Buckeyes Now Staff
Mar 13, 2023 7:30 PM EDT

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One of the latest commitments and signatures in for Marcus Freeman's class of 2023 at Notre Dame was explosive and versatile athlete Brandyn Hillman.

But on Sunday, the senior coming off of a 31-touchdown 2022 season announced he was back on the market after asking for and being granted a release of the National Letter of Intent he signed with Notre Dame.

Since, he has added several scholarship offers as a potential late addition to the class of 2023, and now Ohio State joins the group courting the Virginia native with a new offer.

Hillman had several scholarship offers to his name before initially picking the Irish in early December, but Ohio State wasn't one of those programs. Another layer of the timing and offer that could prove telling is Hillman tagging OSU safeties coach Perry Eliano in the social media post.

Listed at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Hillman has the ability to play skill positions on offense and defense but perhaps Eliano's involvement points to a secondary spot available should Hillman reciprocate the interest in Ohio State. The Irish expected him in the secondary, too, for what it's worth.

Hillman, who entered his senior season without FBS offers, is an explosive athlete regardless of position. He emerged as a Power Five prospect early in the 2022 season at Portsmouth (Va.) Churchland just a few months after posting the highest testing score at the Elite 11 Washington D.C. Regional in the spring.

As both a junior and a senior, largely focused on the quarterback position, Hillman rushed and passed for more than 1,000 yards, landing him Class 4, Region A Player of the Year honors each campaign as an upperclassman. He also played on defense and punted in high school en route to scoring 22 touchdowns as a senior.

Ohio State signed several safety projections in the class of 2023, including Malik Hartford, Jayden Bonsu and Cedrick Hawkins. Of the trio, Hawkins could work as a nickel type while Hartford has classic field safety traits.