Impact Statement: Ohio State Lands Top DL; UW's Chances of Landing Tuimoloau Improve
The pursuit of defensive tackle JT Tuimoloau, one of the nation's top recruits from Eastside Catholic High School and an SI All-American, just took an intriguing turn when Ohio State unexpectedly landed a commitment from Tyleik Williams, another defensive tackle and SI All-American recipient.
Williams' commitment lowered Ohio State's allocated defensive-line spots to one.
BuckeyesNow's Adam Prescott from the SI network reported the following:
"Ohio State’s 2021 football recruiting class secured a nice commitment Thursday afternoon, receiving a somewhat surprising pledge from defensive tackle and SI All-American candidate Tyleik Williams out of Manassas, Va.
Williams, an athletic 6-foot-3, 300-pound specimen from Unity Reed High School, chose the Buckeyes from a previous top-six list in June that also included Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Alabama, LSU and South Carolina. Many consider him a top-200 player nationally."
As it turns out, Tunmise Adeleye recently de-committed from the Buckeyes, opening up a spot for Williams.
At Washington, the scholarships also are limited along the defensive front. The Huskies have secured commitments from defensive tackles Voi Tunuufi, Kuao Peihopa, and Siaosi Finau, and defensive end Maurice Heims.
A 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive lineman, Tuimoloau is SIAA's overall No. 2 player in the country and top defender, and a top defensive priority all schools involved for the 2021 recruiting class.
The Eastside Catholic defender has become one of the more intriguing defensive-line recruiting battles between the Huskies and Buckeyes since the Big Ten program swept in at the last second to sign defensive tackle Tommy Togiai from Pocatello, Idaho, in 2017.
So where does Williams' Buckeyes commitment leave Tuimoloau?
He still has all options.
"It doesn't really change things for the Buckeyes as Williams essentially took the spot vacated by Adeleye," Prescott of BuckeyesNow said.
Yet Ohio State remains in the running for Tywone Malone, another DT out of New Jersey. With one spot remaining on the defensive line, it may be a case of first-come, first-served for Malone and Tuimoloau.
In his estimation, Prescott noted that over the past few weeks there seems to be a shift in Tuimoloau's recruitment -- where he feels the Huskies have pulled even with Ohio State or may even lead.
He suggests that Ohio State has a more realistic shot at getting Malone than Tuimoloau.
"The pandemic has shifted things into the favor of the Huskies along with logistically Washington being so close to home," Prescott said of the Eastside Catholic player.