Ohio State recruiting UPDATE: Commitment coming for the Buckeyes? | Latest on David Jacobs

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1:06It was me at the store with my mouth. Motive? Um, their Reese's. What was I going to do? Stop myself. Tune in next time to see if I do it again. Spoiler, I will. Wow, that had everything. Reese's. Suspense. Reese's. College football is back. So Hilton called to me the superstition concierge to make your fan rituals a reality. Need a room to match your lucky number? We got you. Want to make sure our team doesn't wash your lucky jersey? Oh, that smells lucky. Hilton's unmatched hospitality can keep up with any superstition even a marching bandwick up call at 555 and 55 seconds. Hit it. When you need a team that will do whatever it takes on game day, it matters where you stay. Hilton for the stay. I'll admit it. I'm one of those people who gets excited for football season way before the first kickoff. That's why a trip to total wine and more has become part of my game day routine. I can

2:10get the cooler ready with my favorite beers and ready to drink cocktails. I'm usually picking up enough for everybody. So it's nice knowing I'm scoring the lowest prices. This season make total wine and more part of your game day tradition. Spirits are not sold in Virginia and North Carolina. Drink responsibly B21. Welcome back everyone to another edition of the Letterman Roe recruiting podcast. My name is Mick Walker. I cover Ohio State recruiting for Letterman Roe.com and rivals. But as always, if you're here, you guys know that. So you don't want to hear the pleasantries. We're ready to get into the content. We have a great show coming for you guys today. Two weeks ago, we had Alan Trubon, rival's expert Alan Trubon in the show. Last week we previewed Illinois visitors and this week we have another guest, the man the myth alleging rivals vice president of transfer portal and recruiting Steve Wiltfong. He's going to come on show to talk about Ohio State's visitors for the Illinois weekend. Talk a little David Jacobs and Dawson Jacobs. Talk a little Jordan Hall. So that's how we're going to be doing it on today's show. Before we get started though, we got to thank our sponsors as always, roeback.com. Thank you guys over at roeback.com for supporting Letterman

3:14Roe. Thank you guys for supporting YouTube channel. So if you guys hear this, you guys see this. Go over to roeback.com and support them as well. Use code letterman20 to get 20% off your first order over at roeback.com. So we think they're for them for their support of this show. Let's get into our interview with rivals vice president of recruiting and transfer portal Steve Wiltfong. We got him folks. There he is. Rivals, vice president of recruiting and transfer portal. Steve Wiltfong. Steve, good friend of mine. I appreciate you joining the show though. I know you got a busy schedule, but thanks for making the time of for us over at Letterman Roe. Man, no more or no less than the next guy as far as busyness goes. Always a pleasure being on talking Ohio State football recruiting. This thing's rocking the roll in top class in 2027. Number one class early in 2028 in a huge game on the road inside Kinnex Stadium this weekend. I know you'll have the crock spots rolling for a good another Saturday of college football Steve, but I said also

4:15to big Saturday last week and with Illinois coming the town they had their biggest weekend visit weekend to date so far the season obviously Michigan Oregon coming up in November. Those will be about as big a weekends as any college has this season, but when it comes to what you've learned, what you've heard come out of this Illinois game. I know you've written a couple different things. What are the big takeaways? What are some of the guys you've gotten to spoken to? Well, I feel like I talked to a lot of the blue chippers that were on campus for Ohio State's victory over Illinois and a four star safety brand in Nash. I feel like it's down to when he's in the class. Out of St. John Bosco powerhouse in California, Ohio State's led for a long time there and I think this visit, you know, continued the buckeye's on the trajectory of ultimately getting him in the fold. Number one interior offensive lineman in the country Joey Fleming visited. Obviously my predictions on Alabama right now for the in-state recruit for the crimson tide, but he said it was truly amazing and visited in the spring now called a game day visit said he'll be back in the future. Ohio State remains one of the front runners for Joey Fleming. Theo shot

5:20from Zinesville High School here in the community I live in. He took his visit Ohio State's one of his favorites alongside Notre Dame and Indiana, Oregon to name a few others. Keenan Bailey anytime he plays that's first coach they hear from on Saturday mornings typically coach Bailey watching Theo shots game film hit three touchdowns in his game this past Friday. So they had a lot to talk about in person on Saturday with Theo's moms first time visiting Ohio State watching Jeremiah Smith have a huge game reconnecting with coach Bailey coach day and the coaching staff, you know, Ohio State's one of his top schools and he's excited to see where that goes. You know, Ohio State's one of the favorites for the number eight corner in the country. Langston, Pregion from the East Coast. I wouldn't be surprised if he ultimately ended up in the class. Visited Notre Dame two weekends ago. Was that Ohio State this past weekend for junior tech others in play there. Jalen Flowers number two safety in the country five star caliber prospect

6:21from California. He's been to Ohio State four times now. So obviously Ohio State's one of his favorites and it was another great visit for him in Columbus. I mean these guys see a program that develops players for the NFL. They see a place where the players on the team have a great amount of pride for playing for the buck guys and it's an environment that they'd like to be in playing with guys that are like minded playing for a coaching staff that gets the best out of their players in every single position room and Ohio State plays in the biggest games year and a year out there in annual college football playoff contender and the city of Columbus the modern NIL the resources that Ohio State has for their players. It's tough to beat anywhere in the land and these recruits that were on campus over the weekend felt that. No doubt about that. I talked to Langston as well. It seemed like he really loved him won his mom's at Ohio State graduate. So obviously her getting back in the shoe I think was a good moment for the entire family. But I do want to go back to Theo shot. You mentioned there you have designs. You probably know Theo's recruitment better than anybody else in the recruiting world. But I know he's somebody that Ohio State would really love to pair with Luke so I have Saoada who they already have committed it tight in. What's

7:24kind of the read on that recruitment that Ohio State do you think make any moves after this weekend and who are some of the other contenders there? Well they're for sure one of the front runners. I mean I think Notre Dame's a program that you need to watch closely for Theo shot grew up watching the Irish and has been blown away by a couple visits up to Notre Dame and what they've done historically with the tight end position. Notre Dame's obviously a program in great position. I don't know if there's a program that's been recruiting him harder consistently than Oregon. He visited their last season. He's going out there for another game this season. They've done a great job recruiting him. But Ohio State has really come on strong in this recruitment and coach Bailey and that staff have made a great impression. And the program speaks for itself. The offense, the style of play, the consistency and it was another great showing on Saturday the shoe, the history, the tradition, the pop and circumstance at Ohio State and then proximity to home. It's only three hours from here and the great players that have come out of the Indianapolis area and played well

8:25at Ohio State. So it was again it was his mom's first time on campus. I would imagine he'll be back. Coach Keenan Bailey's doing his good job as anyone presently in recruiting him and making him feel like a priority. And so I think Ohio State's in the ballgame for that one. Another guy you caught up with was 2029 tied in, hanged oil up there from grafting Wisconsin. You mentioned Keenan Bailey a couple times already. But what's the kind of impression they made on oil on this first visit to Columbus? Keenan obviously does a great job of making everybody feel at home and then builds really good meaningful relationships with them when they leave campus. Ohio State will obviously be one to watch for Hank as this process continues. And then you mentioned Brandon Nash like right at the beginning when we started talking about this. You were one of the handful arrivals experts that put an RPM pick in for Ohio State to eventually land Brandon. What went into that and what what do you kind of hear about that recruitment and astray as a visit? Well the first time I saw Brandon I don't know if it was at an overtime 7 on 7 in Texas or they all run together but it was very early in his recruitment. And Ohio State was the program catching his eye then and now he's

9:27been on campus a couple times now each time he feels at home feels like it's a place that would bring the best out of it as a player and this visit just you know continued to make him feel at home and talking to my colleagues and and and other sources. No question who leads in that recruitment. Got you. Steven I could go back and forth named for name on the Ohio State visitors. Let's for Illinois but if I get them on this podcast the one thing all you guys are going to know about is what is he hearing what's the latest pulse with David Jacobs Dawson Jacobs they both visited Tennessee this past week in Stevens. Is there any do you have any current pulse on that? What's kind of going on as school's continue to chip away as the at the 5 star Buff guy commit? Well David DJ Jacobs and his dad had been consistent in saying anything could happen from now leading up to the early signing period but when I talked to his dad going into the visit to Tennessee he that was as infatic disease ever been about how solid David is in his recruitment and that they'll get back up to Ohio State and that Dawson's going through his process and these visits are about Dawson

10:28and he's going to make the decision that's best for him with all that being said there's confidence around Tennessee that they can get both of them in the fold and and that cannot possibly be unfounded. So Tennessee's alive in that recruitment and certainly Ohio State fans know that the balls have the chops to win those kind of recruiting battles and we'll see how the season continues and what Tennessee continues to show on Saturdays but between Rodney Garner coach Noles there's some track record of really good defensive coaching staff coaching now in Knoxville. Now I think when Ohio State got David Jacobs in the fold they'd deraille and beat Miami there at the buzzer which is everybody knows that if they're tuning in and so in addition to Ohio State's track record and everything they offer on the field and certainly this was a modern recruiting win and so we'll see where things continue to go in the recruitment of David DJ Jacobs but from my sources and what my

11:31colleagues are reporting Tennessee still got a pulse in this one. Yeah and you mentioned Miami already at Miami is going to continue to recruit David as well DJ Jacobs. I his dad told me that Nebraska reached out to get Dawson on campus again I imagine that could lead to maybe Dawson and DJ getting on on campus and linking at some point but also to take all the visits with his brother but the one that Tennessee just seems to mean more. Yeah no doubt about that but the good thing for Ohio State is his dad did tell Letterman Row and myself that they're going to be on campus for the Oregon game in November 7th and then again for the Michigan game on November 29th or 28th which will be for all intents and purposes I assume his last visit to any school so get that one right before they arrive before signing day that's big and we're talking flip season a little bit there you I don't know if you got the special out just yet Steve and this guy's not exactly a flip anymore because he's decommitted from his previous school but one of the hot names in 2027 at this one is Jordan Hall the three star running back from Cincinnati Princeton. I know you wrote a little about his official visit to Penn State this past weekend he took an official visit Ohio State the Ken State game what's kind of what's your pulse there what are you hearing about Jordan Hall and

12:33Ohio State's pursuits. Well Ohio State's pushing art it's hard to imagine I'm ending up anywhere else I mean he visited for the ball state game and obviously returned for his official visit and I was just at Penn State Penn State was the first P4 program to offer him and he feels good about that opportunity and he's he's landed some other scholarships from Azuz Cincinnati to name a couple top of mind but Ohio State's been really impressive what they've done historically what Carlos Lachlan's done and for Ohio State's on the gas it's hard to imagine him not staying home. Gatchin you mentioned it earlier at the top Steve we'll get you out on this name off some of those guys they're going to be in a not Kinnex stadium for this Ohio State Iowa game because there's a couple of Ohio State targets like you I believe Brody Metzer is going to be on your list of names but Ohio State James Loronized they don't he hasn't got enough for you but Ohio State lakes then nine the an eight man football player the linebacker Brody Metzer who's going to be able to see the buckais in person this weekend. Yeah Brody Big Riser in the recent rivals 300 update he's a top of the board linebacker for a lot of schools nationally and and he'll be on campus there you know

13:34four star offensive lineman Carter Barrett rivals 300 athletes Isaiah Grant who Oregon recently offered he's a receiver target and someone that's got some dynamic play playmaking ability offensive lineman Wyatt Van Boney he's a rivals 300 recruit top 100 player trending Notre Dame right now but Iowa's shooting their shot with him Pierce Washington's a rivals 300 receiver from Tennessee excited to take his visit this weekend so Iowa will have a terrific crop of prospects on campus and actually tweeted yesterday because I see people act like Kirk Farens in Iowa is a program where they don't have great players and so it kind of annoys me on Twitter when when people say less is more they do more with less and I guess that's your perception of what you think less is but I view your roster in the talent level that you have based on them getting drafted and then the success that they have

14:36on the next level and I always had some fantastic players some all big 10 players some high draft picks and some guys that have gone on to be the very best at their position in the NFL in the Kirk Farens era some of those guys were ranked four and every once in a while five stars but a lot of those guys were ranked three stars and no stars and we're under recruited I know everybody likes to point out the recruiting rankings and say well you missed on them and we did we did we missed on a lot of Iowa guys and so did a lot of their peers that could have recruited them also to their programs and then had to play against them on Saturdays and I think Iowa does a great job of identifying players with high upsides guys that will come in and impact any culture in a positive way play football the right way physical up front in the trenches they are one of the first programs to invest over a million dollars in nutrition and then Urban Meyer found out about that and then Ohio State became one of the next programs to invest over a million dollars in nutrition so although

15:36they have not always been they don't recruit top 10 recruiting classes on the front and you are judged in my opinion on what they do in college or recruiting classes just a preview of what you might be and if you consistently recruit top classes I believe that you will compete for titles but people always ask me it was what's the best recruiting class you've ever seen and it was one that wasn't even ranked number one I mean it was the Ohio State class with OSA and Ezekiel Elliott and all those first rounders they were a highly ranked class when they came in but the NFL drafts says that they were arguably the best recruiting class of all time and certainly they want a national championship with that group as well and so Iowa my tweet this week going off the rails they got ball players and they're in stuff out and sometimes sometimes I haven't had a quarterback they've wasted some elite Phil Parker defenses they've had national championship defenses there under coach Parker he is as good at his job in college football as anyone same as like Mickey I had a tweet earlier

16:42this season actually that Phil Parker and Mickey Marathi are two guys that are as good at what they do in college football as anybody at any job in any role from head coach all the way down and so I'm excited to watch this game I mean I'm picking Ohio State to beat Iowa on the road but Ohio states lining up against NFL players and when people in the season say that the Big 10 only has like three good teams you go to Kinnex Stadium and play Iowa on the road and tell me that the Big 10 only has three good teams and we're not talking like you you know first hand because they got a handful of Indianapolis guys Trevor Lafayton Jones on that roster but those are guys that they be or Iowa state look considered offering but never offering they went on to Iowa have successful careers a lot of those guys on the visitors list Carter Barrett like said Brody Metzger Pierce Wash and then I has an Ohio State officer that they are beating competing with Ohio State on the recruiting trail so that's why I wanted you to bring up the list it's a high state so opportunity to impress these recruits on the road but also I was getting some like hosting some legitimate

17:42projects for this game and that's that's important for the buckais as well. These are games of ghetto Ohio State prepared for the playoffs because I was going to bring it at the Linus Grimich. Not doubt about that Steven you bring it every time you come on a show any podcast so you guys go check out the Wolf Hop Rift whip whip around with him and Josh Newberg on the ride with YouTube channel go read it on Mondays when it comes out and I know Steve will be over on the Lettahman non-smashage board here in the coming weeks of a Maryland will be a big recruiting weekend for the buckais so I imagine we'll see him next week but thanks for joining me Steve I appreciate you coming tuning in you being on another show of the Lettahman Rover recruiting podcast. Take care Mick appreciate y'all. And there we go thank you to Steve for joining the show today. Hope you guys got a lot out of that one it was always good to catch up with Steve the man knows everything that's going on in the college football recruiting world so once again thank you to our sponsors over at roback.com for allowing this show to happen allow us to have guests on like Steve to be able to talk about Ohio State recruiting at the highest level possible on YouTube when it comes to the podcast platforms the show so I think you guys are tuning in thank you guys for watching another edition at the Lettahman Roe recruiting podcast.