The Buckeyes have been on quite the run in the past few months of recruiting for the 2023 class, landing some big time targets in five-stars Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss. Ohio State also found themselves on the right end of some big time four-star recruitments in Noah Rogers, Kayin Lee, Calvin Simpson-Hunt, and Jermaine Mathews. 

For the class of 2024 however, the Buckeyes only hold one commitment. It just happens to be the No.1 overall recruit in the country (Chandler, Arizona quarterback Dylan Raiola). 

The Ohio State staff have caught fire early for the 2024 class in Arizona but can they land another top 100 prospect out of Chandler? The Buckeyes recently offered high four-star speedster Miles Lockhart following a camp visit last month where he posted a blazing 4.47 40-yard dash time. Lockhart explained that he believes this is what earned him his offer from Ohio State.

WOW….AGTG after a great camp & visit, and an even better conversation with @CoachTimWalton and @ryandaytime I am beyond blessed to have EARNED an offer from THE OHIO STATE !! 🌰 #gobucks pic.twitter.com/nlA1WKrUei

— Miles Lockhart (@MilesLockhart1) June 21, 2022

“I ran my 40 time at the camp with the drills and I think they really liked me from there,” said Lockhart.

The Buckeyes staff has never been one to dish out an excess amount of offers under head coach Ryan Day. So when one does get dished out, Day makes sure it’s a player he must have. 

“I spoke to Coach Day in his office and he wanted to see how interested I really was in coming there,” said Lockhart. “He told me that he doesn’t really give out offers to everyone so when he does he wants to recruit them really hard because they want them to be there. He told me the offer holds a lot of weight and I liked that.”

Ohio State has certainly started to build on that Arizona pipeline in guys like Denzel Burke and Lathan Ransom. Specifically, Ohio State has zeroed in on the Chandler area with players like Raiola, as well as current true freshman wide receiver Kyion Grayes. Lockhart mentioned he had the chance to speak to Grayes as well as touched upon the Arizona pipeline to Columbus. 

“Ohio State is really big actually here (in Arizona),” said Lockhart. “Just seeing that those guys can go there, like Denzel Burke, who came out of my area, it gives you hope. I know all those other guys too so it’s really just cool to see that they can go to Ohio State and not only go there, but they can play and they can thrive in that environment. When I was on my visit, I talked to Kyion. We met up and he talked to me about how great the school is and how it just feels like the right decision for him but he could also see how it would be a great fit for me.”

Lockhart is currently ranked as a top three player in the state of Arizona and a top 100 player nationally. The blazing four-star is listed as an athlete but is being recruited by Ohio State as a defensive back. This means Ohio State secondary coach Tim Walton is leading the way in this recruitment and Lockhart touched upon his relationship with the highly regarded coach.

“Coach Walton is really cool, I liked everything about him when I met him,” said Lockhart. “I feel like it’s already a really good and strong relationship that we have built so far but I know it’s going to get even better as the years go on in my recruiting process.” 

It is certainly easy to see why Ohio State has their eyes set on Lockhart not only as an athlete, but as an individual. The coveted four-star has a great mind set in terms of all the success he has found thus far in his football career.

“When I first started football I never really thought I’d be here,” said Lockhart. “In all honesty, my parents have always told me to just keep a level head and don’t really focus on the rankings. My dad has always told me it’s really just someone’s opinion and there’s always a bigger fish out there, so I just need to focus on me and do what I can do to keep a level head and find my own success.” 

Lockhart has already found himself with 18 offers nationally, and that number is sure to rise in the coming years. With Ohio State joining the mix so early where will they fit now and in the future?

“The Buckeyes will always be at the top for me,” said Lockhart. “Right now especially but I think for the rest of my recruiting process, they’re a school that’s going to be hard to decline when it’s all said and done. They stand really high for me and there’s not a lot of schools that can compete with Ohio State for me.”