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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Michael Chen

Signing Day Superlatives: Which Ohio State signees will have major impacts

Ohio State Ohio State football IN OH Football Brandon Inniss Bryson Rodgers Will Smith Jr Brian Hartline Buckeyes

For most of the recruiting world, Christmas used to be in February. That all changed when the early signing period was introduced. It is much closer to the actual holiday, and on Wednesday recruits who have been committed to their respective schools can finally make it official.

For Ohio State, it once again signed a top recruiting class, headlined by multiple players who could have gone anywhere in the country to play football.

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There are plenty of impact players all over this class, and I took a crack at which ones will make what kind of impact during their Ohio State careers.

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Instant impact - offense

As the only five-star of the group, it was an easy selection. Brandon Inniss has the talent to crack the field in his first year at any school in the country, even with the deep wide receiver room at Ohio State. This group will return the majority of its yardage from this past season (as long as no one enters the portal). Yes, it will be hard to crack the rotation, but if one player on offense can do it early, it’s Inniss. He will come into the program with lofty expectations and should contribute immediately.

Instant impact - defense

One of the cornerbacks will have to contribute early, and I’m guessing it’s going to be Calvin Simpson-Hunt. He has great hips and speed (a track background) along with great anticipation. Simpson-Hunt is a great tackler who can play on the line of scrimmage or off it. He is stronger than you’d think for someone who is 190 pounds. Given his spending time in Mickey Marotti’s program, he should get even stronger and better able to battle older receivers.

Redshirt but high ceiling - offense

It’s hard for any freshman to make an immediate impact, but given a year to get used to playing at the next level can help prospects. That will be the case with quarterback Lincoln Kienholz. The talent is there but playing in South Dakota will not help his cause. He’s a true dual-threat quarterback and will be in the mix for playing time down the line.

Redshirt but high ceiling - defense

Will Smith Jr. has a similar frame to his late father, with whom I crossed paths with on multiple occasions during my time in Columbus. The elder was a key component to a defense that won a national championship and the younger could help the Buckeyes do the same in the future. Smith is a bit light at 260 pounds to be a force right away on the interior of a defense line. Once he adds 20-25 pounds, Smith has the ability to be a force on the line.

Future award winner - offense

We could argue all day about how Marvin Harrison Jr. should have won the Biletnikoff this year, but the time will come for another Ohio State receiver to break that drought. It’s really pick a name out of a hat from Brandon Inniss, Noah Rogers and Carnell Tate. I’m a bit biased because I’ve known Tate since his freshman year and have heard plenty of rave reviews about his work ethic. That’s why I’m picking him to one day be on the short list of best players at his position in the country.

Future award winner - defense

The lone verbal of the day, Joshua Mickens, should have a fantastic career ahead of him. He’s long, lean and athletic with a great burst. He needs time in the weight room to combat offensive tackles that right now outweigh him by around 75 pounds: Most tackles are around 300 pounds. The ceiling is very high and Mickens has the ability to one day be mentioned with Chase Young and the Bosa brothers.

Underrated - offense

Wide receivers coach Brian Hartline knows talented pass-catchers when he sees them, and Bryson Rodgers fits that bill. Hartline doesn’t reach to add to his room though it might seem like that when looking at Rodgers’ recruiting ranking. His tape reminds me a whole lot of Chris Olave, who also was very much underrated coming out of high school. Both run very clean routes, have great hands and are gliders. Neither seem to be running fast, but before you know it, they’re behind everyone in the secondary. The Buckeyes found a gem with Rodgers.

Underrated - defense

When you go into SEC country and fend off home state Georgia, Florida, LSU — along with Michigan, Texas and USC — it should be viewed as a massive recruiting win. That’s how I view defensive tackle Kayden McDonald’s signing with Ohio State. He has a rare college-ready body for an interior defensive lineman, but his recruiting rankings are low for a player with his impressive offer list. McDonald is my pick to outperform his ranking.

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