Ohio State monitoring commit to the offensive line at Northwestern
There are still some openings in Ohio State’s current 2024 recruiting class. The Buckeyes, who have 23 guys committed as of right now, are the second-ranked class in the country according to 247Sports. However, they still need to secure a few more before moving on to 2025 and 2026. The Ohio State staff is currently focusing a lot of attention, understandably, on the trenches out of all those spots.
In particular, Ohio State places a great deal of importance on the offensive line. Although the team currently has three players at the position, the objective has long been to add an offensive tackle. IMG Academy item Jordan Seaton has always been the preferred candidate, but hopes that he will end up in the class have soured after his visit against Michigan State was canceled due to a conflict with the practice schedule this past weekend.
Although Seaton has stated publicly that he hopes to visit and that he does have high regard for the Buckeyes, it seems improbable that he will decide on Ohio State until he is able to set foot on campus. Still, the staff is putting in extra effort to get him back to Columbus, and they will continue to do so for as long as they believe they have a chance.
The Buckeyes realize they need to have a backup plan and are looking elsewhere. When considering this, a few names immediately spring to mind. Our attention is focused on Gabe VanSickle because the staff was able to bring him in over the weekend due to a recency bias.
A prospective flip candidate to keep an eye on
Since May of this year, VanSickle, a 6-foot-5, 285-pound tackle, has made Northwestern University his home. It becomes a little easier to understand why he decided to visit the Buckeyes this past weekend in light of the changes that program has undergone over the past few months. As a result, there seems to be increasing assurance that he could be a viable flip candidate for Ohio State.
VanSickle, who hails from Coopersville, Michigan, is a challenging player who coaches a high school football team in the same conference. He is undoubtedly the best player on his offensive line, but he’s also among the state’s best players at his position in general. Even though there was game planning to avoid him after facing him in the third week of the season, his presence was still felt.
Not much has been said regarding his plans since his visit. Although it’s not unusual for a prospect who isn’t particularly vocal and active on social media, this is a hiring worth keeping an eye on. The Buckeyes will undoubtedly put in more effort with VanSickle if they are unable to make any headway with Seaton.
According to 247Sports Composite, VanSickle is a three-star recruit who is ranked as both the No. 14 player out of Michigan and the No. 61 interior offensive lineman. In any case, it’s worth seeing his senior picture.
VanSickle was among the three prospective flip candidates—Florida defensive line commit Amaris Williams and Miami wide receiver commit Chance Robinson—who were present at the Michigan State game and whom Ohio State is attempting to persuade to break their current commitments.
