Eric Boggs
Although our nation celebrated Independence Day with fireworks from coast to coast, Ohio State was oddly quiet as there were no recruiting “BOOMS” on July 4th. The Buckeyes were in the mix to land another elite recruit, one of the best players in the country, but they fell just short.
Dakorien Moore, a top wide receiver, had initially committed to LSU until May when he reopened his recruitment and visited four different schools. Ultimately, Moore chose Oregon, a school that is assembling a strong class in Eugene. Last cycle, the Buckeyes secured the top wideout in Jeremiah Smith and aimed to replicate that success two years straight. However, Moore, a Duncanville, Texas native, will be heading to Oregon.
Ohio State hosted Moore for his first official visit at the end of May. Afterward, he visited LSU, Texas, and Oregon. Moore, standing at 5-foot-11, is a talented playmaker at wide receiver with a promising college career ahead of him in Oregon’s offense. Despite losing out on Moore, Ohio State’s wide receiver room remains strong. The Buckeyes brought in top 50 player Quincy Porter and four-star wideout De’Zie Jones, whom wide receiver coach Brian Hartline admires. Additionally, Ohio State believes they have found a hidden gem in Bodpegn Miller.
The Buckeyes continue to recruit other top talents like Jaime Ffrench, Phillip Bell, and Daylen McCutcheon, and it would not be surprising for Ohio State to add another wide receiver to round out the class. Moore committing elsewhere was not a major setback and will not hurt Ohio State’s recruiting momentum. The Buckeyes have been developing wide receivers at a high rate and should continue to do so as long as Hartline is leading the unit.
Meanwhile, Andrew Stargel, celebrating his birthday on the Fourth of July, announced his commitment to UCF. The Roswell (Ga.) offensive lineman had been a longtime target of Gus Malzahn and Herb Hand. Stargel favored UCF after a March unofficial visit and took official visits to UCF, Ohio State, and NC State in June.
In other news, Ohio State’s next significant opportunity to land a top recruit will be on July 6. Ohio State fans can look forward to more potential commitments and the continued development of a strong class under the guidance of Coach Ryan Day and the rest of the coaching staff.
