Ohio State lands commitment from five-star athlete Jeffrey Okudah

Ohio State is losing a lot of talent from its secondary, but the Buckeyes picked up a big reinforcement on Saturday with the commitment of five-star athlete Jeffrey Okudah.
Ohio State lands commitment from five-star athlete Jeffrey Okudah
Ohio State lands commitment from five-star athlete Jeffrey Okudah /

On Saturday, five-star athlete Jeffrey Okudah made an announcement in Texas. On Monday, he'll be in Columbus to begin classes at Ohio State.

Okudah, who has long listed the Buckeyes as his leader, committed to Ohio State on Saturday during an announcement at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio. The Grand Prairie (Texas) South prospect is set to be an early enrollee, meaning he'll begin his college career when classes start in two days.

Okudah's recruitment wasn't particularly dramatic as he was generally expected to commit to Ohio State, but his other two finalists were Florida State and Oklahoma. He took official visits to all three schools during the season—first to Norman to see the Sooners take on Ohio State. Okudah visited Florida State on Oct. 29 and took his official visit to Columbus on Nov. 26 for Ohio State's double-overtime win over rival Michigan.

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While he's listed as an athlete by Scout, Okudah is expected to play defensive back—most likely safety—at Ohio State. The Buckeyes have already seen two starting defensive backs opt to leave early for the NFL in safety Malik Hooker and corner Gareon Conley, and cornerback Marshon Lattimore could depart as well, meaning Okudah will have a chance to challenge for playing time as a true freshman.


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