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Ohio State Officially Signs Best Recruiting Class Of Chris Holtmann's Tenure

Taison Chatman, Scotty Middleton, Devin Royal and Austin Parks signed their national letters of intent on Wednesday.

Andrew Lind

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Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann officially landed the best recruiting class of his tenure after guard Taison Chatman, forwards Scotty Middleton and Devin Royal and center Austin Parks signed their national letters of intent on Wednesday.

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The four-man group comprises the fifth-best haul in the class of 2023, per the 247Sports team rankings, trailing only top-ranked Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State and UConn. That tops last cycle's five-man class, which was ranked sixth nationally.

Austin Parks

C • 6-foot-9 • 240 pounds
★★★ • St. Marys (Ohio) Memorial

Parks, who is considered the 26th-best center and No. 169 prospect in the county, was the second commit in the class, joining in-state guard George Washington III, who decomitted in September and signed with Michigan on Wednesday.

Parks averaged 19.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.5 blocks per game to earn second-team Division II All-Ohio honors last season and help the Roughriders to the regional championship game, where they fell to the eventual state runner-up. 

“We are excited to officially welcome Austin and his family to The Ohio State University and our basketball family,” Holtmann said. “Austin has a tremendous combination of size, athleticism and strength for a big man.

“There is no doubt that he fits perfectly in the Scarlet and Gray. We love his skill set and feel, and we look forward to seeing his continued growth. I know he can’t wait to put on an Ohio State uniform in front of his family and friends.”

Devin Royal

PF • 6-foot-7 • 210 pounds
★★★★ • Pickerington (Ohio) Central

Royal joined the class when he picked his hometown Buckeyes over finalists Alabama and Michigan State in August. He is considered the state's top-rated player and No. 49 prospect overall in the country.

Royal averaged 19.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game last season, and notably scored 20 points while leading the Tigers' 55-48 win over Centerville in the Division I state championship in March.

“We want to officially welcome Devin and his family to our Buckeye family,” Holtmann said. “It’s clear that Ohio State holds a special place in he and his family’s hearts. Devin is a state champion, a gifted scorer and his combination of skill and toughness make him a perfect fit for the Big Ten Conference.

“We are excited for the impact he will make on our program and the greater Columbus community, and we know that he is going to represent Buckeye Nation with great pride and passion.”

Scotty Middleton

SF • 6-foot-6 • 180 pounds
★★★★ • Wichita (Kan.) Sunrise Christian Academy

Middleton became the highest-rated player to ever commit to Holtmann in August, though he's since dropped four spots to the No. 38 prospect overall in his class. He picked Ohio State over Kansas, Seton Hall, Texas A&M and UConn.

Middleton averaged 7.8 points per game and shot 50 percent from three-point range while playing a national schedule last season that included IMG Academy, Oak Hill Academy and Montverde Academy, among others.

“Scotty is another tremendous addition to our program,” Holtmann said. “Scotty is a gifted athlete with two-way potential that provides positional size and versatility on the perimeter.

“His ability to impact the game on the defensive end of the floor is special. Buckeye Nation is going to love his personality and competitiveness, and we can’t wait for him to get here and get to work.”

Taison Chatman

CG • 6-foot-4 • 170 pounds
★★★★ • Minneapolis Totino-Grace

Chatman was the final piece of the class, committing to Ohio State in September over finalists Kansas, Minnesota, Virginia and Xavier. His decision came after Washington backed off his pledge, suggesting the Buckeyes didn't have room for both. 

Chatman averaged 13.5 points per game to lead the Eagles to their first Class 3A state championship last season and scored 15 points in the title game. He is considered the 10th-best combo guard and No. 43 prospect overall in the 2023 cycle. 

“We are really excited to add Taison to our program,” Holtmann said. “From the day we met Taison and his family, it was obvious that they are close and love the game. We are thrilled to welcome all of them to our family.

“Taison is a gifted scorer with an ability to create for others, as well. He plays with a mature pace and provides versatility as a multi-positional guard. A proven winner and state champion, Buckeye Nation is going to enjoy watching Taison represent our program.”

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Andrew Lind
ANDREW LIND

Andrew Lind is an Ohio State beat writer and photographer at BuckeyesNow, founder of The Ohio State Uniform Database and the NCAA and NFL writer at SportsLogos.net.

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