Henderson, Pryor Give Ohio State Rare Backfield Tandem

Buckeyes will be loaded at running back with two Top 100 recruits

The last school to get two verbal commitments from two Top 100 running back recruits and actually get them into the same backfield won a Rose Bowl when it was a College Football Playoff semifinal.

Ohio State would take that.

OK, plus one more win than Georgia managed in 2018.

To that, you can say, "Hey, don't get greedy," but OSU already seems in violation of recruiting gluttony by loading up on five-star running back TreVeyon Henderson of Hopewell, Va., and four-star running back Evan Pryor of Charlotte, N.C.

Both have pledged to sign with the Buckeyes in the 2021 recruiting class, making them the first pair of Top 100 backs to select the same school since Georgia's Sony Michel and Nick Chubb did so in 2014.

Michel and Chubb are now the lead running backs for the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns, respectively, and the NFL is undoubtedly where where Henderson and Pryor see themselves some day.

That day can't come before 2024, however, unless something changes with the rule that prohibits players from entering the NFL until they are three years removed from college.

That gives Henderson and Pryor a long time to make an impact for Ohio State, which is a bit running back thin for 2020 with J.K. Dobbins entering the NFL Draft and Master Teague hobbled by an injury suffered on the first day of spring practice.

Teague's injury may allow him to play when the season starts, assuming it starts on time.

If it does and he does not, OSU will have Oklahoma transfer Trey Sermon and holdovers Marcus Crowley and DeMario McCall, plus incoming freshman Miyan Williams of Cincinnati Winton Woods.

Hopewell RB Tre Henderson didn't need an official visit to Columbus to know Ohio State was the best school for him. Hear from @TreveyonH15 and @HopewellFB HC @rirby18 on the decision for Henderson to play at @OhioStateFB in 2021.@CBS6 #FSFCBS6 pic.twitter.com/X6wdd2VrGa

— Sean Robertson (@CBS6SportsSean) March 30, 2020

Pryor committed to OSU two weeks ago and Henderson followed last week, although he told WTVR-TV in Richmond that he let Ohio State coach Ryan Day know in January he was likely to commit soon.

"I felt like Ohio State was the best decision for me," Henderson said. "There was no reason to keep leading on the other colleges. I felt like I should go ahead and just don't waste the other people's time."

Henderson chose OSU, like Dobbins, despite never visiting campus. His plans to do so recently were halted by COVID-19 precautions.

"I saw everything I needed to see," he said. "They sent me a lot of videos. Due to the virus, I wasn't able to visit. They sent me a lot of videos so I could see what they do and what they're all about."

For the latest on Ohio State follow Sports Illustrated Buckeye Maven on Facebook and @BuckeyeMaven on Twitter.