2021 Defensive End Commit J.T. Tuimoloau To Play Basketball At Ohio State

He could become the first athlete to play football and basketball for the Buckeyes since Nate Salley.

Ohio State landed a long-awaited commitment on Sunday afternoon from Sammamish (Wash.) Eastside Catholic five-star defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, who picked the Buckeyes over finalists Oregon, USC and Washington.

That said, the football program isn’t the only one that stands to benefit, as Tuimoloau also plans to walk on to the Buckeyes’ basketball program this season.

It’s worth noting the 6-foot-5 and 277-pound Tuimoloau will count solely toward Ohio State’s 85-man scholarship limit for football, not the 13-man limit in basketball, per NCAA rules. It’s assumed he’ll join Chris Holtmann’s roster once the football season is over.

Tuimoloau averaged 18 points and eight rebounds during his pandemic-shortened senior season with the Crusaders while playing guard, forward and center. He would become the first athlete to play both football and basketball for the Buckeyes since safety Nate Salley did the same in 2002-03.

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