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2022 California Defensive Tackle Hero Kanu Includes Ohio State Among Top Schools

The native of Germany spent two days on campus in early June with PPI Recruits' DreamChasers Tour.

Andrew Lind

Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Catholic four-star defensive tackle Hero Kanu included Ohio State in his top nine on Friday alongside Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, USC and Washington.

The 6-foot-5 and 293-pound Kanu, who is considered the 13th-best defensive lineman and No. 82 prospect overall in the class of 2022, landed an offer from the Buckeyes in April and made his way to campus for the first time for a one-day camp in June.

The Germany native enjoyed working out with defensive line coach Larry Johnson so much that he stayed for a second day while most of his travel group – Premier Players International, a program led by Brandon Collier that takes international football players on a tour of the United States every summer – headed to Austin, Texas, for a camp with the Longhorns.

“It’s about getting better every single day, and I would say I got better today with Coach Johnson,” Kanu told BuckeyesNow and other reporters gathered at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on June 8. “It’s different. He’s not somebody that just screams around. He really tries to teach you the moves, what you have to do, the details, how to get better. That’s what I like.”

Ohio State has never signed a player straight out of Europe, though former kicker Sean Nuernberger was born in Germany – where his father played for the country’s basketball team in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics – before he moved to the United States when he was in third grade.

Kanu wouldn’t be the first, either, since he current plays his high school ball in California. But 2023 Uppsala (Sweden) RIG Academy four-star tight end Theodor Melin Ohrstrom, who landed an offer during camp and was another member of the group to stick around for a second day, could be thanks to PPI.

“For us Europeans, we don’t really know these schools like Americans do,” Kanu said. “But now that you get into football, into the academics, you’re like, ‘That might be a good opportunity.’”

The Buckeyes are set to take as many as three defensive tackles this cycle, with Kanu; Owasso, Okla., four-star Chris McClellan; and Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove four-star Caden Curry at the top of list.

Kanu plans to take an official visit to Ohio State for the Oct. 30 game against Penn State before announcing his college commitment at the All-American Bowl on Jan. 8. Expect the Buckeyes to be among his final choices, too. 

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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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