Buckeyes Now

2022 Kettering (Ohio) Archbishop Alter Linebacker C.J. Hicks Signs With Ohio State

The Buckeyes have just secured a signature from the top-rated player in the state.

Andrew Lind

HICKS PROFILE

Hometown: Kettering, Ohio

High School: Archbishop Alter

Size: 6-foot-3, 215 pounds

Composite Ranking: ★★★★★

Commitment Date: May 1, 2020

Recruitment Recap: Hicks burst onto the recruiting scene with a strong performance at a one-day camp in Columbus in June 2019, but didn’t land an offer from Ohio State until the following April. 

Once that happened, it was only a matter of time before Hicks committed to the Buckeyes. He officially jumped on board in May 2020 and immediately took on a leadership role in the class, ignoring offers from the likes of Alabama, Clemson, LSU and Oregon along the way.

Affectionately referred to as “Captain Buckeye,” Hicks attended every home game and was constantly recruiting others to join him at Ohio State, whether it was on social media or on the sidelines on game day.

Evaluation: “Hicks paces one of the stronger position groups at the top with the combination of elite length, three-phase athleticism and that knack for finding the football," SI All-American director of recruiting John Garcia said. "Hicks will return punts and make plays on offense, but he is most at home attacking the ball carrier and/or quarterback from depth.

"The twitch is easy to see on tape and he can finish behind his pads as well. As he continues to focus on the intricacies of being a college linebacker, like taking more efficient paths to the football, Hicks has the chance to get a lot better in a relatively short amount of time."

Hicks was named a Butkus Award finalist this fall after a senior season in which he recorded 79 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and two interceptions, one of which he returned 99 yards for a touchdown.

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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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