Ohio State Commits, Targets Listed Throughout Preseason SI99 Recruiting Rankings

Five future Buckeyes make SI All-American’s initial list of the nation’s top senior football players.

Over the last month, SI All-American has released positional watch lists as a lead up to the annual unveiling of the SI99, which is based upon a blend of game tape and camp evaluations and ranks the best high school football seniors regardless of position.

The Preseason #SI99 https://t.co/I8LNFAaxhw

— SI All-American (@SIAllAmerican) August 4, 2021

With five commitments on the list, Ohio State trails only Clemson and Alabama, which placed eight and six players apiece. The Buckeyes remain in pursuit of several others on the list, including one former pledge and several top targets, as listed below:

Commits:

• No. 13 - Kettering (Ohio) Archbishop Alter linebacker C.J. Hicks

• No. 17 - Little Elm, Texas, cornerback Terrance Brooks

• No. 52 - Chicago St. Rita wide receiver Kaleb Brown

• No. 94 - Chandler, Ariz., wide receiver Kyion Grayes

• No. 55 - Memphis Christian Brothers running back Dallan Hayden

Top Targets:

• No. 7 - Opa Locka (Fla.) Monsignor Pace defensive end Shemar Stewart

• No. 9 - Jacksonville (Fla.) Robert E. Lee cornerback Jaheim Singletary

• No. 31 - Duncanville, Texas, defensive end Omari Abor

• No. 35 - Altoona (Iowa) Southeast Polk safety Xavier Nwankpa

• No. 53 - Las Vegas Bishop Gorman safety Zion Branch

• No. 78 - Humble (Texas) Atascocita offensive tackle Kam Dewberry

• No. 79 - Owasso, Okla., defensive tackle Chris McClellan

• No. 82 - Montgomery (Ala.) Park Crossing defensive tackle Khurtiss Perry

• No. 83 - Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep defensive end Kenyatta Jackson

• No. 90 - Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove defensive tackle Christen Miller

Soon-to-be Ohio State freshman quarterback Quinn Ewers would have been No. 1 on the list, but his decision to reclassify and join the Buckeyes this fall dropped him from the rankings. He retroactively tops last year’s SI99, though, which is why the program now sits atop last cycle’s team rankings. 

Of course, the evaluation process will continue until there are just 25 players who can call themselves Sports Illustrated All-Americans. But as it stands now, Florida State wide receiver commit Travis Hunter is the No. 1 player in the country in Ewers’ place.

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