Recruiting: Zen Michalski Officially Commits to Ohio State

Class of 2021 offensive lineman decommitted from Louisville earlier this week.

Zenuae "Zen" Michalski (Floyds Knobs, Ind.) made things official Saturday evening, as the class of 2021 offensive lineman officially flipped from Louisville to Ohio State. He also had Penn State an Florida State listed as potential options.

The 6-foot-6, 285-pound tackle from Floyd Central High School originally committed to the Cardinals back in late April, shortly after the pandemic shutdown, but decided to reopen his recruitment after the Buckeyes and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa offered in early September. Despite technically living in a different state, Michalski’s hometown is only 15 minutes from the Louisville campus… which he never actually visited.

"I went up (to Columbus) mainly looking for a feeling,” Michalski said to local radio station 98.5 FM, about a recent trip with his father. “It felt like I’d been there a million times before, and that I’d been living there for years. We stepped out of the car and I decided within that hour I wanted to go there.”

Ohio State then swooped in and likely changed the game for Michalski just a few games into his senior season. He is somewhere around a top-10 player in the state of Indiana but no major recruiting outlet has previously ranked him inside the top 30 at his position.

10000% COMMITED #GoBucks 🅾️🌰 pic.twitter.com/F9qjXf3vEe

— Zenuae Michalski (@ZenuaeM) October 3, 2020

The Buckeyes now boast three offensive linemen in the 2021 cycle, pairing Michalski with guards Donovan Jackson (Bellaire, Texas) and in-state product Ben Christman (Richfield, Ohio). Jackson is the No. 2 interior linemen ranked by SI All-American, and situated 31st on the Preseason SI99 list.

“I know there will be a lot of competition,” Michalski added about joining the Buckeye program. “But playing with some of the best college players on the planet can also help make you the best.”

This also means that Ohio State has likely fallen back, or completely out, in the chase for heralded recruit Tristan Leigh. He appears to be favoring LSU.

Ohio State and Alabama remain in a battle for the nation’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class, as both national powers have been flip-flopping throughout recent weeks.

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