National Signing Day 2023 recap: Relive the news, notes and rumors on college football recruits (2024)

Table of Contents
5:06 p.m.: Signing off on signing day 4:47 p.m.: A deeper look at Michigan’s recruiting class 4:33 p.m.: Michigan picks up 4-star Illinois WR Jyaire Hill 3:50 p.m.: Damon Wilson commits to Georgia 3;22 p.m.: Oregon suffers a recruiting loss 3:04 p.m.: More reaction to signing day 2:43 p.m.: Dabo Swinney offers bizarre NIL comment 2:26 p.m.: Did Ohio State sign a quality class? 2:18 p.m.: Five-star high school teammates sign together with Alabama 1:56 p.m.: Maryland gets a four-star flip from Ole Miss 1:37 p.m.: Tunmise Adeleye transfers to Michigan State 1:30 p.m.: Luke Fickell lands four-star corner Amare Snowden 1:20 p.m.: Day: Buckeyes know the challenge awaiting them in Peach Bowl 1:10 p.m.: Ryan Day sees little NIL enforcement 1:04 p.m.: Kayin Lee flips to Auburn 12:53 p.m.: Day won’t go down road of calling out coaches for NIL 12:45 p.m.: Day on the philosophies of recruiting running back and edge rusher 12:42 p.m.: Day talks Avery Henry 12:34 p.m.: Ryan Day discusses impact of NIL on recruiting class 12:30 p.m.: Ohio State gets Joshua Mickens’ letter 12:18 p.m.: Matayo Uiagalelei picks Oregon 12:15 p.m.: A streak that could come to an end for Ohio State 12:10 p.m.: Oregon flips Peyton Bowen from Notre Dame 12:04 p.m.: Joshua Mickens commits to Ohio State; Carnell Tate signs 11:50 a.m.: Nebraska holds on to Malachi Coleman 11:41 a.m.: How other programs are announcing signings 11:10 a.m.: 50 minutes to two key announcements 10:54 a.m.: Cedrick Hawkins is Ohio State’s 17th signing 10:43 a.m.: Dylan Edwards flips from Notre Dame to Colorado 10:35 a.m.: Is Deion Sanders poised for another surprising flip? 10:30 a.m.: Kadyn Proctor signs with Alabama 10:06 a.m.: No. 2 prospect Cormani McClain will not sign today 9:48 a.m.: Get to know a rising Ohio State assistant 9:22 a.m.: Resetting National Signing Day 9:05 a.m.: Calvin Simpson-Hunt is in 8:55 a.m.: Carnell Tate will sign Wednesday night 8:48 a.m.: Georgia hangs on to Daniel Harris, beating out Penn State 8:33 a.m.: Arvell Reese restores the Glenville pipeline 8:22 a.m.: Jason Moore becomes signing No. 14 8:07 a.m.: Ohio State’s quarterback commit is in 8:05 a.m.: An in-state signing, and a top QB flips to Oregon 7:54 a.m.: Miles Walker is signing No. 10 7:45 a.m.: A legacy is officially on board 7:38 a.m.: Ohio State’s top-ranked commit signs 7:35 a.m.: Rutgers gets announcement help from a familiar face 7:27 a.m.: First out-of-state NLI arrives 7:20 a.m.: Ohio State’s first announcement is for Malik Hartford 7:11 a.m.: Luke Montgomery announces he’s officially in 7 a.m.: Letters can start arriving 6:52 a.m.: The rankings to watch on signing day 6:30 a.m.: Meet the 20 current Ohio State commits References

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Wednesday was the first National Signing Day for the high school football recruiting Class of 2023. Prospects from across the country could sign and send in their national letters of intent to the school of their choice for the first time.

Ohio State has 19 players signed in the Class of 2023, with safety Jayden Bonsu yet to send in his NLI, and has the No. 5 class in the country according to 247Sports.com.

Relive the day as it happened as prospects made it official and signed their letters not just for Ohio State, but for teams all across the country. We had the latest news surrounding Ohio State as well as some key commitments and flips from all over college football.

Check out who had the best classes, both nationally and in the Big Ten, and where the top prospects went in the links below.

  • National Signing Day 2023: Who has the top national recruiting class?
  • Where are the nation’s top high school football players committed? National Signing Day 2023
  • Big Ten recruiting rankings: National Signing Day 2023

The most recent updates were toward the top of this post.

Recommended Buckeyes stories

  • Ohio State football’s Devin Brown used Matt Damon and John Malkovich to clarify his 2023 plans
  • Breaking down Ohio State vs. Georgia on both sides of the ball: Buckeye Talk Podcast
  • Ohio State football’s defensive failures against Michigan inspired a new slogan for facing Georgia

5:06 p.m.: Signing off on signing day

As we wrap up our coverage of National Signing Day, we do have to make a note that the Buckeyes have an incoming transfer as Kent State kicker Casey Magyar is coming to Ohio State as a grad transfer.

This will wrap up our coverage of 2023 National Signing Day. Thanks for following along with us and stay with cleveland.com for the latest news revolving around Ohio State recruiting as well as its preparations for the Peach Bowl vs. Georgia on Dec. 31.

4:47 p.m.: A deeper look at Michigan’s recruiting class

Despite winning the Big Ten for the second year in a row, Michigan hasn’t seen that success translate into recruiting. The Wolverines have the No. 16 class in the country according to 247Sports.com.

Check out their class below.

Michigan has typically not had highly ranked classes in recent years as it has not been ranked in the top 10 since 2019. But Jim Harbaugh has done a very good job at maximizing what he has through player development.

Cleveland.com rivalry reporter Jimmy Watkins wrote why the Wolverines should care more about those rankings because they could suggest that they won’t be atop the Big Ten much longer.

4:33 p.m.: Michigan picks up 4-star Illinois WR Jyaire Hill

Four-star receiver Jyaire Hill from Kankakee High School in Illinois is holding his press conference and just announced for Michigan. His commitment gives the Wolverines their 23rd commitment, nine of which are four-stars.

Here’s how 247Sports.com ranks the Big Ten’s Classes of 2023 at the moment:

3:50 p.m.: Damon Wilson commits to Georgia

Ohio State 5-star defensive end target Damon Wilson (@Damon_wilson11) has committed to Georgia https://t.co/C5TkVd4gML

— Stephen Means (@Stephen_Means) December 21, 2022

What was expected for the past couple of days became official when five-star edge rusher Damon Wilson from Florida committed to Georgia over Ohio State and others. Wilson was one of three five-star edge rushers the Buckeyes were in pursuit of late in the cycle with Keon Keeley and Matayo Uiagalelei being the others.

The Buckeyes missed on all three as Keeley committed to Alabama and Uiagalelei signed with Georgia.

3;22 p.m.: Oregon suffers a recruiting loss

Oregon has been the biggest winner of National Signing Day, getting two five-star prospects, including one via a flip, among other prospects. But it hasn’t been a perfect day for the Ducks.

Four-star cornerback Caleb Presley from Washington, who had been committed to Oregon since July, flipped his commitment to Washington.

3:04 p.m.: More reaction to signing day

Ohio State is waiting on one last commit to sign as safety Jayden Bonsu has not sent in his letter of intent. While you wait, watch our Ohio State beat writers give more reaction to what the Buckeyes did today, including more thoughts about NLI.

2:43 p.m.: Dabo Swinney offers bizarre NIL comment

Clemson as it stands is ranked 11th in the country according to 247Sports.com’s recruiting rankings. With NIL being a major topic of discussion in college football recruiting, Dabo Swinney was asked about it.

“We built this program on NIL. Probably different than what you’re thinking though... we built it on God’s Name, Image, and Likeness,” Swinney told reporters including Anna Adams of 247Sports.com.

Here is a clip of that line for full context.

2:26 p.m.: Did Ohio State sign a quality class?

Ohio State has a smaller class than many of its competitors with only 20 commits at this point. 19 of the 20 players are signed with safety Jayden Bonsu still unsigned at the moment.

The Buckeyes are fifth in the 247Sports.com team recruiting rankings and second in average recruit ranking only to Alabama. But was it a quality class?

Our Ohio State coverage team talked about it in the video below.

2:18 p.m.: Five-star high school teammates sign together with Alabama

Nick Saban and Alabama seem to be running away with the No. 1 class in the 247Sports.com rankings after the Crimson Tide got a duo of five-star prospects from the same high school.

Montgomery (Ala.) Carver five-star defensive lineman James Smith and five-star edge rusher Qua Russaw committed together to Alabama. They now give Alabama six five-star prospects, joining edge rusher Keon Keeley, safety Caleb Downs, tackle Kaden Proctor and running back Justice Haynes.

1:56 p.m.: Maryland gets a four-star flip from Ole Miss

Maryland got some bonus good news on National Signing Day when it was able to flip four-star edge rusher Neeo Avery from Ole Miss. A recruit from Maryland, Avery is the No. 314 player in the 247Sports.com composite rankings.

Avery also had offers from Arkansas, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and others.

1:37 p.m.: Tunmise Adeleye transfers to Michigan State

A name familiar to some Ohio State fans is back in the Big Ten. Former Texas A&M defensive end Tunmise Adeleye announced he is transferring to Michigan State.

Adeleye was an Ohio State commit in 2021, but decommitted from OSU in the summer and eventually signed with the Aggies. He has played in just two games in two seasons at Texas A&M.

1:30 p.m.: Luke Fickell lands four-star corner Amare Snowden

Wisconsin’s first recruiting class under Luke Fickell is a small one with only 13 commits. But Fickell landed a solid prospect on Wednesday when four-star cornerback Amare Snowden from Michigan committed to the Badgers.

Snowden also had offers from Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Notre Dame and Penn State among others.

1:20 p.m.: Day: Buckeyes know the challenge awaiting them in Peach Bowl

While recruiting is the focus right now, the Buckeyes also have to prepare to face No. 1 Georgia in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Day was asked about the game and said that he feels he and Ohio State aren’t being given much of a chance in the game against the reigning national champions.

“We know what we’re in for. We know what the challenge is,” Day said.

1:10 p.m.: Ryan Day sees little NIL enforcement

With the addition of NIL, college football recruiting may have changed permanently and has forced programs to continue to adapt on a frequent basis. Ryan Day was asked about if he thinks the NCAA is doing enough to police what’s going on and said there is little enforcement happening right now.

Doug Lesmerises asked Day if he thought players were committing to schools now to get the money and then transfer to win later on, and Day said there are things that are tough for players to walk away from. He talked about the flexibility that prospects have that they haven’t had before.

1:04 p.m.: Kayin Lee flips to Auburn

The name most likely to leave Ohio State’s class at the start of the day was four-star cornerback Kayin Lee. The flip indeed happened as during Ryan Day’s press conference, Lee flipped from Ohio State and committed to Auburn.

Elsewhere, former Ohio State commit Emory Jones transferred from Arizona State to Cincinnati. Jones was initially part of Ohio State’s 2018 class but ended up signing with Florida.

12:53 p.m.: Day won’t go down road of calling out coaches for NIL

Arguably the biggest topic in recruiting right now is NIL and how much it’s impacting recruiting. So many programs have their own collectives and can try to use that money to entice recruits.

Lately, coaches have called out others without naming names for offering their own players large sums of money to enter the transfer portal. When asked about why coaches don’t name names in that situation, Day said it wasn’t a road he wanted to go down. He also said there are some rules that need to be discussed.

He did say that in terms of NIL, recruiting is the most “hectic” thing happening right now, and that they need to continue to adjust as time goes on.

12:45 p.m.: Day on the philosophies of recruiting running back and edge rusher

Ohio State’s recruiting class features only one true edge rusher and no running back. Mark Fletcher was the team’s lone running back commit, but he flipped to Miami in the process.

Despite that and the fact that Ohio State did not land a five-star edge rusher, Ryan Day said it won’t necessarily impact their philosophy in recruiting those two positions. He also hinted that Chip Trayanum could move to running back full time.

12:42 p.m.: Day talks Avery Henry

In case you missed it on Monday, Ohio State freshman offensive lineman Avery Henry announced on Twitter that he is battling osteoscarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Day was asked about his thoughts on Henry and said that the team is behind him and that they are giving him space in a difficult time for him.

12:34 p.m.: Ryan Day discusses impact of NIL on recruiting class

Ohio State coach Ryan Day stepped up to the podium for his signing day press conference with 19 players currently signed in his class. He was asked immediately about how many players he might have lost because of NIL, and he said he was more interested in talking about the players they did sign vs. the ones they didn’t.

When asked about players decommitting from the class, Day said it’s a reflection of the current times and it’s far different than it was 10 years ago.

12:30 p.m.: Ohio State gets Joshua Mickens’ letter

Just minutes after four-star edge rusher Joshua Mickens committed to Ohio State, the Buckeyes announced they have received his National Letter of Intent.

A game wrecker, edge setter, the complete defensive end. The kid from Indianapolis, IN is leaving the Hoosier state and making his way to Columbus. Welcome to The Brotherhood Joshua Mickens#CHO23N | @JoshuaMickens7 pic.twitter.com/jyQb7MnxHH

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Mickens’ letter gives them 19 signees. The only two players yet to sign today are cornerback Kayin Lee, who has been rumored to potentially flip to Auburn, and safety Jayden Bonsu.

12:18 p.m.: Matayo Uiagalelei picks Oregon

Ohio State was not able to close on five-star defensive lineman Matayo Uiagalelei as the St. John Bosco (Ca.) star signed with Oregon. The Buckeyes were in the mix for a long time, but the Ducks pulled ahead in the hours leading up to his decision.

12:15 p.m.: A streak that could come to an end for Ohio State

The Buckeyes have been able to land a steady stream of five-star prospects for quite a while. But if things stand as they appear to with Damon Wilson and Matayo Uiagalelei heading elsewhere, Ohio State could end up with only one five-star signee in wide receiver Brandon Inniss. Stephen Means of cleveland.com wrote about how this could be the first time since 2016 Ohio State has landed only one five-star prospect and why that might be the case.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day is expected to have his National Signing Day press conference at 12:30 p.m. today.

12:10 p.m.: Oregon flips Peyton Bowen from Notre Dame

Oregon is poised to have a big day after getting off to a hot start by flipping four-star quarterback Austin Novosad from Baylor. The Ducks look like the favorite to beat Ohio State for the signing of five-star defensive lineman Matayo Uiagalelei.

But Oregon made another high-profile flip by landing five-star safety Peyton Bowen, who was committed to Notre Dame. The Ducks had one five-star prospect committed at the start of the day and could easily have three by the end of the day.

12:04 p.m.: Joshua Mickens commits to Ohio State; Carnell Tate signs

Ohio State’s recruiting class got some good news on Wednesday afternoon when four-star edge rusher Joshua Mickens from Indianapolis committed to the Buckeyes. Mickens, who decommitted from LSU on Nov. 28, is the No. 20 edge rusher and No. 138 player in the 247Sports.com composite rankings.

Mickens’ commitment comes at a critical time for Ohio State. The Buckeyes look like they could end up on the wrong side of the decisions for five-star edge rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Damon Wilson. Both players will announce later today with Oregon favored to land Uiagalelei and Georgia trending for Wilson for a while.

As Mickens was making his announcement, Ohio State announced it has received the National Letter of Intent for four-star receiver Carnell Tate from IMG Academy in Florida.

As smooth as the jazz music that his hometown is known for. The kid from Chicago is on the way back to the Midwest ready to rewrite Big Ten and Buckeye record books. Welcome to The Brotherhood Carnell Tate#CHO23N | @carnelltate_ pic.twitter.com/9a37MuU0XM

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

11:50 a.m.: Nebraska holds on to Malachi Coleman

Matt Rhule’s first recruiting class at Nebraska got a key piece back when four-star athlete Malachi Coleman from Lincoln recommitted to the Cornhuskers. Coleman is the No. 2 athlete and No. 84 player in the country according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings.

Coleman decommitted from Nebraska on Dec. 1 and Colorado looked like the top contender to steal Coleman from Nebraska. But Rhule was able to keep a key piece in state.

11:41 a.m.: How other programs are announcing signings

Earlier in this post, I looked at the unique announcement methods programs like Rutgers and Ole Miss used to announce their signings today. Let’s take a look at some others.

11:10 a.m.: 50 minutes to two key announcements

Ohio State has 17 players in its 2023 recruiting class as we pass 11 a.m. Eastern. In 50 minutes, the Buckeyes will find out about two of their edge rusher targets.

Four-star Joshua Mickens from Indianapolis and five-star Matayo Uiagalelei from California will make their announcements in the noon hour. Ohio State has the momentum for Mickens, but Oregon has been the favorite of late for Uiagalelei.

10:54 a.m.: Cedrick Hawkins is Ohio State’s 17th signing

Ohio State is now up to 17 players signed in this year’s recruiting class after four-star safety Cedrick Hawkins from Florida sent in his NLI.

Did it the right way and came out on top. A Florida state champion, all the grit and savvy you could ask for. The kid from Titusville, FL is on the way to Columbus and he’s ready to make a difference for BIA. Welcome to The Brotherhood Cedrick Hawkins#CHO23N | @cedrick_hawkins pic.twitter.com/C0qH26U7Zm

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Hawkins was the first defensive player to join this class when he committed to Ohio State on New Year’s Day in 2022.

10:43 a.m.: Dylan Edwards flips from Notre Dame to Colorado

Colorado suddenly became a hot program when it hired Deion Sanders as head coach. The Buffaloes have immediately reaped some benefits as they flipped four-star running back Dylan Edwards from Notre Dame.

Edwards is the No. 11 running back and No. 184 player in the 247Sports.com composite rankings.

10:35 a.m.: Is Deion Sanders poised for another surprising flip?

Deion Sanders pulled off the ultimate signing day shocker a year ago when he got the top prospect in the Class of 2022, cornerback Travis Hunter, to flip from Florida State to Jackson State. It appears he’s trying to do something similar as he tries to make a splash at Colorado.

Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports.com reported that Sanders and Colorado contacted five-star cornerback Cormani McClain, who won’t sign his National Letter of Intent today. McClain is currently committed to Miami.

10:30 a.m.: Kadyn Proctor signs with Alabama

The Crimson Tide are not in the College Football Playoff this year, but they are well on their way to finishing with the No. 1 recruiting class in the country according to 247Sports.com.

A big reason why they could pull this off is because they flipped five-star offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor from Iowa on Tuesday night. Proctor, who is the No. 12 player in the country in the 247Sports.com composite rankings, officially signed his NLI with Alabama today.

10:06 a.m.: No. 2 prospect Cormani McClain will not sign today

Many of the nation’s top prospects will sign their National Letters of Intent today. But one of the elite prospects won’t.

Five-star cornerback Cormani McClain from Florida will not sign today according to multiple reports. He is currently committed to Miami.

9:48 a.m.: Get to know a rising Ohio State assistant

Ohio State’s coaching staff is already going to look a little different after offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Kevin Wilson left to become the head coach at Tulsa. Wilson will stay on the staff and fulfill his duties as Ohio State prepares to face Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinals on New Year’s Eve.

The Buckeyes are set to promote Keenan Bailey to tight ends coach, but he’s already been on the recruiting trail. Cleveland.com’s Nathan Baird wrote about how Bailey earned his promotion because of his work in recruiting.

9:22 a.m.: Resetting National Signing Day

16 members of Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class have signed. The four still yet to sign are receiver Carnell Tate, safety Cedrick Hawkins, safety Jayden Bonsu and cornerback Kayin Lee. The biggest question among those four is surrounding Lee and whether he will stay with Ohio State’s class or if he will flip to Auburn.

The Buckeyes also have some recruiting announcements they are waiting on. Two of them will announce at noon with five-star Matayo Uiagalelei and four-star Joshua Mickens both making their decisions. Mickens has trended towards the Buckeyes of late, while Oregon has the late momentum with Uiagalelei.

At 3;45 p.m., five-star edge Damon Wilson from Florida will announce his decision. Ohio State is one of the top teams in the mix for him, but he’s been trending towards Georgia for the past few weeks.

9:05 a.m.: Calvin Simpson-Hunt is in

Only four of Ohio State’s 2023 commits have now yet to sign as four-star cornerback Calvin Simpson-Hunt from Texas just submitted his National Letter of Intent.

QBs & WRs in the Lone Star state fear him and offensive coordinators hated game planning against him. The kid from Waxahachie, TX is bringing his elite cover skills to Columbus. Welcome to The Brotherhood Calvin Simpson-Hunt#CHO23N | @CSimpsonHunt pic.twitter.com/9KHz5LjksD

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Simpson-Hunt has been a riser throughout the recruiting process, starting from the 300s at this time a year ago and rising all the way to No. 79 in the country according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings.

8:55 a.m.: Carnell Tate will sign Wednesday night

Five of Ohio State’s current commits in the Class of 2023 have yet to send in their National Letters of Intent. One of them is four-star receiver Carnell Tate.

The IMG Academy product and Chicago native announced that he will sign his letter in his hometown on Wednesday night starting at 6 p.m. Central time.

8:48 a.m.: Georgia hangs on to Daniel Harris, beating out Penn State

Georgia’s recruiting class got a familiar face back when four-star cornerback Daniel Harris from Miami recommitted to the Bulldogs on Wednesday. He had decommitted from UGA in November, and he was linked to a potential flip to Penn State.

But on Wednesday morning, Harris announced that he was committed once again to Georgia.

8:33 a.m.: Arvell Reese restores the Glenville pipeline

One of the things that Ohio State could count on for a long time was a pipeline of stars from Glenville to Columbus from Troy Smith to Marshon Lattimore among others. That pipeline has dried up. But the Tarblooders have rebounded and one of their stars, four-star linebacker Arvell Reese, has signed with Ohio State.

The wait is over, the next great Tarblooder turned Buckeye is here. The kid from Cleveland is heading to Columbus ready to represent his family and the 216. Welcome to The Brotherhood Arvell Reese#CHO23N | @arvxll pic.twitter.com/k5uxtCwqcv

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Reese is the 15th signing in this year’s class. He helped Glenville win the first Ohio high school football state championship in the history of Cleveland public schools.

8:22 a.m.: Jason Moore becomes signing No. 14

The Buckeyes now have their 14th signing of the Class of 2023 as four-star defensive end Jason Moore from DeMatha in Maryland has sent in his NLI.

A young man of few words. He prefers to let the pads talk for him. The kid from Fort Washington, MD is going to be a menace for Big Ten offensive gameplans for years to come. The next great Buckeye from DeMatha Catholic. Welcome to The Brotherhood Jason#CHO23N | @jayymoneyy32_ pic.twitter.com/tyn3dunmAn

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Of the seven top-100 prospects in Ohio State’s class at the start of the day, only Carnell Tate of IMG Academy in Florida and Calvin Simpson-Hunt from Texas have yet to send in their letters.

A name to watch in Ohio State’s class four-star cornerback Kayin Lee and whether he follows through with his commitment. Rumors have been swirling about Auburn trying to flip Lee on signing day.

8:07 a.m.: Ohio State’s quarterback commit is in

Signing No. 13 in this year’s class for Ohio State is four-star quarterback Lincoln Kienholz from South Dakota.

He rewrote the state of South Dakotas football history books by hand, they may need to make room for him on Mt. Rushmore. The kid from Pierre, SD is making his way to Columbus. Welcome to The Brotherhood Lincoln Kienholz#CHO23N | @LincolnKienholz pic.twitter.com/yzEAIH8aHt

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

The Buckeyes flipped Kienholz from Washington’s class after their original QB commit, Brock Glenn, flipped to Florida State. Kienholz’s commitment became more important after Dylan Raiola, the top overall prospect in the Class of 2024 according to 247Sports.com, decommitted from Ohio State.

8:05 a.m.: An in-state signing, and a top QB flips to Oregon

Four-star cornerback Jermaine Mathews helped Cincinnati Winton Woods win the Division II state championship in 2021. He will try to have similar success in college as he became Ohio State’s 12th signing of the Class of 2023.

A Winton Woods legend. He’s got Championship pedigree, dominated his contemporaries, and he is O-H-I-O as they come. The kid from Cincinnati is on his way north to bring the juice to the Buckeye faithful. Welcome to The Brotherhood Jermaine Mathews Jr#CHO23N | @Jr2Maine pic.twitter.com/PdNtmV7t9I

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Elsewhere, we have our first big flip of National Signing Day. Four-star quarterback Austin Novosad, who was originally committed to Baylor, flipped to Oregon and signed with the Ducks on Wednesday morning.

7:54 a.m.: Miles Walker is signing No. 10

Half of Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class that started the day committed to the Buckeyes is officially in. Three-star offensive tackle Miles Walker from Connecticut submitted his National Letter of Intent.

Steady as they come and trained to go, all the kid from Greenwich, CT knows is work. He cant wait to clear paths and keep QB1 upright. He’s ready leave an unforgettable legacy in the scarlet and grey. Welcome to The Brotherhood Miles Walker#CHO23N | @mileswalker76 pic.twitter.com/fXXZbJkkpZ

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Seconds later, four-star tight end Jelani Thurman from Georgia became signee No. 11. He is the No. 2 tight end in the country according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings.

He leaps tall buildings and moves immovable objects. The Buckeyes next hero will trade in his spidey suit for the scarlet and grey. The kid from Michigan is coming to Columbus to use his powers with the good guys. Welcome to The Brotherhood Jelani Thurman#CHO23N | @jelani3345 pic.twitter.com/b4i81beS0u

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Elsewhere, five-star safety Caleb Downs, who visited Ohio State for the Michigan game on Nov. 26 despite being committed to Alabama, followed through on his commitment and signed with the Crimson Tide.

7:45 a.m.: A legacy is officially on board

A name that should be familiar to many Buckeye fans is the late Will Smith, who was one of the stars of Ohio State’s 2002 national championship team. His son, Will Smith Jr., will try to carry on his father’s legacy as the four-star defensive lineman from Dublin Coffman submitted his letter of intent.

The hometown hero is ready to take on the mantle and continue the legacy. A buckeye through and through, the pride of Dublin is raring to get after opposing QBs. Welcome to The Brotherhood Will Smith Jr.#CHO23N |@iwillsmithjr pic.twitter.com/pEElfKVSsJ

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Smith committed to Ohio State in January of 2022. He is the eighth commit in this class to sign with Ohio State.

Four-star receiver Bryson Rodgers from Florida became signing No. 9 in the morning. A native of Warren, Ohio, Rodgers is the second of four prospects from Florida to sign his NLI with Ohio State.

Blink and you will miss him.The kid from Warren, OH is due for a homecoming. Always been about the scarlet & grey from the start, he’s ready to leave his mark as one of the best from the Buckeye state to do it. Welcome to The Brotherhood Bryson Rodgers#CHO23N | @IBryson13 pic.twitter.com/E1rGRr6R1c

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

7:38 a.m.: Ohio State’s top-ranked commit signs

Five-star receiver Brandon Inniss from Florida is the Buckeyes’ top-ranked commit heading into signing day. Now, he’s officially a Buckeye as Inniss submitted his letter of intent.

When those lights come on you know what time it is. The kid from Hollywood, FL is primed and ready to put on a show for the Buckeye faithful by making Big Ten defenses look like a bunch of extras. Welcome to The Brotherhood Brandon Innis.#CHO23N | @brandon5star2 pic.twitter.com/YCEwEbu0u3

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Inniss originally committed to Oklahoma, but decommitted from the Sooners in November of 2021 and committed to the Buckeyes on June 22.

Moments after the Buckeyes announced Inniss’ signing, they also announced the signing of four-star receiver Noah Rogers from North Carolina. Rogers is the second-best prospect in Ohio State’s class according to 247Sports.com.

The pride and joy of the 919, he dominated the competition in the Triangle. Now he’s looking to feast on Big Ten secondaries.The best from the Tarheel state is headed north. The kid from Raleigh, welcome to The Brotherhood Noah Rogers.#CHO23N | @noah1rogers pic.twitter.com/D1Jt82d86i

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

7:35 a.m.: Rutgers gets announcement help from a familiar face

One thing to watch on National Signing Day is how programs make the announcements for their signings. The early winner right now appears to be Rutgers.

The Scarlet Knights have enlisted the services of someone who should be familiar to anyone who watches NFL football on Sunday. Scott Hanson of NFL Redzone is helping Rutgers announce each of its signings, including this one for three-star offensive tackle JaSire Peterson.

Not to be outdone, Ole Miss went with a throwback type of NSD announcement, putting each of its signees into the classic NFL Street video game.

7:27 a.m.: First out-of-state NLI arrives

Ohio State’s first three announced signings came from in-state prospects. The first letter from a prospect outside of the state just came in as four-star defensive tackle Kayden McDonald from Suwanee, Ga. is official.

The kid from Suwanee, GA is making his way north and poised to dominate the Big10 trenches. A part time running back, a full-time big human. All we can say is good luck everybody else and welcome to The Brotherhood Kayden McDonald#CHO23N | @KMac_DT pic.twitter.com/KPCaIS7LVV

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

McDonald brings good size to the interior of the Buckeye defensive line at 310 pounds.

Also sending in his National Letter of Intent was four-star interior offensive lineman Josh Padilla from Huber Heights Wayne. He’s the fourth of the seven Ohio prospects to submit a signed letter to Ohio State.

The gem of the “Gem City”, Mr. All-State himself is locked in and ready to set the tone as the future of the Buckeye offensive line. Welcome to The Brotherhood Josh Padilla#CHO23N | @JoshuaPadilla66 pic.twitter.com/XfuMxX0Tam

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

7:20 a.m.: Ohio State’s first announcement is for Malik Hartford

The Buckeyes have their first letter of the day, and it comes from one of their seven in-state recruits.

Four-star safety Malik Hartford from Lakota West sent in his letter. He is one of six defensive backs and one of three safeties in this year’s class.

The Ohio co-defensive player of the year has been waiting to become a Buckeye his entire life. The kid from West Chester, OH is bringing his hard hat and the boom to Columbus to get to work. Welcome to The Brotherhood Malik Hartford#CHO23N | @MalikHartford pic.twitter.com/HRJqa2m8Je

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

Shortly after Hartford’s letter arrived, four-star interior lineman Austin Siereveld from Lakota East became official.

The kid from Liberty Township, OH won’t have to go far for his next home. He’s bringing all the physicality and toughness to Columbus and representing the Buckeye State at the highest level. Welcome to The Brotherhood Austin Siereveld#CHO23N | @SiereveldAustin pic.twitter.com/Mlb0TWVmhj

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

7:11 a.m.: Luke Montgomery announces he’s officially in

We’re still waiting for Ohio State to officially announce its signings as it usually does when letters come in. But shortly after 7 a.m., four-star guard Luke Montgomery from Findlay tweeted out that he has signed and is officially a Buckeye.

At 7:25 a.m., Ohio State football’s Twitter account officially announced Montgomery had signed his National Letter of Intent.

The Buckeyes are at their best when the best stay home. The kid from Findlay, OH is ready to protect the blindside and be a nightmare for opposing defensive lineman. Welcome to The Brotherhood Luke Montgomery#CHO23N | @lukeMonty8 pic.twitter.com/xaFfAYJZ5V

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 21, 2022

7 a.m.: Letters can start arriving

National Signing Day is officially underway for recruits in the Eastern Time Zone as they can officially submit their signed National Letters of Intent.

18 of Ohio State’s 20 current commits reside in the Eastern Time Zone, so we should start to see a flood of letters come into Columbus.

6:52 a.m.: The rankings to watch on signing day

National Letters of Intent will start coming in from across the country in just a few minutes as recruits can send in their letters at 7 a.m. in their respective time zones.

As those letters come in, it will affect several recruiting rankings including the races for the top class and where the top prospects go. Follow each of those here.

  • National Signing Day 2023: Who has the top national recruiting class?
  • Where are the nation’s top high school football players committed? National Signing Day 2023
  • Big Ten recruiting rankings: National Signing Day 2023

6:30 a.m.: Meet the 20 current Ohio State commits

The Buckeyes enter the early signing period with 20 commits. Seven of the 20 commits are from Ohio, but there are plenty of talented prospects in the class from outside of Ohio.

Four are from Florida and three from Georgia. The Buckeyes also have players committed from Maryland, New Jersey, Texas and even South Dakota among other states.

Get to know the 20 commits here with our staff’s recruiting profiles, including how they can fit into the future plans of Ohio State.

Brandon Inniss, 5-star wide receiver

Noah Rogers, 4-star wide receiver

Luke Montgomery, 4-star offensive lineman

Jason Moore, 4-star defensive lineman

Carnell Tate, 4-star wide receiver

Calvin Simpson-Hunt, 4-star cornerback

Jelani Thurman, 4-star tight end

Malik Hartford, 4-star safety

Kayin Lee, 4-star cornerback

Josh Padilla, 4-star offensive lineman

Lincoln Kienholz, 4-star quarterback

Arvell Reese, 4-star linebacker

Jermaine Mathews, 4-star cornerback

Austin Siereveld, 4-star offensive lineman

Jayden Bonsu, 4-star safety

Bryson Rodgers, 4-star wide receiver

Cedrick Hawkins, 4-star safety

Kayden McDonald, 4-star defensive lineman

Will Smith Jr., 4-star defensive lineman

Miles Walker, 3-star offensive tackle

National Signing Day 2023 recap: Relive the news, notes and rumors on college football recruits (1)

DraftKings Sportsbook

STATES: OHIO PRE-REG

PRE-REGISTRATION

$200 BONUS

+ NEW USER OFFER AT LAUNCH

With the arrival of DraftKings Ohio Sportsbook, in-state bettors can start betting on Jan. 1. Ohioans can also take advantage of pre-launch offers at BetMGM Ohio and FanDuel Ohio now.

If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

National Signing Day 2023 recap: Relive the news, notes and rumors on college football recruits (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Prof. An Powlowski

Last Updated:

Views: 5501

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. An Powlowski

Birthday: 1992-09-29

Address: Apt. 994 8891 Orval Hill, Brittnyburgh, AZ 41023-0398

Phone: +26417467956738

Job: District Marketing Strategist

Hobby: Embroidery, Bodybuilding, Motor sports, Amateur radio, Wood carving, Whittling, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Prof. An Powlowski, I am a charming, helpful, attractive, good, graceful, thoughtful, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.