Malik Autry: A Key Recruit for Ohio State

Meet Malik Autry, a great defensive lineman who turned heads on high school fields across the country. At 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, Autry is more than just an athlete—he’s a force of nature. And guess what? Ohio State has its eyes locked on him.

Malik Autry

Background and Recruitment

Picture this: It’s Friday night, the lights are flashing, the crowd is boisterous, and Malik Autry is smashing offensive lines like a runaway train. His high school life? It’s absolutely amazing. From flattening opponents to dropping quarterbacks, Autry’s highlights are full of jaw-dropping hits and game-changing moves.

But it’s not just his stats that grabbed Ohio State’s attention. It’s that undeniable spark—the fierce look in his eyes when he hits the field. Coaches compare him to a young J.J. Watt, with all that raw power and grit. Autry’s got the kind of talent that makes recruiters drool.

Ohio State’s Pursuit

Now, let’s talk about the Buckeyes. They’ve been wooing Autry like a suitor in a Jane Austen novel. Official visits? Check. Late-night phone calls with Coach Ryan Day? Double check. Autry even got a sneak peek at the legendary “Shoe”—Ohio Stadium—where the echoes of past victories seem to whisper, “Join us, Malik.”

And the campus tour? Autry’s eyes widened as he walked into the locker room. There was a row of shiny dumbbells, a lounge area, and a picture of Archie Griffin—the only two-time Heisman winner—looking down. It was like walking into football heaven.

Competition and Decision Timeline

But here’s the twist: Autry’s not an easy catch. Auburn’s been courting him too, dangling promises of Southern hospitality and SEC glory. The Tigers have their own charm—a blend of sweet tea, tailgates, and a stadium that feels like a revival tent during a winning streak.

And the clock is ticking. August 17—the day Autry reveals his college choice—is approaching faster than a cornerback chasing down a wide receiver. Will he don the scarlet and gray, or will he head south to the land of “War Eagle”?

Impact on Ohio State

If Autry chooses Ohio State, it’s a game-changer. Imagine him lining up alongside the Buckeyes’ defensive front, a human wall that says, “Thou shalt not pass!” His size, speed, and sheer tenacity could turn close games into blowouts. And the fans? They’d embrace him like a long-lost Buckeye brother.

But if he goes elsewhere, well, the Buckeyes will regroup. They’ll keep recruiting, keep building, and keep chasing that elusive national championship. Because in college football, the pursuit never stops.

Conclusion

So, here’s to Malik Autry—the kid with the world at his cleats. Whether he chooses Ohio State or another path, one thing’s certain: He’s already left his mark. And when the dust settles, we’ll remember the giant who stood tall, torn between tradition and temptation.

As for me? I’ll be watching, popcorn in hand, waiting for that August announcement. Because in this game, every decision matters—even if it’s just one recruit choosing a home.

Cheers to you, Malik.

C.J. Hicks, the College Football Recruit to Look Out For


CJHicks

Who is C.J. Hicks?

C.J. Hicks is a high school senior football recruit from Archbishop Alter High in Dayton Ohio. Weighing in at 190 lbs., this 6 foot 4 inch young man caught the attention of colleges across the country with many recruiters trying to get him to commit. His skills include playing defense and offensive positions and excelling in all of them.

Hick’s talents have made him so widely known that he had received 28 scholarship offers from around the country before making his decision. These offers included Penn State, Notre Dame, Iowa, Cincinnati, Virginia, West Virginia, Purdue, Tennessee, Ohio State and many more. The choice was extremely difficult for him with the different scholarship packages and perks he was offered to attend some of these schools.

Which Colleges has CJ Hicks Visited?

In an interview, he mentioned visiting Purdue, Cincinnati, Vanderbilt, and Ohio State for games in previous years, and had had great times at all of them. Alabama did invite him this year, however had prior engagements and was not able to attend that event. He mentioned enjoying Cincinnati, Purdue and Columbus Ohio for reasons such as their atmosphere, great football seasons, nice friendly people, and amazing crowds.

C.J. Hicks Commitment Choice

C.J. Hicks has ultimately decided to attend Ohio State University, and was recruited by Al Washington and Kevin Wilson. He stated he chose the OSU Buckeyes because of the incredible culture there. He also believes that going to Ohio State will help him to become the man he wants to become along with aiding his football career. He admitted the choice was hard, but after a discussion with his mother he knew what he wanted. He is already trying to recruit for the Buckeyes with friends, and other players he believes are a good fit.

With his long and lean body, this player is able to take long strides allowing him to cover more ground faster. Hick’s has had experience as a safety and sometimes as a cornerback, along with other defense positions. In high school he was even utilized as an offensive player, making him more versatile in how he played. College being the different ballgame it is, he will most likely have to bulk up to increase his strength, endurance and stamina. If you watched this past season you can see he is almost where he needs to be to be considered college football ready.

What does he offer Ohio State University?

With his experience in various positions on the field, he offers the Buckeyes a recruit who will be effective just about anywhere they place him. This can be a rare trait, most athletes excelling in offense or defense. His physique allows him to be fast and yet take a hit when needed, which is essential when playing this sport. He is also very determined to be the best, and his competitive nature helps ensure his dedication and motivation to achieving his football goals.

CJ Hicks Ultimate Highlights // 2022 Ohio State Commit // 4⭐️ ATH Archbishop Alter – Dayton, OH

Final Notes For OSU

With C.J. Hicks now committing to Ohio State University, the class of 2021 is looking very promising. The Buckeyes have already pulled in about 18 hard commits for 2020. Some of these commits include; Jakailin Johnson, Jayden Ballard, Ben Christman, Devonta Smith, Sam Hart, Jantzen Dunn and many more. With the wide range of skilled players Ohio State University is collecting, next year is promising to be an exciting year.

Everything About Ohio State Power Forward Recruit Zed Key

ZedKeyOhioState

Zed Key, a 6’7 215 pound power forward from Glen Head New York committed to Ohio State on September 22. Key, who attends Long Island Lutheran High School, is the 2nd commitment for the 2020 class for head coach Chris Holtmann. Key is considered the 185th best player overall and the 37th best power forward in the class of 2020 by 247 sports. Key chose the Buckeyes over Florida, Cincinnati, and Illinois among others. Key’s commitment did not come as a huge surprise as Ohio State was the only school Zed traveled to for an official visit. Prior to his commitment Zed had unofficially visited Florida, St. John’s, Virginia Tech and several other east coast schools.

Zed Key and the NBA Top 100 Camp

Key played this summer on the Adidas Circuit with the New York Jayhawks averaging 13 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting an impressive 62.4% from the field. Key does not have a 3 point shot as he attempted just 4 over the 13 games played (making 1), but he does show a nice touch from the free throw line for a big man making 28 of his 38 attempts (73.7%). It was his performance at the NBA top 100 camp in June that reportedly really got the Buckeyes attention. In a small sample size of 4 games, Zed scoring stayed about the same (13.5 points), but he upped his rebounding (6.5 rebounds) and especially his blocks (2.5 per game). While you have to again not the small sample size that ability to be a force on the defensive end in addition to his efficient scoring had to make Key that much more of an attractive target for Coach Holtmann.

Keys Official Visit to Ohio State

The Buckeyes have told Zed that they envision him playing the 4 and the 5 when he takes the floor in Columbus next fall. The Buckeyes view Key as a physical post presence, but also let him know that playing the 3 (small forward) is a possibility if his outside shot improves. I think that is unlikely as most big men coming to school want to play on the perimeter, so this is probably a case of telling a recruit something they want to hear in addition to what they need to hear. Expect Key to play exclusively at the 4 and 5 during his tenure at Ohio State and for most of his offense to come within 15 feet of the basket. The coaching staff and the basketball facilities stood out as major positives for Zed during his visit to Columbus and were major factors in his decision to become a Buckeye. Zed’s parents were impressed with the family atmosphere around the Buckeye program which added to their comfort in having their son commit to a school further from home than many of his other options.

Ohio States 2020 Basketball Class

Zed Key is the second commitment for the 2020 class for the Buckeyes joining Decatur, Georgia shooting guard Eugene Brown. Interestingly the Buckeyes have just one scholarship open for the 2020 class but NCAA rules allow the team to over-sign by one which the Buckeyes are believed to be doing as a hedge against junior forward Kaleb Wesson turning professional at the end of the season. Wesson tested the NBA draft waters after his sophomore season but decided to come back for his junior year. If it is Wesson who ends up leaving the Buckeyes at the end of the season adding a player with Key’s skill set to replace him seems like a natural fit. While Key won’t be able to match the physicality of the 6’9, 269 pound Wesson he does show a willingness to crash the boards and run the floor that the Buckeyes will need from the 4 and 5 positions. It is tough to find good big men especially ones who are willing to bang in the post and not float on the perimeter and Key is not the type to shy away from the physical inside work. With the commitments of Key and Brown, the Buckeyes 2020 class is currently rated 6th in the Big Ten and 29th nationally by 247 sports. The duo will join the heralded 2019 class of the Buckeyes which ranked 1st in the Big Ten and 14th nationally by 247 sports to give Coach Holtmann and his staff a talented nucleus for years to come.

Top 100 Camp 6/11-6/16/19

Christian Bryant, Glenville Recruit Heading to Ohio State?

Christian Bryant

Christian Bryant, Glenville Recruit Heading to Ohio State?

Another great recruit from Cleveland Glenville could be heading to Ohio State for 2010 in cornerback Christian Bryant. Bryant is a top 250 national recruit according to Rivals.com and the top 12 recruit at his position. The Ted Ginn Sr. product would be following over a dozen Tarblodders down to Columbus to be a Buckeye since Jim Tressel took over the program.

By Steve Patterson

Many Offers

The 4 star recruit has offers from many of the top programs in the country including Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, and West Virginia to name a few. We asked Bryant about his ability on the field that has received so much attention. “My vision on the field, how I read plays before they develop, how I pursue to the ball, an how I attack the ball when its in the air.” he explained to us.

Impressive Junior Year

Like most Tarblodders, Bryant is a team player above all. ”Traveling and bounding with my team for four years would be the highlight of my high school career so far.” he feels. But his individual statistics as a junior stand out. ”I just know my defense and special teams stats. Defense- 54 tackles, 3 interceptions, 1 Forced Fumble, an 1 TD from an interception. Special teams- 2 Kick Returns, 94 Yards, and a blocked field goal for a TD.” he reported when we inquired.

Taking His Time

Bryant is taking his time with the recruiting process as he has yet to setup a visit. But he knows one school he will take a look at when he begins the process. “When I schedule my visits, Ohio State will be one I’ll attend.” But he does know what he wants in a college for when he does focus on his selection. ”I am looking at the academics, how the coaches interact with the players, how I fit in the defensive schemes, nice facilities, a winning mentality, and the overall chemistry of the football program as a whole.”

He feels that all schools that have offered him a scholarship are pursuing his services vigorously. ”All schools that have offered are showing interest at this point.” He doesn’t have a leader at this time but does give a slight hint as to his leaning. ”I really don’t have a leading school at this time. But what I am looking for in a school might help this question..”

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How to recruit with a Rule-breaking Coach

How to recruit with a Rule-breaking Coach

It turns out Kelvin Sampson had one extra recruiting trick up his sleeve. In addition to illegal phone calls from himself and his assistants, Sampson offered prospects a letter of intent that allowed them to bail if things went bad at Indiana. Indiana AD Rick Greenspan has confirmed that at least two players are allowed to not honor their letters of intent due to the changing of the coaching staff. Provisions in their letters of intent had an “escape clause” related to NCAA Tournament bans or a change of coaches according to Greenspan.

Speculation is the two recruits are Indiana‘s best two 2008 recruits, Devin Ebanks and Terrell Holloway. Ebanks is a 5 Star 6’8″ small forward out of Oakdale Connecticut who is considered to be second best small forward in the country by Rivals.com. Halloway is a 4 Star 6’0″ point guard out of Cincinnati Harmony Community how is the twentieth best ball handler in the class of 2008.

Source:
Yahoo! Sports/Indy Star
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/rumors/post/Two-Hoosiers-recruits-could-opt-out-of-commitmen;_ylt=AteR2YCMKwFRMUYkNKSH9DvevbYF?urn=ncaab,68381