Nation's top tight end recruit picks Ohio State

New York native moves Buckeyes into top of national recruiting rankings

7/17/2017
BY NICHOLAS PIOTROWICZ
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS — The top-ranked high school tight end in the class of 2018 is headed to Ohio State.

Jeremy Ruckert, a 6-foot-5, 238-pound tight end from Lindenhurst (N.Y.) High School, announced in a video on Monday that he chose the Buckeyes over offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin.

Ruckert had 30 offers from colleges — which included Alabama, Texas, Florida, and Oregon, among others — but narrowed his choice to a final four of Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin. In a video posted by Bleacher Report, Ruckert ended by unzipping his jacket to reveal an Ohio State shirt and said, “Go Buckeyes.”

Ruckert became the 15th member of Ohio State’s class, which is now ranked No. 1 in the country in 247Sports’ composite rankings. Ohio State already led the country in average recruiting ranking, and with Ruckert's commitment, surpassed Miami for the top spot.

Fourteen of the 15 players currently committed to Ohio State are rated four or five stars, and 11 of them are among the top 100 players in the class of 2018.

Only two of the Buckeyes’ commits are from Ohio: running back Jaelan Gill and linebacker Dallas Gant (St. John’s Jesuit). Of Ohio State’s group of 15, four are from Florida, and two each come from Tennessee, New York, and Georgia.

Contact Nicholas Piotrowicz at npiotrowicz@theblade.com, 419-724-6110 or on Twitter @NickPiotrowicz