COLUMBUS, Ohio — The many changes in college football have meant Ohio State has streamlined its approach down the recruiting path as it focuses more on what it has in its backyard.
The Buckeyes will still recruit the best players the country has to offer, but just as much time is being devoted to children in the state who may have high potential if it can be unlocked. That’s why Marc Nave got an offer in January as a child who grew up loving school. It’s also why he turned a spring visit into his decision to be the fourth member of a 2024 recruit class just two months after he deserved it.
“Honestly, when I first got it, I wasn’t expecting it,” Nave told cleveland.com when offered the job. “When Coach Frye said I had an offer, it was crazy. I didn’t even know it was real. I was shaking the whole time on the phone. It was a great feeling.”
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Nave joins Ian Moore as offensive linemen in this class, both of whom represent how things could look this cycle up to signing day. OSU needs a large influx of talent into their offensive space for their future based solely on the number of bodies in the room. Achieving that requires a mix of types that fit Moore’s profile and those that fit Nave’s profile.
Moore is a top 100 recruit who will potentially compete for the five-star status as a national prospect that any school in the country would accept. Expectations for his career will be high once he enters campus to at least be in depth as a true freshman.
Nave is on a developmental path as an in-state kid who might just need some notoriety, much like we saw from Jermaine Mathews as a 2023 cornerback. Mathews came into the summer as a three-star recruit ready to build his reputation while finally earning Ohio State’s coveted offer, and when he came onto campus he was one of the top 100 recruits and the second highest player in class. Nave was unrated when he was offered and has since debuted as the No. 520 player and No. 28 home offense lineman.
The offer has already put him ahead of Mathews on the find the state’s hidden treasures development path, and now he’ll spend the next eight months validating why Frye came up to him so early. And he won’t be the last in-state player to fit that description this cycle.
This should be a big cycle for offensive line recruitment, with the names striking a balance between national high-profile prospects and in-state guys who can be hidden gems if developed. With Moore signing in the fall and Nave coming on board in the spring, Frye now has a man who represents both sides of that concept.
Click here to see the entire Ohio State Recruitment Course 2024.
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