Ohio State working toward being a finalist for Daemon Fagan: Buckeyes Recruiting Roundup

On Feb 25, 2022

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State football program has at least one advantage when it comes to the recruitment of Daemon Fagan.

Fagan (6-2, 180 pounds) — a four-star safety from American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale) High School — revealed a top eight on Twitter on Monday. The Buckeyes are in the mix with Central Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami (Fla.), North Carolina State and Penn State. Of those schools, Ohio State is the only one that will host Fagan on two unofficial visits this spring.

The Buckeyes have been a top program from the start for Fagan, who is the No. 248 player, No. 24 safety and No. 48 player from Florida according to 247Sports. Ten days after his Ohio State offer on March 16, 2021, Fagan told cleveland.com they would be a finalist. That has not changed.

“I feel like I am a top dog,” Fagan told cleveland.com this week. “I know my potential. I feel like I can be on a team that can compete for a national championship. Everybody knows that there are only three teams that have a shot every year at a national championship — it’s Ohio State, Georgia and Alabama. I feel like I can play with the best and I want to be a part of that.”

But as indicated in his top eight, the Buckeyes have competition.

Fagan has made five unofficial visits to Miami and there is a low confidence crystal ball predicting a pledge to the Hurricanes. The No. 5 safety in Florida, Fagan, has always had a “tight connection” with Miami cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Van Dyke. The hiring of former Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal has only increased his interest — as the Ducks were his first offer.

His most recent offer, LSU, has caught his attention, too. The Tigers have been in contact since September but did not offer him until Feb. 15. Since then, they have put on the full-court press, as “everyone on the coaching staff” is talking to him. He is eyeing a visit to LSU in late April.

Once the quiet period begins in March, he will make his first visit to Florida State on March 5. The next day, he will be in Gainesville to see Florida. Later in March, Fagan will make a visit to Louisville at a date still to be determined.

The Buckeyes will get their chance on two occasions — first from April 1-3 and then the weekend of April 16 for the annual spring game. In between those visits, Fagan hopes to visit NC State — a school that has come on strong in his recruitment.

“[Safeties] coach [Joe] Deforest and [head] coach [Dave] Doeren reach out to me heavily,” Fagan said. “They preach loyalty to me. … [At] NC State, I see an opportunity. They lose four guys in their secondary next year. I feel I can go in and battle out a spot so I can start as a freshman early.”

The Wolfpack has made sure Fagan knows he is a priority too. He would be their highest-rated defensive commit since 2021 and top safety pledge in Doeren’s 10 years as head coach. They also see him as a class leader.

“[They’ve] presented how much they need me and how I can change the program if I was to make a decision and end up landing at NC State,” Fagan said. “How much people would follow me and how much people would tag along.”

Ohio State is in a great position too. Although he was offered when Kerry Coombs and Matt Barnes led the defense and secondary, Fagan had a pre-existing relationship with current safeties coach Perry Eliano when he was at Cincinnati. A smooth transition has benefited the Buckeyes.

“With the coaching change, Coach Eliano is there,” he said. “They’re different. They’re the ‘best in America.’ They’re a defensive back school. It’s a DB’s dream to [go there]. They produce well. I can also play for a national championship.”

Fagan’s 7 on 7 teammate, Cedrick Hawkins, already made his decision to go to Ohio State and that’s something that he is considering in his own recruitment.

“They’re good with Florida guys up there,” he said. “[Cedrick] is a dog too. I see him prevailing up there. Playing alongside him would mean a lot too.”

Even though Fagan will make the rounds this spring, he is still a few months away from committing. However, he indicated that timeline could change. Fagan will release a final four in June or July and work toward a commitment after that.

2023 4-star WR tabs Buckeyes in top five

Rico Flores (6-1, 190) from Folsom (Calif.) High School has narrowed down his list of 29 offers to five schools, he announced on Twitter on Tuesday. Flores — the No. 156 player, No. 22 WR and No. 13 player in California — is focusing on Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas and UCLA.

Flores, offered by the Buckeyes on Nov. 30, is one of 14 receivers with an OSU offer. Notre Dame, Texas, UCLA and Ohio State are looking for their first commit at the position. He is also high school teammates with 2023 tight end Walker Lyons, who included the Buckeyes in his top six on Feb. 10. Flores and Lyons are two of seven players in the 2023 class from California with an offer from Ohio State.

Ohio State’s last WR commit from California was former four-star Chris Olave, from Mission Hills High School in San Marcos. Olave was rated as the No. 399 player, No. 68 wide receiver and No. 47 player in California in the 2018 class.

Ohio State offers two players from Florida, one from South Carolina

The Buckeyes extended offers to a 2023 cornerback and 2024 running back from the Sunshine State and a 2023 offensive tackle from South Carolina this week.

On Wednesday, four-star Daniel Harris (6-2, 160) from Gulliver Prep in Miami became the 12th cornerback to be offered by OSU in his class. Rated as the No. 337 player, No. 33 CB and No. 66 player in Florida, Harris has 26 offers, including from Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State and Texas A&M.

On Thursday, Anthony Carrie (6-0, 185) from Carrollwood Day High School in Tampa reached 27 offers after earning one from Ohio State. Carrie, who is teammates with 2023 class interior offensive lineman Clay Wedin, is one of eight players from Florida in the 2024 class with an Ohio State offer. Carrie also has offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State and USC.

Also on Thursday, offensive line coach Justin Frye offered four-star Monroe Freeling (6-7, 283) from Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Rated as the No. 93 player, No. 9 OT and No. 1 player in South Carolina, Freeling is the 17th OL with an OSU offer. He has 24 offers including Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State and Texas A&M.

Ohio State is up to 121 offers in the 2023 class and 33 in the 2024 class.