ESPN 300 defensive lineman Tyreke Smith committed to play in-state for the Buckeyes prior to the kickoff of the Under Armour All-America Game. Read below to see why Smith is such a welcome addition to Ohio State's 2018 class:
What he brings: Smith can be a physical, active defender in the trenches. The ESPN 300 DE possesses a very good blend of height and bulk and is strong. He can be stout against the run, displays good point-of-attack skills with the ability to fire off low, shoot his hands and set the edge. He has good awareness and can locate the ball well and finish. Flashes good initial burst and, when he stays low, possesses the power to generate push with a bull rush. Can do a good job of getting his hands up and deflecting passes when he can’t get to the quarterback.
How he fits: Ohio State has put together one of the top classes in this cycle that includes an excellent group of defensive tackles, but one area the Buckeyes could still add to this bunch was at defensive end. Keeping Smith in-state is a key addition to this class as he can help address that need. He must continue to refine technique, but has shown with his performance during the Under Armour All-America week that he could come in and contribute as a freshman. With his size and frame, he could potentially develop into more of an interior player but will at least start out at end with the ability to reduce inside in passing situations if needed. This is a good pickup who can develop into a key contributor to the Buckeyes' D-line unit, especially against the run.
Reminds us of: Smith reminds us of former FSU DL DeMarcus Walker at the same stage. Walker was an active and heady player with good power and the size and build that can allow for some versatility. Smith is a little lighter with arguably a little more length, but we still see similarities in skill set and upside.
How the class is shaping up: The Buckeyes will sign a top-seven class for an eighth-straight year and are still in contention for a first No. 1 overall class in the 13 years ESPN has ranked prospects and classes. No. 1-ranked Taron Vincent leads a group of signees on the defensive side of the ball that includes ESPN JC50 No. 1-ranked defensive tackle and former Auburn signee Antwuan Jackson Jr., No. 3-ranked defensive tackle Tommy Togiai, ESPN 300 inside linebacker Teradja Mitchell, and ESPN 300 defensive backs Tyreke Johnson, Sevyn Banks and Josh Proctor. They now add to that group No. 15 DE Smith.
Four-star quarterback Matthew Baldwin leads an offensive class of signees that is headlined by No. 1-ranked tight end Jeremy Ruckert, speedster Jaelen Gill and ESPN 300 offensive linemen Matthew Jones and Max Wray. A trio of ESPN 300 receivers have also signed in Kamryn Babb, Cameron Brown and L'Christian Smith, along with four-star running backs Brian Snead and Master Teague.