It was halftime of Ohio State’s demolition of Oregon in the College Football Playoff National Championship when Kareem Walker—a 5-star standout and 2016’s No. 1 running back—announced his surprising commitment to Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.
Now, with Ohio State’s recruiting efforts taking shape, it appears that Walker is emerging as the leader of the Buckeyes’ 2016 class.
That’s a major role for any recruiting class, but it’s particularly important at Ohio State. Coming off their national title victory, the Buckeyes are taking aim at Alabama’s stronghold atop the recruiting mountain.
To do that, they need someone to step up. Last year, when Ohio State’s ’15 class got off to a slow start, 5-star linebacker Justin Hilliard changed everything when he committed and became the voice for Meyer on the front line.
Walker, who’s rated as the nation’s No. 7 prospect overall, looks primed to take the reins in a similar fashion. Last week, he shared on Twitter that he reached out to most of the members in Ohio State’s ’16 class.
This development—and, in fact, his commitment to Ohio State—seemed so unlikely a few months ago.
Back in November, Walker told Alex Gleitman of 247Sports that he planned to take his time during the recruiting process and announce his decision on national signing day in February 2016.
“I’m going to make a decision on national signing day,” Walker said, according to Gleitman. “All of the…
Continue Reading: Will 5-Star RB Kareem Walker Become the Face of Ohio State’s 2016 Class?
