The Buckeyes just secured a pledge from one of the nation's most sought-after players.
Although it took five months longer than expected, Ohio State finally landed a commitment on Sunday afternoon from Sammamish (Wash.) Eastside Catholic five-star defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau.
The 6-foot-5 and 277-pound Tuimoloau, who is considered the second-best defensive lineman and No. 3 prospect overall in the class of 2021, had never been to campus prior to his official visit over the weekend of June 18-20 but had been able to build a strong bond with head coach Ryan Day and defensive line coach Larry Johnson from afar.
That was clear when Day, Johnson and the rest of the coaching staff wore floral shirts and presented Tuimoloau with a lei upon his arrival at John Glenn Columbus International Airport as a nod to his Polynesian roots.
He’s also the former teammate of sophomore tight end Gee Scott Jr. and close friends with freshman wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, which is why the Buckeyes have long been viewed as the favorite in his recruitment.
Tuimoloau was originally scheduled to take an official visit to Ohio State in April 2020, but that was called off after the NCAA implemented a 15-month recruiting dead period amid the coronavirus pandemic. He was unable to make his college decision before National Signing Day as a result.
With the dead period finally coming to an end last month, Tuimoloau was finally permitted to take his official visits with his finalists. He was at Washington on June 4-6, USC on June 14-16 and Oregon on June 20-22. He was supposed to officially visit Alabama on June 25-27, as well, but never made it to Tuscaloosa after cancelling the trip the day that he was scheduled to make the trip.
Tuimoloau now becomes the 22nd member of the Buckeyes’ 2021 recruiting class, joining Pickerington (Ohio) North five-star end Jack Sawyer; Streetsboro, Ohio, four-star tackle Mike Hall; and Manassas (Va.) Unity Reed four-star tackle Tyleik Williams along the defensive line.
His pledge leaves the Buckeyes with four available scholarships for the upcoming season, though one of those is seemingly accounted for with the looming commitment of USC transfer linebacker Palaie Gaoteote, who is currently enrolled in classes and appears in the university's student directory.
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