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LB Craig Young (transfer to Kansas)

WHAT CRAIG YOUNG'S COMMITMENT MEANS FOR OHIO STATE'S 2019 RECRUITING CLASS

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Finding the right fit for your college football program isn't just about what happens on the field, but off it as well. Today, Ohio State added a key piece. How will that commitment impact the Buckeyes?

Ohio State landed a commitment from one of the Midwest's top prospects on Friday evening when Fort Wayne, Indiana, three-star athlete Craig Young pledged his services to the Buckeyes just three days after an impressive camp performance.

Let's take a closer look at what Young – the No. 685 prospect overall in the Class of 2019 – brings to Columbus.

ON THE FIELD
The 6-foot-4, 212-pound Young is an athlete in every sense of the word.

He caught 29 catches for 367 yards and four touchdowns; rushed for 255 yards and two scores; and recorded 27 tackles, three interceptions, 2.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks on defense to lead the Generals to the sectional round of the state playoffs last season. He also averaged 17.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists on the hardwood to help Wayne to the state basketball semifinals and finished third at the state track championships with a 10.58-second 100-meter dash.

But if you ask Young’s personal trainer and 7-on-7 coach, it’s his attitude off the field that is his most redeeming quality.

“The biggest strength that Craig has is his high level of humility,” AWP Sports director of athlete development Dre Muhammad told Eleven Warriors. “He’s one of the most humble players I’ve ever seen, outside of [Ohio State wide receiver and fellow Fort Wayne native] Austin Mack. Craig and Austin are very similar in their humility and wanting to grow and learn.

"Two, he has the desire to see the people around him get better. He knows that he has all this ability, but he desires for the people around him to be even more successful. He takes pride in that. And the third thing with Craig, he’s as grateful as they come. He’s respectful, he cares and he doesn’t take anything for granted.”

On the field, Young is arguably one of the most athletic players Muhammad has ever worked with. That includes Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith, Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert and the aforementioned Mack.

“We’re all aware of how explosive and athletic he is. He’s a rangy guy,” Muhammad said. “I think he can play any position as long as he stays focused on one of them. His versatility is what really separates him. Jaylon and Craig are just two rare athletes in that respect.”

Young has spent most of his high school career with the thought that he was going to play wide receiver at the next level, so his ranking reflect his abilities at that position.

“Wide receiver takes a lot longer to develop than an instinctual position or reactionary position,” Muhammad said. “In my humble opinion, Craig is the best player in the country on defense. He’s more natural [at that position]. If he were to focus on it, he’d be the No. 1 player in the country.”

The Buckeyes may be the only program recruiting Young for the defensive side of the ball, so there will be a bit of a learning curve and a physical transformation that’s needed over the next few years as he transitions to either linebacker or defensive end. Everything else should come naturally.

IN THE CLASS
Young becomes the 11th member of Ohio State’s Dynasty ’19 recruiting class, joining Georgia four-star Steele Chambers and New Jersey four-star “Rocket” Ronnie Hickman as commitments with the athlete designation — though they’re set to play running back and safety, respectively, at the next level.

On the other hand, the Buckeyes will have some work to do when it comes to figuring out where Young fits into the equation. And that will certainly impact the numbers at defensive end or linebacker moving forward.

The Buckeyes already hold commitments at both positions from Lexington four-star outside linebacker Cade Stover and Mentor four-star defensive end Noah Potter — both of whom also worked out at Tuesday’s camp. The former could also develop into a defensive end if he continues to mature physically.

I don’t think the staff will label Young one way or another until he gets on campus, as the earliest. Doing so might impact the staff’s pursuit of a number of targets at each position, particularly linebacker. The Buckeyes remain among the top schools for Florida four-star Rian Davis, Michigan four-star Lance Dixon and Tennessee four-star Kane Patterson, and Young’s commitment as a linebacker could very well influence their feelings toward the program.

Defensive end is a little more cut-and-dried, however. Olentangy Orange five-star Zach Harrison is Ohio State’s top target, regardless of position, and he’s not concerned when it comes to competition he may face in college. The staff isn’t seriously considering any other players at the position at this point in time.

All that said, a combination of Harrison, Potter, Stover and Young along the defensive front seven would be a massive haul for the Buckeyes.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...t-means-for-ohio-states-2019-recruiting-class
 
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2019 Prospect Craig Young Commits To Ohio State

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Young is considered a wide receiver by several recruiting services, but could play several different positions at the college level.

Ohio State is recruiting him as an athlete, according to his high school coach.

The Buckeyes first offered him a scholarship back in January. He visited OSU twice in April, including for the Spring Game.

Young returned this week for a football camp, and committed early Friday evening.

He picked the Buckeyes over schools like Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, and Iowa.

Young is listed at 6-foot-4 and 200 lbs, a frame that could land him at wide receiver, tight end, safety, or linebacker with the Buckeyes.

A three-sport athlete, Young is a standout for the Wayne High School football, basketball, and track teams.

He contributed in all phases of the game for the football team last fall.

He rushed for 255 yards and two touchdowns, caught 29 passes for 367 yards and four scores, and also intercepted two passes. He also served as a kick returner.

You can watch him run back a kickoff in his 2017 season highlight video below.

The highlight video also shows Young using his size to overmatch opposing defensive backs on jump balls, and making several long catches downfield.

On the basketball court, he averaged 17.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists as a sophomore. His numbers dipped slightly to 12.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game as a junior.

In track, Young won a sectional title with a time of 10.7 seconds in the 100-meter dash, and 22.43 in the 200-meter dash.

He is rated as a 3-star prospect in the 247 Composite, but that combination of size and speed made him an attractive target for the Buckeyes.

Entire article: https://theozone.net/2018/06/2019-athlete-craig-young-commits-ohio-state/
 
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What does Craig Young bring to Ohio State

The Indianapolis athlete doesn’t yet have a position, but could make an impact all over the field.

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One of the most impressive and intriguing prospects in the country is officially a Buckeye commit. After getting the green light to commit from Urban Meyer and Alex Grinch at Ohio State’s recruit camp on Tuesday, Craig Young wasted no time, and committed to the Buckeyes today.

Young’s recruitment is an odd one. Originally thought of as a wide receiver, it didn’t look like there’d be a spot for him in Ohio State’s class—for a long time—up until his camp performance. With guys like Jameson Williams, Marcus Washington, David Bell, Trey Knox and Elijah Higgins all looking like possible receiver commits in this class, and Garrett Wilson already committed, a project at receiver like Young didn’t seem likely.

While he may not have a space at receiver, he has one on the defensive side of the ball, and it was his defensive performance that got him that green light. At this point, there’s no telling where Young will end up on the field at Ohio State. He’d make sense at quite a few positions, and it really is just up to where Ohio State thinks he’ll excel. While we don’t know exactly where he’ll see playing time yet, let’s take a look at the skills Craig Young brings to Columbus.

On the field
Craig Young is, first and foremost, an outstanding athlete. He ran a 10.58 second 100-meter dash, and has an incredibly rare combination of size and speed. At 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, Young has a natural defender’s frame, and the potential to add muscle mass while not losing a ton of speed is a big reason that Ohio State likes Young so much.

There’s not a ton that can be taken from his Hudl tape. It almost exclusively focuses on Young’s play at receiver, which is where he’s spent most of his time in high school. However, with the plan to play defense at Ohio State set, I expect we’ll see Young shift his focus to defense in his senior season.

Because there isn’t film of him playing defense, it’s hard to determine exactly how refined or skilled he is on that side of the ball. What does show up on his film is his elite speed, quickness, great hands, and the kind of aggressiveness that you need an elite defender to have. He exudes confidence, and plays with the kind of body control that some players never develop. He’s strong, and has a ton of physical traits that will carry over to the other side of the ball.

Young will likely end up at either linebacker or safety in Columbus. He’d make a lot of sense in the Darron Lee mold of a speed rusher at outside linebacker, and it wouldn’t be difficult for him to play comfortably at roughly 230 pounds like Lee did. Another converted athlete turned linebacker, Malik Harrison, plays at around 240. If Ohio State wants Young in this spot, he’ll likely lose a little speed when he bulks up, but he has the athleticism and versatility to make this work.

Safety makes more sense if Ohio State is happy with his current size. The tallest safety on the team right now is Brendon White, at 6-foot-2, and Young would make a ton of sense in the “Legion of Boom”, Kam Chancellor mold of tall, athletic, rangy safeties that Ohio State has found success in before, with guys like Malik Hooker. His coverage skills will need worked on, but Alex Grinch is very good at his job, and the foundation is there for safety to be an ideal fit for Young.

Entire article: https://www.landgrantholyland.com/2...recruiting-craig-young-scouting-report-impact
 
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