Entering the weekend, Ohio State had only put out offers to a handful of in-state prospects that are apart of the 2023 recruiting class. However, recent developments on the coaching staff made it likely that another Ohio native would be well on his way to a adding an offer from the Buckeyes and it would all come to fruition on Saturday.
That was when the Buckeyes played host to one of the top junior standouts in the state in 2023 four-star athlete Malik Hartford of Lakota West (OH). Hartford, a West Chester native, made an unofficial visit to the Columbus campus and walked away with what should be considered an unsurprising offer from Ohio State.