Rivals Five-Star: Four-star Zion Grady loves the brotherhood at Ohio State
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Zion Grady was well-traveled over the past month and change, with official visits to Miami, Tennessee, Florida State and Auburn before committing to the Buckeyes after his official visit to Columbus.
Ohio State offered the No. 3-ranked defensive end in the Rivals250 this spring, and the Buckeyes came on strong ever since.
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Larry Johnson led the way with the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Grady out of Enterprise (Ala.) High in Alabama. After visiting Ohio State this past weekend, the vibes on campus put the Buckeyes in a different tier with the elite edge defender.
"It's the brotherhood over there," Grady told Rivals at the Rivals Five-Star in Jacksonville.
"I love the coaching staff, I love the relationships I have over there with the staff," he added. "That played a big part."
Grady, a one-time Alabama verbal, went into the month of June with an open approach.
The Buckeyes started trending in the right direction with Grady by opening him up to opportunities away from the field on the official visit.
"Really, the stuff outside of football helped me make my decision," he explained. "The academics, the plans to help me off the field. The relationships there ... that was the difference for my family. Ohio State fit us very well."
Johnson also played a pivotal role recruiting and closing with Grady.
"He's straight-forward, he'll tell you what it is and what it's not," he added. "My family loves it. They think it's a great fit for me, a great place to be, not too big and not too small."