Moretti explains Ohio State pledge

With new schools joining the chase seemingly every week this offseason, Jake Moretti didn't know when he would make a commitment.

That all changed last month on a visit to Ohio State and it didn't take the four-star offensive tackle from Arvada (Colo.) Pomona long to process what he had seen in Columbus, making a pledge to the Buckeyes over the weekend.

"We went to a bunch of surrounding schools, too, and out of all the other visits we went on earlier, Ohio State just felt right," Moretti said. "We went out to Notre Dame, Michigan and Oregon. Before my sophomore season we also went to UCLA and USC, so I felt like I had a good feel for all the schools I was considering and I knew which one I wanted to go to."

The 6-foot-5, 280-pound lineman picked up the Ohio State offer in late April when coaches from across the country stopped by to evaluate him. Moretti built a quick bond with assistant coach Tony Alford and that only improved the Buckeyes' chances of landing another early commitment in the 2017 class.

"The combination of culture and coaching staff, as well as the city itself felt, it just felt like a good match overall," Moretti said. "Coach Alford and I have gotten real close. We talk about once a week and it's just one of those things where we're still building a relationship. It's been going great so far and it will only get better."

Moretti said he hasn't gotten a breakdown of how Ohio State intends to use him, but he's thrilled with the idea of competing for national championships and improving his skill set along with other talented offensive linemen.

"It's a heavy run offense and I absolutely love that," Moretti said. "I see myself going there and it feels like a great fit in every aspect.

"I'm not planning on taking any other visits. I'm shutting everything down. There were a bunch of schools that were right there, but once I visited Ohio State, they really separated themselves."

With Moretti anchoring the offensive line last year, Pomona rushed for 2,781 yards and 38 touchdowns in 12 games.