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Take Two: Will Buckeyes land top in-state target Zach Harrison?

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

Zach Harrison
Zach Harrison (Josh Helmholdt / Rivals.com)
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Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.

MORE: Could USC be overtaken in Pac-12 recruiting?

THE STORYLINE

Ohio State is no stranger to high-end defensive linemen coming through Columbus during the Urban Meyer era, including Joey Bosa and his brother Nick, another possible first-round selection, and the top target in the 2019 recruiting class is Zach Harrison.

The Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy Orange five-star defensive end could definitely end up with the Buckeyes and it would be no surprise. But it’s not a lock since Penn State is pushing and Michigan is making it interesting as a three-way Big Ten battle. It seems as if the Buckeyes, Nittany Lions and Wolverines are standing out most.

Ranked as the No. 15 prospect nationally and the second-best strong-side defensive end in the class, Harrison could be a special talent since he has athleticism, power and brains to make him one of the most-wanted recruits in this recruiting class.

Last recruiting cycle, the Buckeyes missed out on five-star in-state offensive lineman Jackson Carman, who signed with Clemson. Will Harrison be the next major defensive lineman to come out of Ohio State with first-round potential or can an out-of-state power steal him away?

FIRST TAKE: MARC GIVLER, BUCKEYEGROVE.COM

Ohio State is the safe pick and the smart pick for Harrison at this point but I do not feel that it is a lock. Zach has been very serious about Penn State throughout the process and Michigan has made up ground on the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions since the hiring of Al Washington.

“Athletically, he is one of the most unique talents that I've ever seen in the state of Ohio. He holds the state's best 200-meter time this spring at 21.55 seconds and even more impressive than that is his 10.78 100-meter time. The 100-meter is all about the start, so he clearly has that dynamic first step that you need to be a great edge rusher. His wingspan and natural strength are elite and he is getting better and better at understanding leverage and angles and using his hands to disengage. He is also a fantastic kid off the field with a high level work ethic. If this all comes together, and it should, given his combination of athleticism and work ethic, he has a chance to be an absolute terror in college.” – Givler

SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM

“Most people think he’s going to Ohio State. It would be a surprise if he didn’t. There have been surprises in recruiting so you can never count anything 100 percent until they sign. He is a freaky athlete, very freaky athlete.

“They have a good defensive end tradition going there in recent years. There is no reason to think he can’t be the next Bosa, that type of impact guy at Ohio State if he decides to go there.”

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