Ohio State QB Search Ramping Up as Buckeyes Offer 4-Star Brandon Harris

When primary quarterback target Deshaun Watson all but ended his recruitment last week by reaffirming his commitment to Clemson, head coach Urban Meyer and Ohio State were forced to broaden their search for the Buckeyes' next signal-caller.

On Wednesday afternoon, Ohio State did just that by offering 4-star prospect Kyle Allen.

Not even 24 hours later, the Buckeyes extended an offer to another 4-star quarterback. Brandon Harris, a dual-threat quarterback out of Bossier City, Louisiana, announced via his Twitter account that he received that coveted offer:

"

Excited to announce Ohio state offered me a scholarship!!!!!!! #gopanthers #teamblessed

— Brandon Harris (@bharrisqb1) May 2, 2013"

Compared to Allen, Harris is a more natural fit for Meyer's spread offense because of his ability to create with both his arm and his legs. Allen does have decent mobility, but Harris is the kind of athlete who makes Meyer's zone-read play a staple in Ohio State's offense.

Harris is a highly sought-after prospect with nearly 20 schools actively competing for his services. SEC schools like Texas A&M, Arkansas and South Carolina have all offered, as well as teams like Nebraska, Baylor and North Carolina.

Harris had a very good season in 2012, throwing for 2,673 yards and 26 touchdowns to complement his 677 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.

With Ohio State's coaching staff scouring the country in search of the top talent for their 2014 recruiting class, it's no coincidence that offensive coordinator Tom Herman was on the sidelines watching Harris go through spring drills Monday afternoon.

Herman came away impressed, leading to the offer Harris now possesses.

With both Allen and Harris holding offers, it should come down to who commits first. Ohio State has a limited number of available scholarships due to the NCAA violations committed during the Tressel fall-out, so the Buckeyes will likely take just one quarterback in 2014.

According to Jeremy Birmingham of ElevenWarriors.com, Harris had tentative plans to make his college decision in early July. Whether or not his Ohio State offer changes those plans remains to be seen, but either way, this will be an interesting storyline to watch as we move through the offseason.

Watch highlights from Harris' junior season here:

All recruit rankings per 247Sports.com.

David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report.
Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.