Jeffrey Okudah to Ohio State: Buckeyes Land 5-Star Athlete Prospect

Ohio State added a big-time talent to the mix Saturday at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, as athlete Jeffrey Okudah committed to play for the Buckeyes. 

Wayne McGahee III of the Tallahassee Democrat relayed Okudah's pledge to the Buckeyes.

According to Scout, Okudah is a 5-star recruit who is regarded as the No. 1 athlete and No. 12 overall prospect in the class of 2017.

The 6'1", 190-pound star played both safety and wide receiver at South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie, Texas, but his defensive exploits are what generated the most interest across the nation.

As evidenced by this tweet breaking down his top-10 decision from January, Okudah essentially had his pick of the litter with so many of the most prestigious programs in college football hoping to land him:

"

Top 10! #GodisLove pic.twitter.com/PQ5sKjHo08

— Jeffrey Okudah III (@TheJeffOkudah) January 3, 2016"

Okudah took his time to reach an ultimate choice with no shortage of options at his disposal, and that approach was for good reason.

According to Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles, Okudah considered both football and academics before coming to a conclusion: "I'm looking for a school that can develop a [defensive back] to the next level, a school that has that tradition and one that has that established network for a player to succeed in life after football is over. I want to major in business and marketing."

While Okudah may have a future in the business world, every indication is that many years of high-level football are ahead of him.

Okudah is a supreme athlete, as evidenced by the versatility he has displayed in high school, and potentially focusing on the safety position promises to make him an even more polished defensive back at the collegiate level.

Intelligence and instincts play a big role in the success of a safety in the college game, and those attributes figure to be put to the test early in Okudah's tenure at OSU, assuming he receives playing time.

The schemes promise to be more complex in college than they were in high school, so Okudah will have to rely on more than just athletic ability.

Based on his track record and willingness to learn both on and off the football field, though, Okudah seems to have the makeup needed to be an elite safety.

Ohio State has a penchant for landing big-time talent regardless of where they reside on the map, and that has been especially true with head coach Urban Meyer at the helm. He is one of the special coaches capable of going into almost any area and securing commitments, and nabbing one of Texas' top players speaks to that.

Okudah is a potential game-changer on defense much like Jabrill Peppers was for Michigan, and the Buckeyes will have the opportunity to unleash him on their rivals in the near future.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.