Will Any Team Flip 4-Star RB Kareem Walker from Ohio State?
Running back Kareem Walker will move forward with multiple official visits while maintaining his commitment to Ohio State, he announced Wednesday morning (h/t ESPN's Tom VanHaaren).
The 4-star New Jersey prospect plans to spend time at Alabama, Arizona State and Ole Miss before returning to Columbus for a final campus trip. This development comes less than two weeks after he traveled to Michigan for his first official visit.
"I'm committed to Ohio State. ... These visits are to confirm I'm making the right choice for my future," Walker explained, via VanHaaren.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Rated No. 1 overall among 2016 rushers in composite rankings, the DePaul Catholic High School (Wayne, New Jersey) standout declared his Buckeyes pledge during halftime of the team's national championship game victory:
"Proud to announce that I will be furthering my education and football career at THE Ohio State University. #Buckeyes pic.twitter.com/xLnEwFJJak
— AlⓂ️ightyReem (@_KareemWalker) January 13, 2015"
Things remained relatively quiet regarding Walker's recruitment for quite a while afterward.
That changed in May, when he journeyed to Alabama and Auburn. Arizona State welcomed him to campus for an unofficial visit this summer, setting the stage for a return flight to Tempe.
Ole Miss emerges as another viable option the SEC, which matches the Big Ten Conference with two programs in play here. He joins tight end Isaac Nauta and offensive tackle Greg Little as top-ranked athletes at their respective positions expected to visit Oxford before settling on schools.
The Rebels already claim a commitment from 5-star quarterback and Elite 11 MVP Shea Patterson, so there is significant potential in place for head coach Hugh Freeze's 2016 offensive haul.
Walker previously notified the Ohio State staff of his intentions. Never lacking for confidence on the recruiting trail, Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer didn't distress.
"Coach Meyer and coach [Tony] Alford, the running backs coach, knew from the start I was taking all of my visits. Coach Meyer doesn’t have an issue with it. He’s confident these trips will confirm my wanting to attend Ohio State," Walker said, via Todderick Hunt of NJ.com.
The Buckeyes aren't lacking for backfield depth in this cycle, despite a recent decommitment from in-state playmaker George Hill. Ohio State holds pledges from Demario McCall, a dynamic athlete likely to land in an H-back role, and former Wisconsin commit Antonio Williams, who joined the class last weekend.
Williams and McCall combined to rush for 4,500 yards and 62 touchdowns in 2014. Despite their presence in the class, Ohio State is ardent about landing multiple backs who can handle the brunt of a heavy workload.
Walker made it a point to dispel any swirling notion he's attempting to dodge the crowd.
"All of this talk about another [running back] committing and me not wanting any competition is false," he stated in Wednesday's announcement. "I love competition ... every school has [running backs] and will sign one or more every year. ... That will only push to make me better."
Ohio State will likely lose superstar Ezekiel Elliott to the NFL draft after his junior season. He's accounted for 58 percent of the Buckeyes' total rushing yards through seven games this fall, so various players could be counted on to initially fill the void following his departure.
Alabama certainly wouldn't be an ideal choice if Walker was looking for a clearer path to playing time. The Crimson Tide signed top-ranked 2015 running back Damien Harris and hold commitments from three rushers rated 4-star or better in the 2016 and 2017 cycles.
If you're searching for a coaching staff most capable of altering Walker's outlook, attention seemingly shifts to Ann Arbor. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh hosted him in the Big House earlier this month and is aided by current members of his latest recruiting class.
Walker's trip was highlighted by a victory over Northwestern and the presence of multiple fellow New Jersey natives. Ron Johnson, Brad Hawkins and Ahmir Mitchell—all Wolverines commits from the Garden State—joined him.
"I think Kareem really liked the entire day," Johnson said. "The fans knew who he was. The players knew who he was. Everyone was showing him love."
Walker confirmed that he appreciated the environment in Ann Arbor, heating up recruiting tensions between the Buckeyes and Wolverines.
"I had a good trip to Michigan. It's the second time I've been there, but the first time with this staff," Walker said in a statement, via VanHaaren. "The game atmosphere was tremendous; fans really love the team. I enjoyed speaking with the coaches and meeting everyone."
Expect his peers to continue piling pressure on him to team up in college.
"He's a rare player. I need him with us at Michigan," Johnson said.
Mitchell in particular has peppered him with sales pitches lately on social media:
Ohio State is still the pacesetter 15 weeks shy of signing day. Regardless how Walker's upcoming official visits turn out, he maintains that Columbus is his final destination before putting pen to paper.
Whether Walker calls the Buckeyes' facilities home for years to come remains a mystery. If he does eventually reverse course, expect his future experiences at Ohio State to occur in a maize-and-blue uniform.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
