Coveted 2018 RB Jaelen Gill Could Juggle Football and Baseball in College

WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Well on his way toward becoming one of the most pursued prospects in the 2018 recruiting class, Westerville South High School sophomore Jaelen Gill isn't restricted to athletic options on the football field.

Rated No. 19 overall among 2018 recruits in 247Sports rankings, this dynamic running back admits his athletic aspirations also reside beyond the gridiron.

"Baseball is a close second to football," Gill told Bleacher Report. "I have a lot of passion for it because it's our family sport and I've played it all my life. I'd love to keep playing baseball."

It certainly seems as though there's a distinct possibility that goal will become a reality after high school. 

Athletic departments at Penn State, UCLA and USC are among those showing interest in his potential as a two-sport contributor who would split time between baseball and football facilities.

Gill is more than just an athletic freak in centerfield. He's a nuanced and productive player who earned first-team all-league honors as a freshman after accumulating a .370 batting average with 26 stolen bases, according to Frank DiRenna of the Westerville News and Public Opinion.

"Baseball is something I take very seriously," Gill said.

Scouts at the collegiate level and beyond have also begun to take him seriously.

"I've been told and coaches have told me I need to enter the [Major League Baseball] draft [as a high school senior]," he told Ari Wasserman of Cleveland.com. "There's more of a chance that I'll go play college football and try to do baseball, also, but there's definitely a chance I could choose the baseball route." 

A rookie baseball contract comes with guaranteed cash, but a collegiate scholarship could provide him with an opportunity to pave his path toward football stardom.

Gill, who measured in at 6'0", 172 pounds Saturday at The Opening's Columbus regional, proved why he's such a prized offensive backfield prospect. His SPARQ testing results included a 4.58 40-yard dash, a 4.01 agility shuttle and a 36.1-inch vertical jump, resulting in the sixth-highest rating (114.24) of the day and No. 1 overall among underclassmen, according to Student Sports.

Tipping his hand a bit regarding where his athletic allegiances lie, Gill missed one of his baseball squad's final regular-season matchups to attend the event.

"Football is No. 1, so I had to come here," he said, while noting circumstances would have been different if a playoff game was on the line.

Gill possesses athletic traits to contribute at a variety of positions, but most collegiate coaching staffs have him pegged at running back. During his recruitment—which now features 19 scholarship offers—teams have also discussed the possibility of him playing H-back, slot receiver and even as an occasional Wildcat quarterback.

"I just want the ball in my hands," he said. "I bring a lot of versatility to the table. You can swing me out wide or put me in the backfield. When it's crunch time and we need to pick up a few tough yards on the ground, I can go get those. I'm stronger than I look, and there isn't just one label you can put on me, so that makes it difficult for a defense to prepare."

Gill landed on the national recruiting radar in eighth grade when his first scholarship offer arrived from Pittsburgh. The recruitment quickly gained an SEC stamp, as Kentucky's staff extended an offer through Westerville South coaches at halftime of his second high school game.

Naturally, sorting through so many collegiate opportunities already takes precedence 21 months before national signing day provides a conclusion to the process.

"It's hard not to think about it every day," Gill said. "I'm still pretty high on about half of my list of offers so there's a lot on my mind."

There's still a long way to go in an attempt to whittle down choices, with so many schools in the mix. He points to Tennessee, Michigan State, Penn State, UCLA, USC, Michigan, Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame as teams in contention.

The nearby Buckeyes are favored to land his commitment by 100 percent of experts' predictions in 247Sports' Crystal Ball. Located just minutes away from his high school, Ohio State is the most recent program to welcome Gill to campus.

He attended a spring practice alongside friend and 2017 Buckeyes commit Brendon White.

"Jaelen is a phenomenal athlete who reads the holes very well and can make dudes miss," White said. "I think he could help us a lot and score touchdowns for us. Jaelen is still young and needs to enjoy his recruitment, but he knows where home is. Ohio State is where he needs to be."

Credit: 247Sports

Gill believes proximity helped the Buckeyes staff make an immediate impact on his recruitment.

"I'm getting closer and closer with [head coach] Urban Meyer and [running backs coach Tony] Alford," he said. "I go to school pretty close to campus, so that gives us a chance to build a strong relationship. They've made it clear they're going to recruit the heck out of me. Coach Alford has even come to watch me play baseball."

Among programs Gill mentioned as viable options, only Notre Dame has yet to receive a visit. The Fighting Irish offered in late April, and he plans to reciprocate interest this summer with a trip to South Bend, Indiana.

Aside from Notre Dame, Gill is also eyeing return trips to Michigan State, Tennessee, Penn State and Virginia Tech in the upcoming months. He doesn't view a verbal pledge as imminent at this point.

"It's a busy summer, but this is part of the process and something I've got to do to make the best decision for me," Gill said. "The original plan was to do it either right before or right after my junior season, but I think it's going to push into my senior season. I don't see a commitment coming anytime soon."

Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analyst Tyler Donohue unless otherwise noted. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.