4-Star DE Prospect Brenton Cox Commits to Ohio State

Ohio State picked up another key piece for its 2018 recruiting class Tuesday with a commitment from defensive end Brenton Cox.

Cox broke the news on his Twitter page:

Cox is a 4-star prospect who checks in as the No. 53 overall recruit in the 2018 class, according to the Scout.com rankings. He's also rated as the sixth-best defensive end and the second-best player at the position among Georgia-based players in the group.

The Stockbridge High School standout is starting to growing into his 6'5" frame, and while he can still add more strength, his upside is exciting. His combination of size, an explosive first step at the snap and overall athleticism makes him a prototypical modern edge-rusher.

Scout's Corey Bender‏ showcased the "disruptive defender" in action:

Cox is spending his final season at the high school level trying to show he deserves more attention as one of the class' top defensive prospects. He told Jim Halley of USA Today High School Sports it's an effort that started with the Under Armour Future 50 camp.

"I have something to prove because I have been slept on for a while now," Cox said. "I'm trying to get out and show everybody what I can do. My pass rush is my best quality. I'm not as good against the run, I'm good against the run, but not as good as my pass rush."

If his development continues at its current rate, he won't need to ask for attention much longer. His play will do all the talking for him.

All told, Cox represents a rock-solid addition for the Buckeyes. Not only is he one of the top defensive ends in the class, but there's still plenty of room for improvement, which could make him a game-changing force by the time he's an upperclassman.

It shouldn't take him too long to crack the Ohio State defensive line rotation. He'll likely start off as a situational pass-rusher, which could happen early in his sophomore campaign, and then see his involvement rise as he rounds out his skill set.

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