5-Star OT Prospect Paris Johnson Jr. Commits to Ohio State over Michigan State

Urban Meyer and Buckeye Nation received good news Thursday night when offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. committed to play for Ohio State.

The St. Xavier High School (Cincinnati, Ohio) standout announced his decision via Twitter:

Johnson rates as the No. 8 recruit in the class of 2020, the second-best player at his position and Ohio's top recruit, per 247Sports' composite rankings. In other words, the Buckeyes just landed a potential future star.

Johnson becomes the first 5-star recruit in Meyers' 2020 recruiting class. The commitment bumps Ohio State's haul all the way up to No. 4 in the nation in 247Sports' composite rankings. Of course, there's still plenty of time for the rankings to change—but the team from Columbus is off to a strong start.

Before committing to Ohio State, the 6'7", 285-pound lineman was being recruited by the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State and USC. He essentially had his choice of schools, and in the end, he chose to stay close to home.

Before he announced his decision, Johnson told Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports that being a Buckeye made the most sense:

"I felt like the opportunity to go to Ohio State and represent my state and play for an opportunity to win a national championship while wearing the O on my jersey is something bigger. I could have went to schools like Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia and represented their school and state and future but I feel it’s bigger to me to represent my own state and be coached by the best coaching staff in the country with great players I built a relationship with."

It's not uncommon for a recruit to have a change of heart, especially when he commits this early in the process. However, Johnson previously said that there is no going back once he announces his decision:

That's great news for Meyer and Co.