Ohio State has lost two commitments from the 2020 recruiting class since Urban Meyer announced his retirement on Tuesday. The first to depart from the class was ESPN Junior 300 safety Lejond Cavazos and now ESPN Jr. 300 offensive lineman Jake Wray has also backed off his commitment to the Buckeyes.
With Cavazos and Wray’s decommitment, Ohio State now has five commitments in the 2020 class, four of which are ranked in the ESPN Jr. 300.
Please respect my decision. pic.twitter.com/6OGmXlWt70
— Jake Wray (@jakewray77) December 5, 2018
Wray is the No. 56 ranked prospect in the 2020 class and had been committed to Ohio State since April. The Marietta, Georgia prospect said in his statement that one big part of his decision to commit early was that there were no major coaching changes.
With Meyer retiring, Wray decided to decommit, but is still considering Ohio State as a potential final landing spot.
The decision was especially difficult for Wray, as he noted, because his brother, Max, is a freshman offensive lineman on the Ohio State roster. The family already has ties to the program with his brother on the team, so it isn’t out of the question to think that the younger Wray could end up committing to the Buckeyes again.
The reaction from recruits around Meyer’s retirement has varied depending on the class they are in. The prospects committed in the 2019 class, with only a few weeks until the early signing period starting on December 19, for the majority have been steadfast in remaining committed.
ESPN 300 wide receiver Garrett Wilson, the top ranked commit in the 2019 class, announced he was still 100 percent committed to the Buckeyes along with a number of the other committed recruits.
The 2020 class has taken more of a wait and see approach, which includes the top-ranked commit in ESPN Jr. 300 offensive lineman Paris Johnson. His mother, Monica, told ESPN that the family has no comment at this time and that they are still processing the information.
With the focus on closing out the 2019 class in this early signing period, the coaching staff will have time in January to circle back to the 2020 prospects and talk through any concerns or issues that might arise. It is safe to say, though, the 2020 class has been impacted much more than the 2019 recruits at this time.