The Hurry-Up: Raesjon Davis Presents Upcoming Ohio State Visit, ‘Final Step’ in Recruitment Process

Davis Presents Ohio State Tour

Raesjon Davis’ phone over the past week has been essentially overheated to the touch.

Logic. Davis is one of the most sought-after rookies in the 2021 class. And since dropping his top five from Ohio, LSU, USC, Oregon and Vanderbilt Sunday, communication was overwhelming at times.

“My posts exploded with all these coaches,” Davis said Eleven warriors Wednesday evening. “After I dropped my top five, everyone texted me. I put it on ‘do not disturb’. I just had to have my head straight to see where I really wanted to go. I also try to stay away from social media. That’s why I’m going to be training and lifting weights, just trying to get back in order.

So there’s a lot of stress in Davis’ decision, but in two weeks he will have cemented his decision by telling us that he still plans to sign with one of these five schools on February 3, National Day of the Day. signature.

My overwhelming opinion is that four-star prospect Mater Dei (Calif.) – ranked No.45 overall, No.4 outside linebacker, and No.3 in the state – chooses between the state of Ohio or USC.

While Oregon is also in good standing, it is these two programs that are neck and neck in the race to clinch Davis. This weekend, the Columbus and Ohio State campus will have the opportunity to make a final impression on Davis and his family as he tours the city with his parents.

“It’s the last stop because it’s the last school, so we’re just waiting to see how it goes,” Davis said.

“(This visit is) essential because I just want my parents to see it. So once they see it, I’ll know exactly how I’m feeling.– Raesjon Davis

Plane tickets were purchased on Tuesday as Davis, his parents and uncle will fly out on Friday before returning on Sunday. And you wouldn’t do an expensive tour on your own, flying across the country on the 11th hour, if you didn’t really want to choose this school.

“My uncle went to Toledo there so he knows a lot about the state of Ohio. He’s going there with us too, so he said he could show us there, ”Davis said.

There hasn’t been a detailed itinerary that Ohio State coaches gave Davis of where to reach, but it will likely happen once he has a planned Zoom call this week with Al Washington.

“I guess we’re going to figure out (what places to hit) when we get there, really,” Davis said. “(My mom) was just trying to see if we could talk to some of the players, the first freshmen, to see if they could show us around.

Ohio state’s first registrants in 2021 will have already arrived on campus by the time Davis is in town or arrives there this weekend. Davis is hoping to be able to meet guys like TreVeyon Henderson, Evan Pryor, Jack Sawyer and Kyle McCord, and he’s been in touch with Jaylen Johnson, a non-early rookie, who should be able to meet him this weekend. .

One player Davis won’t be able to meet, however, is Buckeye quarterback CJ Stroud, another SoCal guy Davis has known for a long time.

“He’s my guy. We are really cool. I’ve known him since eighth grade, ”Davis said. “We’ve always been super cool. He said to me, “You would like that here. But this is business. He just said always get into an entrepreneurial spirit because that’s how it is. He knows I’m a businessman because I’m from here, so he knows I’ll be ready to work there. He said it was super fun, but he said it was very serious too.

“I spoke to CJ, but he said he’s home right now so he’s going to see what he can do.

Top 5! @ Hayesfawcett pic.twitter.com/5n8ys70exb

– Raesjon Davis (@ raesjon1) January 17, 2021

Contrary to what I wrote on Wednesday, Davis says he actually only visited the state of Ohio once (not twice). It was March 2020, but he says “it was only for a few hours. It was not a full visit affair. That’s why I wanted to come back there and visit the campus and the city.

He bumped into Paris Johnson Jr. on that visit while walking on the High Street and got more insight into the inner workings of Ohio State from a player who had spent about two months in the program at that time. But it remains of the utmost importance that Davis’s parents get to see the city and the facilities.

When we spoke with Davis this summer, while he was still engaged at LSU, he was hoping to come to campus for a visit to see if there was a “spark” for his family as there had been at. Red Stick.

“It’s essential because I just want my parents to see it,” Davis said. “So once they see it, I’ll know exactly how I’m feeling. Because my parents are a big part of my decision, so I always ask them (what they think of a school).

“That’s what I’m trying to see (it’s that spark). Because I knew after this visit they were excited about it, so I’m trying to see if they have the same feeling about the state of Ohio. They are super excited. My mom has been trying to get up there for about three weeks. So we’re just happy to finally be able to get out.

Again, that recruitment appears to be shrinking between Ohio State and USC. Dave Aranda was Davis’ recruiting coach for LSU, and once he left to become Baylor’s head coach, new defensive coordinator Bo Pelini (who was fired after just one season) did not taken over to have an impact on Davis. . The Tigers lost Davis’ engagement and they won’t get him back.

If this visit goes well, I think the Buckeyes could pull it off which would be a little upset by the Trojans and their attraction to being close to home.

Washington has one of the best relationships with Davis of any coach who hires him. Perhaps the better. The same goes for Davis’s father, who also forged close ties with Washington.

The fact that USC is closer to home is a factor here, as is the Trojans’ lack of linebacker depth. Davis wants to play early and make an impact as a rookie before competing for a sophomore starting spot, and the potential to see the field sooner or later at USC is intriguing.

Ohio state, meanwhile, has its top four starting linebackers for the NFL. With Teradja Mitchell, K’Vaughan Pope and Dallas Gant set to hit their fourth year in 2021, the Buckeyes could see even more job turnover after next season. The opportunity is there for a starring role as a rookie and, more importantly, as a sophomore with Reid Carrico and Jaylen Johnson (who could still be a defensive back) as the only other linebackers to enter. the 2021 cycle.

These are all options for Davis to think about as he takes that final step.

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Header photo: Raesjon Davis – Ken Ruinard / USA Today