The need was definitely there.
With the quarterback, wide receiver, running back and tight end position groups essentially locked up for the class of 2022, offensive line became the lone offensive need to fill for Ohio State. More specifically, OSU really needed to land a true tackle, as some of its other top linemen targets may be best suited to play on the interior when they reach the next level.
The Buckeyes took a major step of addressing that Friday with the verbal commitment of four-star offensive tackle George Fitzpatrick. A 6-foot-6, 285-pound standout for Cherry Creek High School (Greenwood Village, Colorado), Fitzpatrick comes from a winning culture, and could be a stalwart in the trenches down the road.