Before he and his parents drove more than 300 miles north from southern Kentucky to central Ohio for Ohio State’s skills/big man camp last Thursday, Jordan Dingle reported just three offers — Western Kentucky (June 16), Kentucky (Jan. 24) and Louisville (April 16).
By the end of the day, Dingle’s scholarships more than doubled.
After an impressive performance in front of more than 30 other schools, the 2021 tight end left the Woody Hayes Athletic Center with four more bids — including the Buckeyes.
“It just means a lot,” Dingle said of the offer from OSU, which joined three others — Rutgers, Kent State and Toledo — in extending a scholarship to the 6-4, 230-pounder. “I know it’s a big-time offer. Just shocked myself. Still, still going. Just impressed with everything and the coaching staff.”
In a setting where Ohio State worked out Ohio’s top three 2020 tight ends — the three-star trio of Mansfield’s Clay Caudill (6-5, 230), Columbus Grandview Heights’ Luke Lachey (6-6, 220) and Cincinnati Elder’s Joe Royer (6-5, 225) — the rising junior stood out with the only on-the-spot offer. (The Buckeyes offered Royer roughly 24 hours later.) Dingle left from inside the team facility after his conversation with head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Kevin Wilson still pinching himself over OSU’s message.
“They were just impressed with my ability that I have, being able to move and just catch the ball,” he said. “I was running around, being physical, just giving it my all and they saw that, saw my effort and everything.”
Ohio State’s duo of Day and Wilson made an impression on Dingle, who has fielded interest from Alabama (March 28) and Missouri (May 19), among his previous visits. He has also taken a trip to Auburn (Feb. 4) and recently camped with Notre Dame (June 3). Following the breakout before the Buckeyes’ coaching staff in Columbus, Dingle added offers Saturday from Appalachian State and South Carolina while at a camp with the Gamecocks.
“I’m extremely happy,” the three-star recruit from Bowling Green, Ky., said. “I’m just blessed.”
On the precipice of double-digit offers with nine to his name, Dingle keeps focused as he pushes ahead during camp season. Outside of a potential camp with Duke, he has no visits planned for his slate in June and beyond. But so far, Dingle has enjoyed the recent uptick in interest, with OSU headlining the early options.
“Just planned on getting myself up to a lot of schools this summer, to show myself and get exposure,” Dingle said. “Of course, as a school, I like Ohio State.”
