Early Signing Period: Four-Star OL Luke Montgomery Signs With Ohio State

Get to know Findlay, Ohio four-star interior offensive lineman Luke Montgomery, who signed his national letter of intent with Ohio State on Wednesday.

Height, Weight: 6-5, 280.

247 Composite Rankings:  He’s rated as the 52nd overall prospect, third-best interior offensive lineman and No. 1 recruit out of Ohio.

Commitment Date: Montgomery committed to Ohio State on Feb. 17.

Other Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Cincinnati, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, LSU, Miami (Fl.), Miami (Ohio), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, South Carolina, Tennessee, Toledo, USC, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Western Michigan.

How he did in high school: Montgomery spent four years as a starter at Findlay, with his freshman year at tight end before he slid inside to offensive tackle and defensive end on the opposite side. He helped guide the Trojans to a playoff appearance this season.

Why he committed to Ohio State: Born and raised in Ohio and coming up as a Buckeye fan, Montgomery has always been linked to Ohio State but wanted to let his recruiting process play out, visiting a bevy of schools before settling on the Buckeyes.

He pulled the trigger to come to Columbus Feb. 17. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson served as his primary recruiter as the Buckeyes transitioned offensive line coaches in the offseason, with offensive line coach Justin Frye stepping in as his secondary recruiter once his feet were on the ground at Ohio State.

“Columbus is a great city,” Montgomery said at his commitment ceremony. “I was born there, lived there for about 10 months of my life before moving to Findlay, so I’ve always been an Ohio kid. I grew up an Ohio State fan, and an Ohio kid being able to play for his home team is pretty amazing.”

Montgomery immediately became one of the biggest peer recruiters for OSU, helping the coaching staff assemble the remainder of the class of 2023.

Where he fits for 2023: It’s no secret Ohio State is thin at tackle for 2023, especially if Dawand Jones and Paris Johnson go pro, as they are expected to.

Donovan Jackson could slide outside from guard, barring that Josh Fryar and Zen Michalski project as starters. Behind them is a hodge-podge of young depth that has swung between tackle and guard and developmental former three-star prospects who have yet to show they can produce at a major D-1 level. The Buckeyes could also add a tackle or two from the transfer portal.

It’s unclear yet whether Montgomery will be a tackle or guard at the next level, but any opportunity for playing time as a freshman likely comes at the former. Barring that, he’s definitely a centerpiece for the team’s long-term future up front.