Ohio State Football: 3 early signees who’ll have instant impacts in 2020
By Will Koger
Paris Johnson Jr. is the top recruit in Ohio, out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati. He is also the top offensive tackle in the country and the No. 9 overall prospect.
Johnson Jr. holds the second highest 247Sports Composite score of an Ohio State recruit at offensive tackle. In order to start as a true freshman, however, he will likely have to beat out the owner of the highest score, rising redshirt sophomore Nicholas Petit-Frere. Senior-to-be Thayer Munford has left tackle locked up, but the opposite end of the offensive line is vacant after the graduation of Branden Bowen.
Petit-Frere was obviously a highly-touted recruit like Johnson Jr. and has two more years of college experience, making him the presumptive favorite but he was not able to beat out the veteran Bowen in 2018, raising questions about whether he would ever reach his potential at Ohio State.
It’s difficult for a true freshman to start at OSU on the offensive line. Jordan is the only example in recent years, but that required an open starting spot with virtually no competition. Johnson Jr. will battle a former five-star who is two years older than himself for the job — certainly an uphill climb. But it would be unwise to count the freshman out as he’s certainly an elite talent. Maybe, with all the pressure on the older Petit-Frere, Johnson Jr. can wow the coaches and earn a nod.
Regardless of who wins the job, Johnson Jr.’s presence makes an immediate impact on the Buckeyes’ 2020 outlook. He will push Petit-Frere hard in camp, meaning that fans can be confident whoever wins the job has earned it and should be excellent in 2020.