#AGTG Blessed to be offered by “The Ohio State University” @OhioStateFBThank you @ryandaytime @CoachMattBarnes @CoachWash56 @coachcscott @OscarSmithFB @CoachEddie2 @rivalsmike @adamgorney @BrianDohn247 @DemetricDWarren pic.twitter.com/xmN4TYziib— Sherrod Covil Jr (@rodZilla03) April 8, 2021
New #OhioState 4-star safety offer "very interested, it's the Ohio State." VIP https://t.co/GljWHgmyE1— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) April 9, 2021
Check out 🛠 Swiss Army Knife 🔪 🛠 by Sherrod Covil on @hudl https://t.co/gDGznMZ02v #hudl— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) April 10, 2021
SHERROD COVIL JR. Xavier Nwankpa and Zion Branch are Ohio State's top two safety targets on the board in the 2022 class, but don't be surprised if Covil makes his way toward the front of the line as well – even if he doesn't supplant either potential five-star defensive back for the No. 1 or No. 2 spot. Covil's offer from Ohio State this week marked his 39th total offer. Despite being ranked only No. 250 overall, No. 16 at safety and No. 10 in Virginia out of Oscar Smith High School, the 6-foot, 185-pounder is being hawked by some of America's top programs of late. Joining Clemson and USC (March) in recently offering is Oregon (February). Those three programs join a strong contingent of schools that includes Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Penn State and Stanford who had already extended offers before the spring. Though I'm going to do some more digging to see if Covil is seen as a cornerback or a safety, one thing is abundantly clear: Covil is a hit stick. The first highlight on his most recent video package – one that begins with one of the coolest titles we've seen in a Hudl video, "Sherrod Covil: Pain Infliction" – is of him coming across the middle and sawing a receiver's head off. (Metaphorically, of course.) Reminds a bit of Nwankpa's hard-hitting ability.
The Hurry-Up: Buckeye target Sherrod Covil Jr. is one of America's hardest-hitting safeties, another five-star target sets a Columbus visit and OSU targets fly up the rankings. https://t.co/ODBgXyYM06— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 22, 2021 COVIL A NASTY SAFETY Flip on Sherrod Covil Jr.’s game film, and there’s one aspect of his game that instantly jumps out at you. The dude is nasty, and the dude can hit. If you remember back to one of our fall 2020 interviews with Ohio State linebacker commit C.J. Hicks, the five-star prospect marked down former Seattle Seahawks All-Pro safety Kam Chancellor as one of three NFL players who he watches highlights of and wants to emulate as a player – both in his final seasons at Alter High School and his Buckeye career. “When (Chancellor) hits somebody, he would hit them so hard that he would say, ‘I’m tattooing that on them. I’m leaving that Bam on them,’” Hicks said. “I’m coming with that this year.” In Covil, the Buckeyes have offered a 2022 safety who holds a lot of the same mentality that Hicks – who certainly came with that during his junior season – did going into 2020. “I am the hardest-hitting safety in high school,” a confident Covil told Eleven Warriors in a recent interview. “I have speed, I move quickly in short spaces, and I have killer instincts that can’t be taught.” Well, then. “It comes from watching players like Kam Chancellor,” Covil said. Of course, trying to play like Chancellor – or any other hard-hitting safety in the league – can come with its consequences sometimes. Like a couple of weeks ago when Covil came across the middle and put his forearm into a receiver to jar the ball loose. He made contact with the receiver’s helmet, though, and was ejected for hitting a defenseless receiver. It’s all part of a learning process for the four-star Oscar Smith (Virginia) standout, who admits that it was a good call and that he’ll need to control his body a bit more. But what you won’t be able to call into question is his motor or aggressiveness and willingness to stick his nose in to make a play like that. That’s just one of the reasons that Ohio State extended an offer to the nation’s No. 203 overall player and No. 11 safety in the 2022 cycle two weeks ago to the day. On the flip side, the Buckeyes’ own reputation for having some defensive backs of his ilk in the past is why they have thrust himself into Covil’s recruitment that features nearly 40 offers – highlighted by Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford and USC. “I was excited because we are really talking about The Ohio State University,” Covil said. “It’s a top-five team year in and year out who just played in the national championship. The coaches sounded excited about the possibility of me joining the program and that made me excited. “I know they are a part of the DBU debate meaning they make a lot of plays in college and perform well enough to send multiple guys to the league.” And when it comes to his mentality on the field, the comparisons between Covil and other Buckeyes doesn’t stop with Hicks. Just like players such as Kourt Williams and Cody Simon who we have profiled in the past, Covil is able to flip a switch between the lines. “I’m an entirely different person on the field as opposed to off,” Covil said. “Humble off, a monster on.” (His "Pain Infliction" label at the beginning of his highlight tape is eerily reminiscent of the absolute banger of a quote that Williams gave us back in January 2020 about inflicting pain.)
2022 DB locks in Ohio State visit When it comes to the defensive backfield, the Buckeyes are in awesome shape with their 2022 recruiting class. Mainly due to the cornerback position, Ohio State has been able to bring in multiple guys already that will continue the great tradition of elite cornerback play on the outside of the Buckeye defense. Though the corners are almost all but sealed up, the safety position — and even the hybrid “bullet” position as Ohio State calls it — could still use some commitments. Fortunately, the Buckeyes as usual are highly considered by many of the nation’s best players at the position. With the June visits fast approaching, another key target for Ohio State’s 2022 class has locked in a date to see Columbus and what the Buckeyes have to offer. Virginia native Sherrod Covil has plans to be in town the first weekend of June on the 7th. A 6-foot, 185 pound safety, Covil is a perfect combination of range and physicality. The best attributes to his game are his ability to defend the pass thanks to his athleticism, but also be a major threat in the run game as he has proven he’s not shy about coming downhill and hitting. Perfect for the “bullet” position mentioned, that is exactly what Covil is being recruited for by the Ohio State staff. Ranked currently as the 11th-best safety in the class and the 203rd best player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, Covil’s visit is interesting because it will be an unofficial visit, which means it will be on his own dime. That alone tells you how serious he is about the Buckeyes and their history of developing defensive backs for the NFL. In addition to Ohio State, Covil has several other trips lined up for the month of June, and won’t be rushed into a commitment as he plans to hold off until likely just before his senior season or earlier into the campaign. At nearly 40 offers, it won’t be an easy task getting down to a decision, but the official visit process should help that as he will get to choose only five schools. It’s not set in stone if the Buckeyes will be one of those five, but odds are looking pretty good that they will be. What obviously can help that fate is a great visit in June. Surely the staff will be rolling out the red carpet, and when they do so they tend to see pretty successful results. The wait won’t be long, but this first visit could pave the way towards the rest of Covil’s recruitment.
Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith Top247 safety Sherrod Covil locks in a June visit to #Miami. More here: https://t.co/kzb6lt6x2e @GabyUrrutia247 @BrianDohn247— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) May 25, 2021
BREAKING: 4 🌟 Safety Sherrod Covil Jr. has just Committed to Clemson!The 6’0 185 S from Chesapeake, VA chose the Tigers over Notre Dame, Miami, and UNC.With the addition of Covil, Clemson jumps from the #38 Class (94.59) to #26 (114.69) in the 2022 team rankings. pic.twitter.com/ONiS7pMgDB— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 17, 2021