Truly honored and blessed to receive an offer from The Ohio State University #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/wZt3Ai6Zam— JahleelBillingsley (@JahleelKnowsss) March 8, 2018
Chicago Phillips Top247 TE Jahleel Billingsley says tonight's #OhioState offer has altered his list: https://t.co/cUqONcS1xC #Buckeyes @Bill_Kurelic @alexgleitman— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) March 8, 2018
Check out Week 1-4 by Jahleel Billingsley on @hudl https://t.co/Jpe2WJy8lk #hudl— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) March 11, 2018
JUMPED INTO THE LEAD? In the aforementioned recruiting mailbag, I was asked about Ohio State's top targets at the tight end position. I listed Chicago Phillips Academy four-star tight end Jahleel Billingsley, who actually just picked up an offer from the Buckeyes on Wednesday night. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Billingsley is considered the ninth-best tight end and No. 259 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he hauled in 14 catches for 243 yards and three touchdowns to help the Wildcats to the state title last season. He holds 20 offers from programs such as Cincinnati, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Penn State and West Virginia, but the Buckeyes have certainly positioned themselves to make quite the impact in his recruitment. Offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Kevin Wilson, naturally, was the one who extended the offer to Billingsley. He'll likely make his first trip to campus this spring.
QUICK TURNAROUND Just a little over a week after he landed an offer from Ohio State, Chicago Phillips Academy four-star tight end Jahleel Billingsley included the Buckeyes in his Top 7 on Tuesday night alongside Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ole Miss, Penn State and TCU. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Billingsley is considered the ninth-best tight end and No. 260 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he hauled in 14 receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns to help the Wildcats to the state title last season. Billingsley has been in contact with offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Kevin Wilson, naturally, and is eyeing his first trip to campus later this spring. It appears he and Arizona three-star Brayden Liebrock are among the staff’s top targets at the position, and their upcoming visits — Liebrock is set to attend next Friday’s practice — could go a long way in determining which prospect the Buckeyes likely choose to be their lone tight end this cycle.
… And a 4-star TE isn’t Multiple outlets have reported that Ohio State would host 4-star Illinois tight end Jahleel Billingsley for an unofficial visit this weekend. Billingsley messaged me to indicate he would not visit Columbus this weekend. Billingsley, the No. 9 tight end in the class, was offered by Ohio State on March 7 and has immediately jumped toward the top of the Buckeyes tight end board. While he won’t be on campus this weekend, Billingsley is still an important target for Ohio State and one of the likeliest tight ends to sign with the Buckeyes in this class. The Crystal Ball predictions currently read heavily in Ohio State’s favor. Billingsley recently included Ohio State in his top 7.
Chicago four-star tight end Jahleel Billingsley (@JahleelKnowsss) will visit Ohio State for the Spring Game on April 14. He also plans to return in May.— Andrew Lind (@AndrewMLind) March 24, 2018
4-star Chicago Phillips TE Jahleel Billingsley is showing the #illini love and has Illinois high on his list. But Ohio State, Florida and Penn State are pushing too. Billingsley goes in-depth on the latest in his recruitment:https://t.co/CLKuxwbcbK pic.twitter.com/sUEdThpICi— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) May 6, 2018
HAVE TO MAKE SURE Chicago Phillips Academy four-star tight end Jahleel Billingsley took a small detour on his way to Massillon and swung by Ohio State for an unofficial visit on Friday afternoon. “The experience was great,” Billingsley told Eleven Warriors. “It’s Ohio State. Who wouldn’t like Ohio State?” The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder is considered the 10th-best tight end and No. 283 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, as he hauled in 14 receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns to help the Wildcats to the state title last season. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson offered him a scholarship back in early March and he included the Buckeyes in his Top 7 alongside Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ole Miss, Penn State and TCU shortly thereafter. “[We have] a pretty good relationship,” Billingsley said. “We talk a lot about football, but more about academics and the 40-year plan, not the 4-year plan, and how to be a man.” While on campus, Billingsley and his father spent a considerable amount of time with Wilson and Meyer. “It was weird. It was uncomfortable at first,” Billingsley said. “It was a good uncomfortable, though, like I felt welcome. It was good.” Ohio State was considered the favorite to land Billingsley’s pledge when he trimmed down his list of offers, but things quickly shifted in favor of the Illini following an unofficial visit in late March. The program recently picked up commitments from St. Louis five-star quarterback Isaiah Williams and Texas four-star cornerback Marquez Beason, and there’s a lot of momentum for the program on the recruiting trail right now. A big part of that is Williams’ former high school coach, Cory Patterson, who was hired as Illinois’ tight ends coach earlier this spring. “They recruit really well there,” Billingsley said. “When I visited, there was a lot of energy. I like the coaches.” Even with Friday’s visit, it seems like the Buckeyes are looking up at the Illini. Billingsley — who punched his ticket to The Opening Finals on Saturday — plans to take an official visit with the Gators later this month, and then hopes to announce his college decision this summer. “It’s about comfortability, but somewhere that I can get the best of both worlds: academics and football,” Billingsley said. “I feel like Illinois will turn it around if they can get the right players. They got the right coaches."
A top recruit visited the #Buckeyes over the weekend and heard from J.T. Barrett what #OhioState can do for him VIP https://t.co/sOHza98Stl— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) May 9, 2018
4-star TE Jahleel Billingsley names Florida #Gators his leader following today's visit according to @Blake_Alderman https://t.co/tH7nzYR4s5 pic.twitter.com/aDnrg2H4mW— Luke Stampini (@LukeStampini) May 19, 2018
#Alabama offer four-star Chicago Phillips TE Jahleel Billingsley: https://t.co/ekIy6uvKmy @HankSouth247 https://t.co/5p96w2s3Pm— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) May 22, 2018
Chicago (Ill.) Phillips four-star TE Jahleel Billingsley touches on the highlights from his official visit to #PennState: https://t.co/Y00h73I6Jw— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) June 10, 2018
Another twist in the recruitment of 4-star TE Jahleel Billingsley via @HankSouth247 https://t.co/EwQxsgSiEQ pic.twitter.com/35jCc7VPEk— Luke Stampini (@LukeStampini) June 18, 2018
Chicago TE @JahleelKnowsss is a nice get for #Alabama. Had 30 some offers including #OhioState https://t.co/1AsJMhoVN8.— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) July 6, 2018
Alabama star tight end Jahleel Billingsley is transferring to Texas, per On3's @InsideTexas.Billingsley had 37 receptions for 559 yards and six touchdowns during his time with the Crimson Tide. Story: https://t.co/7wnxUXzlnO— On3 (@On3sports) January 16, 2022