Alabama '23 FL DE - Keon Keeley (Alabama Verbal)

On3's Director of Recruiting @ChadSimmons_ shares the latest intel on 5-star EDGE Keon Keeley who will be back in Columbus to visit Ohio State this weekend🌰

"I'm very close to putting in a prediction for the Ohio State Buckeyes."

Inside Scoop: https://t.co/gdlZgsVUup pic.twitter.com/rxGCKHG09x

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) September 22, 2022

 

Five-star 2023 defensive end Keon Keeley has arrived in Columbus for a second visit this month.

He's a popular guy amongst Buckeye fans and also met Gene Smith. pic.twitter.com/7PC34xAS5S

— Garrick Hodge (@Garrick_Hodge) September 24, 2022

 

After two visits this month to Columbus, Ohio State has to feel good about where it stands with five-star 2023 defensive end Keon Keeley.

While it should be noted no commitment appears imminent, and Keeley likely fully intends to make his scheduled official visit to Alabama on Oct. 8, the talented pass rusher and his family wouldn’t have made a trip to OSU on their own dime if the Buckeyes weren’t in clear consideration for the 6-foot-6, 242-pound standout.

While Keeley did take an unofficial visit to Florida on Sept. 10, this is essentially turning into a two-horse race between the Crimson Tide and the Buckeyes. 2023 Ohio State offensive line commit Joshua Padilla said Keeley told him as much while on the visit.

“The visit was good, I talked to Keon, asked him how he liked everything and he said it's between Ohio State and Alabama,” Padilla told Eleven Warriors. “I told him the culture here at Ohio State is one of a kind and told him why I came to Ohio State.”

On both visits, Keeley was all smiles entering Ohio Stadium, and his celebrity only grew on his second visit, with fans asking him for autographs and for pictures. He was also a popular man among Ohio State’s football staff with nearly every OSU coach coming over pregame to say hello, along with Mark Pantoni and Gene Smith.

On Keeley’s end, his mother Janické told 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong the second visit was by all accounts successful. But a decision doesn’t seem approaching any time soon.

"Looking forward to our Alabama visit and will take a few weeks to think," Janické told 247Sports.

 

On3's @ChadSimmons_ shares the latest on 5⭐️ EDGE Keon Keeley👀

“One source close to this told me it’s 50-50 right now at best between Alabama and Ohio State"

The Inside Scoop: https://t.co/maR9sbsGtR pic.twitter.com/TG2dAZKCwJ

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) September 26, 2022

 

It was another "very good" trip to #OhioState for 4-star Keon Keeley and his family (VIP via @SWiltfong247)https://t.co/X4s6yvMKRF pic.twitter.com/HUAvIfFApk

— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) September 27, 2022

 

"Talking to some people that spent time with him at Ohio State, they think that Keon Keeley is going to go to Ohio State."@SWiltfong247 discusses 5-star EDGE Keon Keeley, who visited Ohio State this past weekend and will visit Alabama on October 8 🏈 pic.twitter.com/4My8dEhwdC

— 247Sports (@247Sports) September 28, 2022

 

5⭐️ EDGE Keon Keeley is in the house at Alabama, visiting with star defensive end Will Anderson's family.
(📸 @KIsDesigns)

MORE: https://t.co/4WRnkbMjBw pic.twitter.com/yDOZrv2V0e

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) October 8, 2022

 

#OhioState coaches Ryan Day and Larry Johnson are set to see 5-star edge target Keon Keeley. VIP https://t.co/LwTca26tVQ

— Bill Kurelic (@Bill_Kurelic) October 10, 2022

 

5-star EDGE Keon Keeley officially visited #Alabama this past weekend.

He goes in depth on this trip, time with the coaching staff, message from Will Anderson, his recruitment, and much more.

🗞: https://t.co/GMQc7wCme3 (On3+)

Get a year for $10! ➡️ https://t.co/iSuXi2PcRW pic.twitter.com/xLIf8TiO4L

— Joseph Hastings (@JosephAHastings) October 10, 2022

 

Ohio State visits five-star Keon Keeley after official visit weekend at Alabamahttps://t.co/ZB5329Dcza

— Lettermen Row (@LettermenRow) October 11, 2022

 

5⭐️ EDGE Keon Keeley had high praise for Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson in a recent exclusive with @JosephAHastings 👀

More (On3+): https://t.co/DqdqBIbu7E pic.twitter.com/ynbZmRH6Dr

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) October 11, 2022

 

KEON KEELEY
Keeley went the opposite way of Wilson in that the momentum seemed to be in OSU’s favor ever so slightly after the five-star defensive end took his second gameday visit to Columbus this fall in September for the Wisconsin game.

That momentum has since shifted toward Alabama, though Day and Johnson clearly don’t believe they’re out of this recruitment yet because they also stopped in to see Keeley on the same trip they took to visit Wilson. Ohio State will continue to battle for Keeley until the end of his recruitment, but Alabama appears to hold the lead for now.

 

🚨NEW🚨 EDGE Keon Keeley ranks No. 3 and five-stars in the latest 2023 On300⭐️https://t.co/RclSjiqPPY pic.twitter.com/BOt6tLNQc6

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) November 21, 2022

 

5-star edge rusher @keon_keeley's current visit status (VIP via @Bill_Kurelic)https://t.co/hsYPUXz1va pic.twitter.com/F6Tzu7qR6l

— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) November 21, 2022

 

5⭐️ EDGE Keon Keeley will visit Alabama this weekend for the Iron Bowl👀

More form @JosephAHastings (On3+): https://t.co/Z0chuJRuTC pic.twitter.com/kTUk2lSBNS

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) November 26, 2022

 

KEON KEELEY
The five-star defensive end from Florida has seen the biggest drop in this month’s edition of the board. After Ohio State had a flurry of momentum with Keeley in September, everything has since shifted to Alabama, which is ultimately where he is likely to end up.