The Ohio State football recruiting class of 2023 is complete and despite some murmurs of negativity in the crowd, this class is fantastic from top to bottom. One of the studs of this class is a four-star cornerback out of Texas, Calvin Simpson-Hunt.
Hunt is widely viewed as a top 90 prospect in the class of 2023 and a top ten cornerback in the class. The defensive backfield is a bit of a question mark considering how lackluster they were last season, but Simpson-Hunt has the skills to see the field early and often, and we will explore why below.
Name: Calvin Simpson-Hunt
High School: Waxahachie (Waxahachie, TX)
Height: 6-feet
Weight: 175 pounds
4-Star Cornerback
Strengths
Ohio State CB Calvin Simpson-Hunt is going to be a stud for the Buckeyes. Receiving very high praise at All-American Bowl practices pic.twitter.com/RtNZ5dxOjM
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) January 5, 2023
Breaking It All Down
Calvin Simpson-Hunt brings a lot to the table and the first things that pop off on his tape are his pure speed, size, and strength. Simpson-Hunt is one of the more athletic players in this class and has the vertical to compete for jump balls.
The trait that impresses me the most is his already-refined technique. He shows a ton of patience and understands how to utilize the sideline and properly jam at the line of scrimmage and that is pretty rare for a young guy.
Ohio State CB signee Calvin Simpson-Hunt attached to WR Jaedn Skeet. pic.twitter.com/UbE7eLTAxt
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) January 7, 2023
Weaknesses
Calvin Simpson-Hunt and Jermaine Mathews going come and compete for a starting position. Love both of these young men 🅾️🌰 #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/4iB16jw1cF
— 🅾️BuckeyeUpdates🌰 (@Buckeyeslife247) December 21, 2022
Breaking It All Down
Expectations are high for these incoming defensive backs to see the field early and often. This is less of a weakness and more of a warning to temper expectations. Simpson-Hunt is further along technically than most incoming freshmen and he could see some time as a freshman, but he needs to continue to develop to be a reliable Big Ten starter. Expecting Simpson-Hunt to start as a freshman is unfair, but he should be ready as a sophomore.
Ohio State cornerback signee Calvin Simpson-Hunt (@CSimpsonHunt) showcasing why no one throws the ball his way. pic.twitter.com/CLtFgiSwd4
— Matt Parker (@MattParkerLR) January 4, 2023
Comparison: Shaun Wade
Shaun Wade’s legacy as a Buckeye is complicated, but after redshirting in 2017, he played a vital role the next three seasons before heading to the NFL. Wade was All-Big Ten in 2019 and 2020 and was also an All-American and named Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in 2020. Wade was drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens and is currently with the New England Patriots.
Both Calvin Simpson-Hunt and Shaun Wade have ideal length and both play extremely physical which allows them to excel at the line of scrimmage and in the run game. Wade was a vital piece of the Ohio State defense for three seasons and I expect Simpson-Hunt to have the same impact.
Shaun Wade came back, and #BuckeyeNation is very happy he did pic.twitter.com/Q1jJNMOeUY
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) January 1, 2021
