The Ohio State football program had a consensus top-five class in the country for 2022 and was considered the No. 1 class in the Big Ten by a wide margin. The third-ranked offensive lineman in this Buckeye class is George Fitzpatrick, but he may have the highest ceiling.
It should be noted for those that are not familiar, recruiting classes are not like NFL draft classes. Many of these players will not see time as freshmen and will likely be redshirted. It’s also true that in the age of the transfer portal it is likely several players from this class will not be here at the end.
I wanted to at least take a dive into some of the top studs and we’ll start at the top of the recruiting class with offensive tackle, George Fitzpatrick and we have already previously dived into C.J. Hicks, Devin Brown, Kenyatta Jackson, Omari Abor, Kaleb Brown, Kyion Grayes, Gabe Powers, Tegra Tshabola, Caleb Burton, Kojo Antwi, Carson Hinzman, and Jyaire Brown.
Strengths
100% COMMITTED‼️ #GoBucks 🌰@Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/cjwgWxxKP2
— George Fitzpatrick (@georgefitz88) July 9, 2021
Name: George Fitzpatrick
High School: Cherry Creek (Englewood, CO)
Height: 6-foot, 6-inches
Weight: 274-pounds
Four-Star Offensive Tackle
George Fitzpatrick has great size for the offensive line standing at 6-foot, 6-inches, and 274-pounds, but his frame should allow for at least 15 more pounds of muscle. Fitzpatrick plays with great momentum and is a sure-fire finisher. Once he gets his hands and feet placed where he wants them, the defender basically has no chance. Fitzpatrick also has a great first step and rarely loses to the defender off the snap.
Cherry Creek is also home to 2022 OT George Fitzpatrick who has picked up 20 offers midway through his junior campaign, including one from Texas in October. pic.twitter.com/Ql4YqEEvdO
— Nick Harris (@RivalsNick) November 7, 2020
Weaknesses
🧨🧨🧨 #BOOM 🧨🧨🧨
OT George Fitzpatrick has committed to Ohio State
The Buckeyes continue to have a great start to the month of July on the recruiting trail pic.twitter.com/CsAJZCYNom
— The Victory Bell (@VictoryBellOSU) July 9, 2021
Like with most recruits that Ohio State brings in, George Fitzpatrick has an excellent frame, but he does need to add weight to be a guaranteed factor. I have no concerns over his length, but this is something that has been mentioned in various circles. You can still be an elite tackle with less than ideal arm length, but it sure does help. There have also been concerns over athleticism, but again, based on what I have seen, he is very quick off the snap and that is the most important factor. Perhaps he will struggle to reach the second level, but I am not sure that is even the case.
Jack Sawyer from the left side with the bull rush against George Fitzpatrick pic.twitter.com/Wha3sJlzQZ
— Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) April 2, 2022
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