2024 Four Star Safety Garrett Stover commits to Ohio State

Four-star 2024 safety Garrett Stover became Ohio State’s third commitment in the Class of 2024 when he pulled the trigger and signed on with the Buckeyes on Monday, following in the footsteps of his cousin, l current Ohio State tight end Cade Stover. He joins five-star Arizona quarterback Dylan Raiola and four-star Indiana offensive tackle Ian Moore in the class.

Stover is the first commit in the state and the first defensive commit in Ohio State’s Class of 2024.

Stover attended five OSU games this fall, leaving little doubt where he would end up, although he also traveled to Notre Dame for its home game against Clemson. OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and Stover have established a strong relationship over the past few months as the pair communicated weekly and Knowles also stopped by Big Walnut to watch the Ohio prospect play earlier. this autumn.

“From what I’ve seen, Jim Knowles is doing a good job of keeping this defense in the best position to make plays,” Stover said after one of his October visits. “They’re fun to watch and I love their energy. I love the excitement they get when a guy makes a play and everyone is on top of them congratulating them. It’s just something you want to be part of.

Stover first got his OSU offer on June 1 after an impressive recruiting camp where he ran a 4.45-second 40-yard sprint, recorded a 10-foot-1 wide jump and displayed great agility in rear defense drills.

“Coach Day called my mom and I at his office and he did it on the spot,” Stover said. “He also put my dad on speakerphone since he wasn’t there and said we’re giving your son a full scholarship to Ohio State. Obviously that was a very exciting time. . I also got emotional. It was really cool.”

While his first call was to his father, Garrett’s second call after receiving his offer was to Cade.

“He was definitely number one on my call list,” Stover said of Cade. “I made sure to call him right after. He was extremely happy for me and congratulated me.

Knowles told Stover he could play safety or linebacker when he arrives on campus.

“He told me I could play both (linebacker and safety),” Stover said. “It’s really how my body develops over the years. It’s just about making sure I stay flexible and loose so I have the opportunity to play both and be that dynamic player. It’s a unique thing to have the opportunity to play both and I’m happy to see where I stand.

At 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Stover has the frame to play safety or linebacker in Knowles’ scheme. He has a skill set similar to Ronnie Hickman where he can cover the deep third of the court, attack from the edge and line up in position at linebacker. For Big Walnut High School, Stover played safety his sophomore year, then primarily played linebacker his junior season. He also contributes offensively as a wide receiver for his high school team, though he’s unlikely to switch positions at the collegiate level as many times as his cousin did in Columbus.

With Stover in the fold, Ohio State remains in pursuit of other major safety goals in 2024, such as five-star safety goal KJ Bolden, who will feature in OSU’s game against the Michigan on Saturday. Other main targets include Peyton Woodyard, Jaylen Heyward, Corian Gipson and Vaboue Toure.

Stover had 16 Division I offers and chose Ohio State over Notre Dame, Michigan State, Kentucky, Iowa State, Northwest, Pittsburgh, Boston College and Cincinnati. He is considered the 168th best player in 2024 nationally according to the composite ranking of 247Sports.