COLUMBUS — Ohio State has offered four in-state recruits in the 2023 class. Offensive lineman Josh Padilla out of Wayne High School is one of them, and he visited Columbus for Ohio State’s 59-7 win over Akron this weekend.
This was Padilla’s visit second visit to Ohio State this season, with the first being the Oregon game two weeks ago. He had planned on visiting for the Oregon game all summer, but this visit was impromptu. Padilla called the coaches on Thursday asking for tickets for him and his brother and they obliged, which meant a lot to him.
“I really wasn’t doing anything that day and I just figured since they were having a home game at night I figured I would go,” Padilla told Buckeye Scoop. “Knowing I am one of those people that can call Ohio State and ask if I can go to the game and they say yes right away, they set me up with everything. It’s just good to know that.”
Aside from it being Padilla’s second visit this season it also gave him the chance to see the progress Ohio State has made since the Oregon game.
“I felt like they were more together. I felt like they came together as a team and they were just dominating as a whole unit,” said Padilla
One unit in particular that Padilla was watching closely was the offensive line, which was dominant.
“I feel like the offensive line is setting up the offense really good right now because the run game has been super good,” he said.
It isn’t just the rushing offense for the Buckeyes that has Padilla’s attention. It is also the passing attack, and knowing the fact that he will be developed as an all-around offensive lineman by position coach Greg Studrawa.
“It is good to know that because coach Stud, he’s produced some of the best centers up there,” Padilla said. “Probably like the last three centers he’s produced have been top NFL draft picks.”
As someone who Ohio State is recruiting as a center, Padilla has paid close attention to redshirt freshman center Luke Wypler who has started every game at center for the Buckeyes this season. And Padilla has high praise for Wypler.
“Luke has stepped up a great amount in Ohio State’s offense,” he said. “Coach Stud told me that after the playoffs Luke was just in the Woody practicing his snaps and saying he was going to start and stuff like that, so he is dedicated to his craft.”
Needless to say, Padilla enjoyed his trip to Columbus and he will next be back in the Shoe when the Buckeyes host Penn State in about a month. In the meantime, he’ll continue to watch Ohio State’s offensive line, especially Wypler.
