Clemson '23 GA DE - A.J. Hoffler (Clemson Verbal)

Discussion in ''23 Committed Elsewhere' started by OSUBasketballJunkie, Nov 21, 2021.

  1. OSUBasketballJunkie

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    [​IMG]

    Rivals.com
    24/7Sports


    STRONGSIDE DEFENSIVE END
    6'5'' | 235 LBS
    CLASS OF 2023

    Ohio State has offered.
     
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  3. OSUBasketballJunkie

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    HOFFLER GETS HIS WISH
    Two weeks before his visit, four-star 2023 defensive end AJ Hoffler told Eleven Warriors Ohio State was his dream school because of the reputation of defensive line coach Larry Johnson and the prestige the Buckeyes offer on the field. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound standout from Georgia already has more than 30 Division I scholarship offers, but the Buckeyes were No. 1 on his wish list.

    “That would be my dream offer, so it would be pretty big,” Hoffler told Eleven Warriors before his visit about the possibility of getting an offer from Ohio State. “I’ve been praying about it, that’s what I’ve been working for, to get an offer from them. It would be pretty big to me.”

    Hoffler’s dream became a reality on Saturday.

    Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Hoffler is the 256th-ranked overall prospect and the 40th-best defensive lineman in the 2023 cycle. In 10 games for Atlanta’s Woodward Academy this season, Hoffler has a team-high nine sacks, seven quarterback hurries and 44 tackles (four for loss).

    Hoffler said the Buckeyes are primarily recruiting him as a defensive end and haven’t spoken about him about the possibility of playing outside linebacker, even though OSU linebackers coach Al Washington is his primary recruiter and even stopped by one of Hoffler’s practices earlier this year.
     
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    When four-star 2023 defensive end AJ Hoffler received his Ohio State offer during his Nov. 20 visit for the Michigan State game, tears of happiness started flowing down his cheeks.

    Despite living in Atlanta, Ohio State has been the 6-foot-5, 245-pound standout’s dream school since he first dreamed of playing college football. Two months later, Hoffler still has a clear frontrunner in his recruitment.

    “They’re still number one,” Hoffler told Eleven Warriors regarding Ohio State on Friday.

    Hoffler will visit Ohio State again this upcoming weekend. On his November visit, he went with his father. This time, his mother will be going with him.

    “My mom will get to see the stadium and stuff like that,” Hoffler said. “I’d like to see the campus and the academic buildings and the rest of the facilities.”

    Since he attended the Buckeyes’ win over Michigan State, Hoffler has only visited one other school: a quick trip to Georgia’s big recruiting weekend last weekend on an unofficial visit. Ohio State still remains Hoffler’s biggest priority in his recruitment.

    “It’s not as shocking anymore, but I still can’t believe it,” Hoffler said of his offer two months later. “It’s set in, but I still can’t believe it.”

    Hoffler said he has not yet spoken with newly-hired defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, though he talks with both defensive line coach Larry Johnson and defensive line assistant coach Nick Sebastian once a week. While Hoffler has mentioned in the past he’d consider committing to the Buckeyes the next time he visited Columbus, it doesn’t appear any commitment watch will be necessary this weekend. Although it’s fully expected Johnson will return to the Buckeyes for at least another season, Hoffler plans to talk with Johnson about what his future plans may be on the visit before he makes any decision.

    “I think I’m still going to wait a little bit to see how everything goes with coach Johnson,” Hoffler said. “To see if he retires or not. Still, as of now, I’d still like to commit before my birthday on Aug. 9.”

    Hoffler is ranked as the 262nd-best prospect in the nation and the 41st-best defensive lineman in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.
     
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    One of the Buckeyes’ key 2023 defensive line targets enjoyed his visit to Ohio State on Saturday.

    Four-star defensive end AJ Hoffler made his second trip to Columbus last weekend, with his mother accompanying him on the trip. Hoffler also made a visit with his father for Ohio State’s Nov. 20 game against Michigan State, and the Buckeyes offered the 6-foot-5, 245-pound standout from Atlanta on that trip. Hoffler, who continues to say Ohio State is leading his recruitment at the moment, came away impressed from his second trip to OSU.

    “The visit was great, I got to see everything from the campus to the facilities,” Hoffler told Eleven Warriors Sunday night.

    In November, Hoffler said he would consider committing to Ohio State on his second visit to Columbus. That didn’t end up happening, primarily because he wanted to talk with defensive line coach Larry Johnson about his future plans and how long he wishes to continue coaching. That conversation went well this weekend, but Hoffler is targeting to make a commitment by his birthday in August.

    “My favorite part was getting to meet with Coach Johnson,” Hoffler said. “The conversation with him was good, he told me he wasn’t going anywhere as of now.”

    Hoffler told Eleven Warriors he’s planning on visiting Ohio State for a third time later this summer. That trip will likely be an official visit.
     
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    AJ HOFFLER
    Of all the prospects on the board, this is probably the one most likely to sign with Ohio State. Hoffler, a four-star defensive lineman, has called the Buckeyes his dream school numerous times, and nearly cried when receiving his OSU offer on his Nov. 20 visit.

    He took another trip to Columbus in January, and Ohio State is considered a heavy favorite for the Georgia resident, though it would be interesting to see if that changes if his hometown Bulldogs extend an offer. As of now, Hoffler hopes to commit on his birthday in August, and unless something significantly changes, it's likely Hoffler will be picking the Buckeyes.
     
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    On Thursday, news surfaced that later this month the Buckeyes would be getting another visit from a major target in the 2023 class thanks to defensive lineman AJ Hoffler. The Georgia native has been very vocal about his interest in Ohio State, and as Larry Johnson continues to make him a priority in the current cycle, it’s really not a stretch to say that the Buckeyes are the team to beat this early on for the 39th best defensive lineman in the country and the No. 249 player nationally.

    Returning to campus on March 26, this is another visit in the works for Hoffler and a chance to see Larry Johnson and how he coaches his players up close and personal. Having already seen campus before and taking in the facilities, the upcoming trek to practice is really all about the inside look of the program and getting more of a feel for how he would fit into the defense. Either way, another visit further proves how serious of a player Ohio State is for the four-star prospect.
     
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