2019-2021 DL - Cormontae Hamilton (Transfer to Memphis)

Rivals.com
24/7Sports

TIGHT END
6'3''
230 LBS
CLASS OF 2019

Cormontae Hamilton is a 6-1, 246-pound Tight End from Memphis, TN.

Ohio State has offered.

 

Blessed To Receive An Offer From The University Of Ohio State 🅾️ #GoBucks #OhioState pic.twitter.com/tGvmPrq9pi

— CorMontae Hamilton⚡️ (@cormontae_h) June 23, 2018

 

Check out CorMontae Hamilton Highlights by Cormontae Hamilton on @hudl https://t.co/yu4oh2eNKz #hudl

— OSUBasketballJunkie (@ScarletBuckeye2) June 24, 2018

 

MORE DETERMINATION THAN GREG JENNINGS WITH A BROKEN LEG
Nothing was going to stop Memphis Whitehaven three-star tight end Cormontae Hamilton from landing an offer from Ohio State during his unofficial visit for Friday Night Lights this past weekend — not a sprained AC joint in his shoulder or the fact that he didn’t have a ride to Columbus.

So with that, Hamilton hopped on a Greyhound bus by himself on Thursday morning and arrived that evening.

“It was just an enjoyable, grinding moment,” Hamilton told Eleven Warriors.

This marked the second trip to campus for the 6-foot-1, 256-pound Hamilton — who is considered the 34th-best tight end and No. 919 prospect overall in the Class of 2019 — as he also attended the Spring Game back in April. He spent most of this visit with co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Kevin Wilson, who showed him around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, then fought through the pain and earned himself an offer from the staff during the camp.

“It felt wonderful because this is the offer that I have been wanting,” Hamilton said. “Coach Wilson told me I deserved it because I didn’t give up just because my shoulder was hurting. I kept pushing. Coach [Urban] Meyer told me he liked my athleticism and the sacrifices I made to make it up there.”

Hamilton holds nearly a dozen offers from programs such as Alabama, Cincinnati, Louisville, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Virginia Tech, but has Ohio State squarely at the top of his list. He’s in no hurry to make a decision on his future, so it’ll be interesting to see how the tight end position unfolds given West Virginia three-star Brenton Strange is the only other prospect on the staff’s radar at this point in time.

“The great football and student-athlete programs that they have, and just the communication and relationship I have with the coaches.”

 

Decision coming soon for Cormontae Hamilton?
There’s a good chance that we’ve all been spending so much time focusing on West Virginia’s Brenton Strange as the Buckeyes eventual tight end signee in the Class of 2019 that we’ve not paid nearly enough attention to Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven High School’s Cormontae Hamilton.

Hamilton was offered by the Buckeyes following a trip he made to Columbus for Friday Night Lights on June 22. He’s not your typical tight end, checking in at just 6-foot-2 and 252-pounds, but Ohio State couldn’t help but offer him after a performance that showed true football toughness. But beyond that? He has an incredible desire to be in Columbus.

He actually rode a bus 12 hours from Memphis to get to Ohio State for that camp.

“One reason they offered me was that I showed that I wanted it,” he said. “I came up there on a Greyhound just to be there and camp. I went there with a sprung AC joint in my right shoulder and didn’t give up not one bit. I gave it my all.”

If you know the Ohio State coaching staff at all, you know that they value competitive spirit over any other trait a player may have. Hamilton, the country’s 36th-ranked tight end, has that in spades. The visit with the Buckeyes in June was his second in three months following visit to Columbus in April for the spring game.

The $289 spent to get back to campus in June was just to make good on his promise to tight ends coach Kevin Wilson.

“After the spring game I told Coach Wilson I’d be back up there,” he said. “After I hurt my shoulder I was questioning whether to make the trip, but I made a determination that if this what I want, I have to go get it. I wanted it bad. I liked Ohio State when I first went up there, the football, the school, everything. It’s a program for student-athletes.”

Now, the question is exactly how much does Hamilton want to be a Buckeye? A decision is likely to happen before his senior season starts. Alabama, Louisville, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Virginia Tech are all involved in his recruitment as well. My 247Sports.com crystal ball is on Ohio State.

 

SOME CLARITY AT TIGHT END?

Memphis Whitehaven three-star tight end Cormontae Hamilton told Eleven Warriors he plans to take an official visit to Ohio State this fall.

“I will be setting one for one of their games,” Hamilton said.

It will mark the third time on campus for the 6-foot-1, 256-pound Hamilton, who attended the Spring Game in April and then returned via Greyhound and earned an offer during Friday Night Lights last month. He doesn’t have a date set in mind just yet, but the Tigers have an open week on their schedule in mid-October that would allow him to see the Buckeyes in action against Minnesota.

Hamilton talks almost every day with either head coach Urban Meyer, offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Kevin Wilson or running backs coach/area recruiter Tony Alford.

“[They tell me] they would love for me to be a Buckeye and just ask how my mom and I are,” Hamilton said.

All that said, Hamilton and West Virginia three-star Brenton Strange are both at the top of Ohio State’s priority chart at the tight end position. They’re quite different prospects, as Strange is four inches taller and 50 pounds lighter and plays receiver at the high school level. Hamilton is more of a blocking tight end, and some within the program believe he’d be a better complimentary piece to five-star freshman Jeremy Ruckert.

Neither appears set to make a decision until late in the process, but placed a 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction in favor of the Buckeyes this afternoon for Hamilton — and made Penn State my pick for Strange, since the program will likely offer him a scholarship during his unofficial visit this weekend. Expect others to follow suit.

 

BOOM: Buckeyes land Tennessee tight end Cormontae Hamilton who took a Greyhound bus to Columbus in June to earn an offer - https://t.co/srYgevXxA7 https://t.co/srYgevXxA7

— Big Me Kickoff (@BigMe_Kickoff) July 27, 2018

 

#Buckeyes are getting an old school H-Back type in Cormontae Hamilton, devastating blocker with versatility https://t.co/Bw2NB7tnpd

— Marc Givler (@MarcGivler) July 27, 2018

 

Cormontae Hamilton brings "hard work, effort and dedication" to Ohio State's Dynasty '19 recruiting class: https://t.co/H7vNiDfD83

— Andrew Lind (@AndrewMLind) July 27, 2018

 

Ohio State commit Cormontae Hamilton has 'NFL potential' at tight end https://t.co/1CJ2iTYJAF

— Lettermen Row (@LettermenRow) July 27, 2018

 

I am 100% committed to The 🅾️hio State University #GoBucks 🅾️ pic.twitter.com/WJFJ3kQiwn

— CorMontae Hamilton⚡️ (@cormontae_h) July 27, 2018

 

Standing 6-foot-1 and 256 pounds, Hamilton might not have the prototypical size that most big-time schools look for in a tight end. He makes up for it with a tireless work ethic and a great set of hands.

— Andrew Lind (@AndrewMLind) July 27, 2018

 

This is why you get on a Greyhound bus to Ohio State's camp: Cormontae Hamilton commits to Buckeyes https://t.co/PvWp8NxcND

— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) July 27, 2018

 

B🅾️🅾️🅾️🅾️🅾️🅾️MMMMMM!!!!! pic.twitter.com/lMIIVq8TEO

— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) July 27, 2018

 

Ohio State offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Kevin Wilson went to Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven months ago with a list of targets for the 2019 recruiting class. Head coach Rodney Saulsberry explains how it led to three-star commitment Cormontae Hamilton. https://t.co/yGhgd1AQMi pic.twitter.com/C780rmrl6c

— Garrett Stepien (@GarrettStepien) July 29, 2018

 

Newest Ohio State commit Cormontae Hamilton goes in-depth about his Greyhound trip to Columbus for Friday Night Lights last month: https://t.co/PjRfQnYsw2

— Andrew Lind (@AndrewMLind) July 28, 2018

 

The #Buckeyes most recent commitment, Memphis Whitehaven TE Cormontae Hamilton says he is still fully committed as Urban Meyer's future is sorted out: https://t.co/FsMRNVjOji h/t @RivalsJohnson

— Marc Givler (@MarcGivler) August 3, 2018

 

Cormontae Hamilton, still committed to Ohio State, gives insight into how Buckeyes coaches are proceeding in uncertain times, by @AriWasserman https://t.co/RT915nqXZL #Buckeyes #OhioStateFB

— The Athletic (@TheAthleticCBUS) August 13, 2018