4 Stars 2024 Glenville Tight End Damarion Witten Commits to Ohio

Finally, the Buckeyes achieved their years-long goal of taking on two tight ends in a recruiting class by converting to the highest in-state target for a position in the class of 2024, securing commitment from a four-star prospect in Ohio. Damarion Whitten during his official visit to Columbus.

Witten, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound tight end, was introduced by the Buckeyes on September 6, just three days after he visited OSU with a group of high school classmates for the Buckeyes’ season-opener against Notre Dame.

“It was great,” Witten said, “to be recruited and offered to you from a school I’ve dreamed of going to since I was young, it’s such an honor.” Eleven Warriors After getting an offer. “I’ve always been rooting for OSU. My favorite moment is when (Glenville alumnus) Cardall Jones won the Buckeyes National Championship.”

While it was OSU’s former offensive coordinator, Kevin Wilson, who originally offered Witten, Bailey wasted no time in forming a relationship with the Ohio figure and immediately told him he was a priority target.

“Coach Billy and I have gotten really close over the time since he got the job,” Witten said. “He said I was the first party he contacted and wanted to continue working with me. From that day on, he was really showing me he cared.”

When Ryan Day talks about recruiting publicly, he often talks about selling recruits over playing for the fraternity and how OSU considers itself a family. This really resonates with Witten.

“The most attractive thing (about the possibility of playing at OSU) is Coach Day,” Witten said. “He really loves the team and the players.”

Becomes Glenville’s third commitment across two recruiting cycles to commit to Ohio State, joining 2023 linebacker Arvil Reese and a 4-star cornerback for 2024 Bryce West.

Fittingly, West and Witten committed on the same day, as the Glenville-to-Ohio State pipeline officially reopens with Reese already in the fold, as OSU has three Tarblooders in back-to-back seasons after playing 21 Tarblooders for the Buckeyes from 2002 to 2017.

“It would mean a lot to us to have the Glenville pipeline to Ohio back up,” Witten said. “It would be something everyone in Glenville would appreciate.”

Glenville will now boast two future Buckeyes this coming season, and West and Witten will continue their collegiate careers together at the next level. Both prospects also made their official visit together.

According to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Witten is the 347th-ranked prospect and the 19th-ranked tight end in the 2024 tournament. Witten is OSU’s 16th commit in the class of 2024, the second tight end along with Max LeBlanc and the seventh in-state committment to join the West, Garrett Stover, Devontae, Deontae Armstrong, Marc Nave, and Sam Williams-Dixon.

OSU now has two tight ends in its recruiting class for the first time since 2016, when the Buckeyes signed three tight ends.

Whitten commits more to Ohio than the likes of Texas, Tennessee, Purdue, Louisville, Iowa State, Kentucky, Michigan State, Michigan and Pittsburgh.

Witten brings a set of pass-catching skills to Columbus with a framework for his development as a run blocker

Witten played a huge role in helping Glenville win its first state championship in program history and finish a perfect 15-0 season in 2022.

While Witten is a tight end who is capable of being a dynamic tackler, which is his biggest strong suit, he is also willing to learn to improve his craft as a blocker.

“My biggest strength is the way I can manage roads and open holes for the running backs,” Whitten said.

Although Witten likes to be a blocker when called upon, he will need to work on his internal blocking technique and will also have to build on his frame at the next level. He’ll likely need to bulk up before he can play a major role in Ohio State’s offense, but the upside is there for Whitten to be a complete tight end.

“They told me the ending didn’t match,” Witten said. “I can stay, flex, go outside and play receiver and DB and be used as a mismatch. I want to be used as a tight end and receiver at the same time.”

In his junior season, Whitten split time between splitting wide, in the slot and lining up with a hand in the ground at Glenville’s line of scrimmage. The Tarblooders aren’t afraid to segment it wide and use it as a wide receiver when they need a big play.

He displayed impressive playmaking ability, both from winning contested jump balls and making long runs in the screen game. Last season, Witten took a 99-yard screen pass against paydirt, showing above average speed for a tight end. On rare occasions, Witten even delivered to Glenville in the backfield as the Tarblooders took advantage of size and athleticism as a ball carrier.