Ohio State picks up commitment from elite safety

The 6-3, 195-pound Delane is the No. 34 player in 247Sports Composite national rankings and the No. 2 safety prospect. The Our Lady Good Counsel High School product is also the top-ranked player Maryland.

Defensive back recruiting is has been red-hot for Ohio State with five commitments in this class already, including cornerbacks Devin Sanchez of Houston, Texas, and Na’eem Offord of Birmingham, Ala. They are both five-star prospects and rank 1-2 in the country at their position.

Delane is the third safety joining DeShawn Stewart of Wayne, N.J. and Cody Haddad of Cleveland St. Ignatius, who are both three-star prospects.

Secondary coach Tim Walton’s success so far this year comes after he also snagged five DBs last year, including five-star cornerback Aaron Scott Jr. of Springfield.

Safety is an important position in Jim Knowles’ 4-2-5 defense, and recruiting potential difference-makers at the positions was a struggle over the past two years when Perry Eliano coached the group.

He has been replaced by Matt Guerrieri, who had a long history of working with Knowles.

Two of the three projected starters at safety this fall are seniors — boundary safety Lathan Ransom and nickel Jordan Hancock — but Dealne can join a group that features highly-rated 2023 recruits Caleb Downs and Malik Hartford if he follows through with his recruitment and joins the program next year.