Ohio State picked up its 10th commit on Wednesday and its first quarterback of the 2013 recruiting class. Urban Meyer’s first quarterback commit is from the Lone Star State.
Four-star quarterback J.T. Barrett (Wichita Falls, Texas/Rider) confirmed via text message that he has verbally committed to the Buckeyes. A 6-foot-1, 210-pound dual-threat option, Barrett chose Ohio State over offers from LSU, Nebraska, Arizona, Baylor and a host of other schools.
“I feel Ohio State is the place for me,” Barrett said, “and I felt if I would have went somewhere else, I would be missing out. I wanted to be a part of the Buckeye family.”
Recruited by offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Tom Herman, Barrett is coming off a 2011 season where he threw for 1,604 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading Rider to the state quarterfinals of the Texas Class 4A Division I playoffs. When he wasn’t dissecting opponents with his arm, he was doing so with his legs, as he also rushed for 1,515 yards and seven touchdowns.
A regional finalist at the Dallas Elite 11, Barrett is considered the 15th-best dual-threat quarterback and the 35th-best player in Texas.