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          On The Trail

          Recruit reaction: National championship

          Jan 13, 2015
          • Tom VanHaaren
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            Tom VanHaaren
            ESPN Staff Writer
            • ESPN staff writer
            • Joined ESPN in 2011
            • Graduated from Central Michigan
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          • Erik McKinney
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            Erik McKinney
            ESPN Staff Writer
            • Covers recruiting in the Pac-12
            • Joined ESPN in 2009
            • Graduated from USC
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          The first College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T went off with a bang. Ohio State beat Oregon 42-20 and captured the attention of recruits across the country.

          Recruiting targets for both Oregon and Ohio State took to social media to express their feelings. Here’s a look at recruit reactions from both sides of the championship game.

          OREGON


          While Oregon took its lumps on the field against Ohio State, a terrific season and simply earning a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship earned the Ducks plenty of respect from their commitments and recruits.

          Offensive line commitments Calvin Throckmorton and Brady Aiello both took to Twitter to state their excitement in joining the Oregon program later this year.

          Fellow offensive line commit Shane Lemieux took a moment to comment on quarterback Marcus Mariota. Lemieux likely won't be able to suit up with Mariota next year in Eugene, as he is likely to make himself available for the upcoming NFL draft. Speaking of quarterbacks, Oregon's 2015 commitment at the position, Travis Waller, was feeling upbeat before the game. Afterward, Ohio State commit Justin Hilliard made sure Waller remembered the bet they made last week, where the loser must wear the school colors of the winner. Not surprisingly, Waller took the bet in stride and fell in line with much of the other Oregon commitments, looking forward to getting to work on next season. Waller could eventually be joined by Oregon's 2016 quarterback commitment, Seth Green, who also was looking forward following the game. Oregon safety commit P.J. Locke is already looking forward to the second College Football Playoff. One of Oregon's top targets on the board for the 2015 class is No. 7 overall prospect Iman Marshall, who apparently was a fan of the uniforms the Ducks sported for the game. Marshall hasn't given many hints as to where he's headed next year, but the Ducks are one of his finalists and their ability to pitch him the fact that they just played in the final game of the season could resonate through signing day. Oregon has done very well with skill-position prospects in the past few years and would appear to be the favorites for several standouts down the road. ESPN Junior 300 wide receiver Dylan Crawford and 2017 star receiver Tyjon Lindsey both let it be known who they were pulling for during the game.

          There might be some disappointment from Oregon fans and within the Oregon program in the immediate aftermath of the loss. And while there's no denying that Ohio State will receive a much deserved recruiting boost from the big win, the Ducks will still be able to generate their share of positive momentum during the march toward signing day.


          OHIO STATE


          The Buckeyes rolled in the championship game in what is sure to bring more positive momentum to recruiting for Ohio State. In fact, the coaching staff even picked up a few commitments before and after the game.

          The biggest commitment came from ESPN Junior 300 running back Kareem Walker, ranked No. 5 overall in the 2016 class. Walker committed to Ohio State before the game, and tweeted at halftime that he was committed to the Buckeyes.

          If that weren't enough, Ohio State also picked up a commitment from 2017 Florida prospects Shaun Wade and Bruce Judson. Walker hails from New Jersey and is part of a big crop of elite prospects in the area. His commitment to Ohio State could have an impact a few other East Coast prospects, including ESPN Junior 300 quarterback Jarrett Guarantano. Reaction to the game as coming in via social media at an astounding rate. Commits and recruits were all watching Ohio State's impressive performance. The current commitments took the opportunity to show the pride in their decisions, as Branden Bowen tweeted a picture of himself throwing up the Block O. Some of the commitments, including five-star Torrance Gibson, took some time to congratulate Oregon on its effort in the game. Gibson is headed to Ohio State to play quarterback, so it was only natural he recognized Oregon's Mariota after the game. Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones and his crazy journey to his place in the history books didn't go unnoticed, either. ESPN Junior 300 defensive back Robbie Robinson tweeted how impressive Jones has been. By the end of the night, recruits from across the country had seen a spectacular performance with a third-string quarterback, new starters on offense and a youthful team. There is a lot to be excited about for the future on the field and on the recruiting trail. ESPN Junior 300 prospect Brad Hawkins capped the night with a tip of the cap, and like most other recruits, will now be thinking of Ohio State as national champions again.