Ohio State continues mining Indiana for football talent with latest verbal commitment

His other offers reportedly include Iowa, Wisconsin, Boston College and Nebraska.

Securing his pledge early figures to be important for first-year offensive line coach Justin Frye, an Indiana native who could have depth issues up front next year, especially at tackle if starters Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones enter the NFL draft (as expected).

Johnson is a third-year player widely projected to be a first round pick. Jones is a senior and two-year starter who could come back for a fifth-year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but his stock likely will rise with a strong finish to the season.

There are no proven backups behind them, though many in the program have consistently praised Josh Fryar, a third-year sophomore from Beech Grove, Ind., and starting left guard Donovan Jackson (a true sophomore from Texas) has the ability to move outside if necessary.

The 2023 class, which can signing binding letters of intent in December, includes three four-star offensive line prospects from Ohio: Joshua Padilla of Wayne, Austin Siereveld of Lakota East and Luke Montgomery of Findlay. Frye also snagged a commitment from three-star prospect Miles Walker of Greenwich, Conn., in July.

Padilla plays tackle for Wayne, but he is viewed as an interior lineman at the next level.

Moore’s commitment continues a recent trend for players from Ohio’s next-door neighbor to the west.

Ohio State has signed 16 players from Indiana since 2001 after bringing in zero scholarship players from the Hoosier State in the previous decade.

Eleven of those players signed on since Urban Meyer became head coach in 2012, including five (Craig Young, Dawand Jones, Josh Fryar, Zen Michalski and Caden Curry) since 2019 when Ryan Day replaced Meyer.

Dylan Raiola, a five-star quarterback and No. 1 prospect in the country, is Ohio State’s other verbal for 2024.