Curtis Grant, a five-star recruit from Richmond, has decided to sign with Ohio State. The No. 1-ranked linebacker in the nation according to Rivals.com made the announcement just now, choosing the Buckeyes despite a push from Virginia and North Carolina.
"That's why I felt the most welcome," Grant said. "I liked the way they recruited me."
Grant was rumored to be headed to Ohio State for a while now, though Virginia certainly tried to get him. Mike Farrell of Rivals boldly predicted that Grant would end up with Ohio State earlier in the day, for example. Grant, for his part, kept his decision very close to the vest, declining to even inform his mother until his announcement. Earlier reports pegged him to sign with Florida, though they faded from the picture as the process continued. Once Urban Meyer left the program, Grant's recruiting was re-opened.
Grant is a linebacker from Hernatige high school in Richmond, and is one of three five-star linebackers up for grabs today. Tony Steward and Stephone Anthony both signed with Clemson earlier in the day.
SB Nation's Ohio State blog Along The Olentangy projected Grant would sign with the Buckeyes earlier in the week. Earlier today, it wrote that they were virtually certain Grant would be a Buckeye.
After receiving some news yesterday, I'm 99.99% sure that Curtis Grant will be a Buckeye. Florida is not even an option right now. Will Muschamp and Grant never clicked, and Grant's parents were more comfortable with the three other head coaches of his finalists (Butch Davis, Mike London, and Jim Tressel) than Muschamp. But the clincher was Grant's relationship with Jim Tressel. They clicked on the official visit and Ohio State has been the team to beat ever since.