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Ohio State football class of 2023 scouting report: Jayden Bonsu

Josh Keatley
·3 min read

The Ohio State football recruiting class of 2023 is complete and despite some murmurs of negativity in the crowd, this class is fantastic from top to bottom. One of the studs of this class is a four-star recruit, a safety from New Jersey in Jayden Bonsu.

Bonsu is regarded as a top 275 recruit in the country and a top 25 safety in this class and will be looking to make an impact as quickly as possible for the Buckeyes.

Name: Jayden Bonsu

High School: St. Peters Prep (Hillside, NJ)

Height: 6-feet, 1-inches

Weight: 210 pounds

4-Star Safety

Strengths

Breaking It All Down

Jayden Bonsu has outstanding size and a great frame to add at least 15 more pounds of muscle to his current 6-foot, 200-pound frame. Bonsu was used all over the field in high school and that versatility should allow him to see the field sooner because of his ability to line up in the box, cover slot receivers, or play the centerfield role as a deep safety.

Bonsu is a well-rounded safety who plays with ideal aggressiveness when attacking passes, which results in many deflections and ball carriers, which results in few missed tackles. Bonsu’s tape is eye-catching because he wastes no movement and immediately finds the ball. There are few plays that end with him not being involved with the scrum. He is a sure-fire playmaker who can erase a defender for an entire game.

 

 

 

Weaknesses

Breaking It All Down

We talked about a major positive to Jayden Bonsu’s game as his aggressiveness and game-changing ability, but this style of play is also his biggest weakness. Bonsu takes a ton of risks that paid off 90% of the time in high school, but the same risks such as abandoning his responsibility to go make a play may not work in the Big Ten. Bonsu also wastes no time turning to read the quarterback when tasked with man coverage, and in the Big Ten that may result in him losing his man.

Comparison: Gary Berry

1999 Sugar Bowl Texas A M Vs Ohio State

Breaking It All Down

Gary Berry is one of the more underrated defensive backs in Ohio State history. He had elite speed and athleticism that allowed him to see the field early and often. He was a three-year starter at free safety and had some jaw-dropping performances, including a 12-tackle performance as a junior against Texas A&M in the Sugar Bowl.  He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.

Like Berry, Bonsu has intriguing athleticism and play-making ability and has the potential to be a three-year starter. Berry has a laundry list of memorable performances and I fully expect Bonsu to leave with some defensive player of the week accolades.

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Story originally appeared on Buckeye Wire