:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23092523/134649878.0.jpg)
In one of the bigger announcements so far in 2014's early signing period, the Buckeyes have lost a talented prospect in Payton Dastrup. Dastrup is from Mesa (AZ) and is rated as a 4* recruit in the 247Composite rankings.
There is going to be a lot of discussion about why Dastrup opted at the last minute to flip on his commitment, but the big thing will be his strong connection to BYU. Dastrup is a Mormon, which is why the experts on 247 predicted him to attend BYU with a confidence level of 100%. To the recruiting gurus, this probably comes as no surprise, but to Buckeye fans, this has to be an unexpected hit.
The good news is that Dastrup was not expected to arrive on campus until 2016 due to his planned mission trip. This definitely minimizes the loss here. Of course, the downside is that they are missing out on a talented prospect upfront. It's way too hard to predict whether Ohio State can replace him effectively for 2016, but there definitely doesn't appear to be an immediate replacement.
Thad Matta and his staff will move on, but definitely an unexpected hit to what most have identified as the conference's best recruiting class in 2014 and one of the best in the nation.
More From BTPowerhouse: