Buckeyes make offers to a pair of 2018 back court players.

Recruiting has not slowed down in Columbus and the Buckeyes are still dishing out offers. Their latest offer went out to a pair of 2018 recruits in Justin Ahrens and Robby Carmody. Ahrens confirmed the offer yesterday via twitter.

A member of the King James EYBL program and a junior on the Versailles High School team in Ohio, Ahrens stands at 6’5” tall. The 247Sports composite rankings have Ahrens rated as a three-star prospect and the fourth best player in the state of Ohio.

Ahrens was relatively unknown on the recruiting scene up until four months ago. In the time span Ahrens has received offers from Miami Ohio, Toledo, Oakland, Stony Brook and St. Louis. The guard has also received interest Big Ten schools such as Michigan State and Michigan.

Although this is Justin’s first major conference offer, the Ahrens family is no stranger to the Big Ten. If the last name sounds familiar to you, it is likely because you know of his older brother, Kyle Ahrens, a sophomore guard for the Michigan State Spartans.

Justin Ahrens highlight tape shows a slow release on his shot and deliberate post moves. You wouldn’t describe him as a high motor player but what he lacks in athleticism he makes up for in ability. His shot is tad slow but effective from anywhere on the floor. Ahrens has a nose for the basketball and is always in on the play, using his high basketball IQ to make things happen. His 181 pound frame has room to add weight and develop into an effective, versatile forward at the next level.

Thad Matta was very serious when he said he will be putting an emphasis on recruiting the state of Ohio earlier this off-season. Of the 11 players Matta has offered for the 2018 class, five hail from the state of Ohio. The Buckeyes sole commitment for the 2018 class is Ohio guard Dane Goodwin.

The Buckeyes pulled out all the stops for this visit, including an appearance by a notable alum.

Having one of the NBA’s top five highest paid players on campus will definitely leave its mark during a visit. If Ahrens will favor the in-state power Buckeyes or join his brother in East Lansing is yet to be seen. The offers are just starting to roll in for Ahrens, who is fairly new to the recruiting process. More options should arise in the coming months for the promising 2018 forward.

Joining Ahrens on Tuesday’s visit was fellow 2018 guard Robby Carmody who hails from Mars, Pennsylvania. Ahrens and Carmody are different in the sense one is just coming onto the recruiting scene while Carmody is a consensus top 100 player in the nation. Carmody announced his offer via twitter yesterday evening.

Carmody is considered a top 60 player in the 2018 class by 247Sports. He and fellow Ohio State target Dwayne Cohill led their team to an 8-0 record in the 16-U Adidas Summer Championships in Las Vegas. Carmody averaged 13 points and seven rebounds in those eight games. His sophomore season was just as eye popping at his Mars Area High School where he averaged 20 points per game.

He is an aggressive guard and attacks the basket with authority. He is active on the glass but will need to develop his shot in order to succeed at the next level. If Carmody cannot get his shot going moving forward, his willingness to move the ball around will prove to be an asset.

Carmody holds offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, Pitt, Xavier, Northwestern, Louisville, Penn State, Purdue and Cincinnati, among others. Earlier this month, BTPowerhouse took a look at Carmody as one of the many players recruited by the Wolverines in July and August.

The list of schools interested in Carmody is already large and will continue to grow. Not being from Ohio could put the Buckeyes at a disadvantage but a need in the back court makes Carmody and Ohio State a match. His recruiting process should be an interesting one to follow for all Big Ten fans.