Buckeyes offer Transfer Portal defensive tackle
The Buckeyes have reached out and offered a scholarship to Middle Tennessee State defensive tackle Marley Cook. Cook posted the scholarship offer on his X account late this morning.
“Blessed to receive an offer from Ohio State University,” Cook posted.
The 6-foot-2 and 298-pound Cook was originally a center recruit from Water Valley (Miss.) Water Valley, where he graduated from in 2019.
This season, Cook was a team captain for Middle Tennessee State. He had a sack and 6.5 tackles for loss along with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He had 17 quarterback pressures.
Cook had his best season in 2022 when he had 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks and earned first-team All-Conference USA from Pro Football Focus.
During his redshirt sophomore season, Cook had 49 quarterback pressures in 613 snaps.
As a redshirt freshman in 2021 Cook had 21 quarterback pressures. He had five more quarterback pressure during the COVID year, giving him 92 total for his career.
In addition to Ohio State, Cook also has scholarship offers from Cal, Baylor, TCU, Kansas, Louisville, Houston, Miami, Boston College, Missouri, Liberty and Connecticut.
Cook entered the Transfer Portal on November 27.
On Wednesday evening Chicago (Ill.) St. Ignatius defensive tackle Justin Scott announced that he had flipped his commitment from Ohio State to Miami. The Buckeyes have now given themselves another possibility by offering Cook a scholarship.
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With Scott’s flip, the Buckeyes currently have two defensive line commitments in 5-star defensive end Eddrick Houston and 4-star defensive tackle Eric Mensah. The staff wants to add at least two defensive end/edge players and at least two defensive tackles to the program.
The staff will host tackle Carlon Jones and end/tackle Ernest Willor Jr. on official visits the weekend of December 8-10. They also are hoping to flip defensive end Amaris Williams from Florida to Ohio State. And now Cook is in the mix too
