Four-star cornerback Ryan Watts intends to sign with Ohio State

Ohio State added to its recruiting class for 2020 on Sunday evening when it picked up a verbal commitment from one of the top defensive backs in the nation.

Ryan Watts, a four-star cornerback from Little Elm, Texas, revealed his intention to sign with the Buckeyes in a tweet that was captioned, "COMMITTED."

The announcement came after Watts had de-committed from Oklahoma. Though Watts had pledged to join the Sooners, he had visited Ohio State for its win over Miami (Ohio) last month.

Watts is the No. 19 cornerback in the nation and No. 258 overall prospect, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He listed as 6-foot-2.5 and 187 pounds by the recruiting service.

The addition marked the 24th commitment in the Buckeyes’ recruiting class for 2020.

Among the four defensive backs committed, Watts is the third cornerback, following four-stars Lejond Cavazos and Clark Phillips III, bolstering an area of need.

After this season, the Buckeyes could lose both starting cornerbacks, including Damon Arnette, who is a senior, and Jeff Okudah, who is a junior and eligible to enter the NFL draft. Starting nickel corner Shaun Wade is also draft-eligible as a redshirt sophomore.

The fourth defensive back committed to Ohio State in the 2020 recruiting class is four-star safety Lathan Ransom. Cameron Martinez, an athlete from Muskegon, Michigan, could also play in the secondary.

jkaufman@dispatch.com

@joeyrkaufman