By JACK LeGWIN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
Payton Dastrup committed to The Ohio State University on Thursday.
A 6-foot-9, 220 pound power forward out of Mesa Mountain View High School (AZ), Dastrup will add considerable length to the front line of a new-look Buckeyes team.
Dastrup’s father, David Dastrup, said that the Ohio State visit was mostly about seeing how Payton would like the atmosphere.
“Having the opportunity to see the way the coaching staff creates a unity and a family-type atmosphere between themselves and the players was important to us,” David told Eleven Warriors.com, following the visit. “We were impressed with the unity and support demonstrated by everyone associated with the program.”
A member of the church of Latter-Day Saints, there is an increasing belief that Dastrup will take a 2-year Mormon mission before he enrolls to play with the Buckeyes, which would mean that he would start playing for the Buckeyes upon his return.
One of the most physical players at his size in the country, Dastrup has been described as a blue-collar player on the interior that will significantly take some pressure off of players up front.
Ranked 98th in the country by ESPN, Dastrup is the fifth player to commit to OSU, joining D’Angelo Russell, Jae’Sean Tate, Keita Bates Diop and David Bell.
He chose OSU over BYU, Virginia and Florida.
