Ohio State football sees massive potential in 2024 WR Tyseer Denmark as commitment nears
Ohio State football sees Tyseer Denmark as the next Emeka Egbuka.
It’s one of the first names that came to mind for Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline when he talked with Roman Catholic High School coach Rick Prete about his 2024 four-star wide receiver out of Philadelphia.
It's a comparison Denmark likes, describing Egbuka as having untapped potential and “dangerous speed nobody really knows about.”
“That’s like my game,” Denmark told The Dispatch. “Everybody thinks I’m slow. I got speed that will creep up on you. Nobody (is) expecting me to run by somebody.”
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As a junior at Roman Catholic, those are skills Denmark has been able to show off in the slot or on the outside — despite facing consistent double-teams by opposing defenses — and even coming out of the backfield on sweeps and screens.
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It's what Hartline, quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis and head coach Ryan Day saw from Denmark this past summer during Ohio State’s 7-on-7 camp, which helped him become a major target for the Buckeyes in the 2024 class.
While he also attracted the attention of schools such as Penn State, Southern California, Tennessee and Alabama, Denmark still feels he has something to prove.
“Everybody tells me I’m still good,” Denmark said. “But I still feel I’m not great yet.”
How Tyseer Denmark became a top-tier 2024 target
Prete saw that same potential prior to Denmark's eighth-grade season.
“The first thing I saw was the most advanced route runner, the most talented and skilled football player I’ve ever seen at that age,” Denmark said.
When Denmark got to Roman Catholic, he and Prete got to work to create a weapon that Prete called "pretty much unguardable," coming into his junior season at 5 feet 11, 180 pounds.
Offers from Ohio State and Alabama followed after his sophomore season, coming after schools like Ole Miss, Tennessee, Penn State and Georgia had already expressed interest.
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“It just made me open my eyes to ‘You got to start realizing your talent and where you know this can take you,’” Denmark said. “It made me hungry for more.”
Once Ohio State offered, Denmark told Prete he wanted to take a "deep dive" into the Buckeyes, attending the Buckeyes' spring game and the program's 7-on-7 camp over the summer.
From there, the 2024 wide receiver sparked a relationship with Hartline, one that has grown dramatically over time.
“Me and him don’t really talk about football right now,” Denmark said. “I know I can go to coach Hartline (about) anything outside of football. That’s what I feel good about.”
These kinds of conversations are important to Denmark. It's part of building trust as he looks for a school to call home and for a program that can get him to the next level.
It’s what Prete wants for his 2024 wide receiver: a program that is encouraging and caring for a player he knows can play anywhere and is not afraid of competition.
And, according to Prete, that’s what Hartline’s pitch for Denmark was centered around.
“‘He’s good, you know. He’s really good now,’” Prete remembers hearing. “‘But he’s going to be on a whole other level after he’s here and in this room.’”
Why Tyseer Denmark's commitment date is Nov. 24th
Denmark always wanted to get his recruitment done early. But once he picks a school, he said, his mindset won't change.
He will continue to try to get better as a route runner, creating more separation and using his hands more on releases at the line of scrimmage – even though he said no defensive back can touch him.
But November 24th means much more to him than just the day his recruitment ends.
It's his mother Lateasha Johnson's birthday, one of the most important people in Denmark's life, someone he calls his "best friend."
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And as his decision nears, her advice is at the forefront of his mind and keeps him grounded.
“She always tell me every day ‘Pick where you want to go. Don’t pick where they want you to go,’ ” Denmark said. “‘Don’t pick where they not loving you at. Don’t pick where you don’t need to be. Don’t pick where it’s just a name. Pick where you want to go. You want to go all the way across the country and go to school in Alaska? All right Ty, cool. You’re going to school in Alaska.’ ”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football recruiting | Tyseer Denmark has potential
