Curtis Samuel garnered Division I scholarship offers from one coast to the other. There was, however, only one that mattered to Erasmus Hall’s dynamic running back/wide receiver.
The offer that came from Ohio State and head coach Urban Meyer.
Not only did the Buckeyes extend an opportunity for Samuel to play football at the powerhouse program and get a free education, they also showed they really wanted the speedy 6-foot All-American by their dogged recruiting effort, which included inviting him to their prestigious Friday Night Lights event a few weeks ago that went out to only their top targets.
“I felt that their style of play fits me best than the other schools in my top five,” he told The Post Friday, hours after verbally committing to Meyer and Co., choosing the Big Ten power over runner-up Rutgers and scores of others, including Alabama, Miami and Notre Dame. “My visit there went great. I spoke to a lot of their coaches and I felt that they really wanted me to be a part of Ohio State.”
Last season, Samuel scored 18 touchdowns, rushed for 1,047 yards and made 12 receptions for 187 yards on the way to leading the Dutchmen to the PSAL City Championship division title. He boasts eye-popping 4.36-40 speed and will compete in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January.
“I’m very excited to be a part of the Ohio State program,” Samuel said.
Samuel will be the first city recruit to attend Ohio State on a football scholarship, E-Hall coach Danny Landberg said. Meyer told Samuel — a Rivals.com four-star recruit ranked second in the state behind Lincoln All-American Thomas Holley — and Landberg he sees many of the same qualities in him as he did in Seahawks star Percy Harvin, who starred for Meyer at Florida in the same spread offense he uses at Ohio State and Landberg runs at Erasmus Hall.
“They want to use him the way he wants to be used, and that was it for him,” Landberg said. “He understands what they’re doing [on offense]. It’s exactly what we do with him at his position.”
* New Heights and Iona Prep sharpshooter Matt Ryan visited Iowa State yesterday.
Top Bronx wing Terry Larrier of the Phelps School (Pa.) plans to take official visits to UConn, Florida, Florida State, Miami and VCU.
Bashir Ahmed, a 6-6 wing from The Bronx, committed to Iona on Monday. He will spend his senior year at The Robinson School in New Jersey.