C.J. Conrad mugshot

LeGrange (Ohio) Keystone tight end prospect C.J. Conrad has become one of the best in the country. He visited Ohio State on Saturday.

(Rivals.com)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – C.J. Conrad walked out of Ohio Stadium after participating in Ohio State's Friday Night Lights camp last July glowing about the opportunity to work out in one of college football's most iconic venues.

Conrad was a rising tight end prospect of LaGrange (Ohio) Keystone who simply hoped he made a play or two, anything for the Ohio State coaches to notice who he was.

"It is great that a lot has changed since then," Conrad told Cleveland.com in a recent phone interview. "But this summer is going to be big for me."

Ohio State's coaching staff definitely knows who Conrad is, and the 2015 prospect was personally invited to watch spring practice on Saturday. During his visit, he spent quality alone time with Buckeyes tight ends coach Tim Hinton.

A four-star prospect whom Rivals.com rates the No. 6 tight end in the class, Conrad commands that type of attention now that he has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky, Mississippi, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and others.

But Conrad still doesn't have an offer from Ohio State. Or Michigan. Or Michigan State. Or Penn State. You know, the Big Ten programs he said have really caught his attention. The Buckeyes, though, have told Conrad to be patient.

"Coach Hinton told me straight up that they invited me there for a reason and they wouldn't have invited me if I wasn't a someone who could earn an offer in the future," Conrad said. "So I am going to hit some of the camps and try and earn an offer, but that's OK. That's fine.

"I'm excited about that, really. It is competition and I love it, that's what sports is all about. I am going to be competing for an offer from The Ohio State University, and not a lot of people can say that. I am going to embrace it, have a good time and show them what I got."

Ohio State's top tight end target in the class was Avon (Conn.) Old Farms product Chris Clark, but he recently committed to North Carolina. Clark, however, still plans to visit Ohio State the weekend of April 18. Another tight end with an Ohio State offer who is expected to visit is Jefferson City (Mo.) Helias prospect Hale Hentges.

But Conrad plans to stay patient.

"I'm willing to wait and I am one of the top four tight ends they're targeting," Conrad said. "I have said since day one that I want to be at a school that fits me best, and I know that every school has something different about them. I am not just trying to get Ohio State, then once I get it, then commit.

"I have other schools I'm very interested in as well, like Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and Kentucky. All those five, including Ohio State, it is going to be tough for me to pick which one.”

A 6-foot-4, 218-pound prospect, Conrad said he's a tight end that can block, but he is best utilized in the passing game. Conrad witnessed how the Buckeyes used their tight ends during spring practice, and he said his skillset would be a perfect fit on Ohio State's roster.

Because he's an in-state prospect, Conrad doesn't shy away from saying there's something special about Ohio State. But what was most important to Conrad was the conversation he had with Hinton.

"Coach Hinton is was honest with me and I appreciated that. I know where I stand," Conrad said. "I am willing to show that I am good enough to play at Ohio State, and having the opportunity to prove that this summer is exciting."