The Ohio State Buckeyes have waited a long time for star defenseman Na’eem Offord’s final decision.

Offord originally committed to Ohio State on February 4th, but there has been drama since then. He continued to attend other schools and there was much speculation that he might decide to transfer elsewhere.

Potential destinations outside of the Buckeyes included the Oregon Ducks and Auburn Tigers. Other schools also tried to recruit him, but these three were the top spots.

Now the dynamic defensive back has given a definitive answer.

Today he officially announced that he will be signing with Oregon. It’s a disappointing decision, but one that shouldn’t shock Ohio State fans.

Since signing, Offord has shown no signs of being fully committed to the Buckeyes. Losing to him is a tough blow for Ohio State, but they will be fine. They were able to sign five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez today, which alleviates some of the blow.

Seeing him go to the Ducks will make it harder for the Buckeyes to move forward. He has real superstar potential and Ohio State will have to face him in the Big Ten for at least the next few years.

On3 made a huge comparison for Offord. They believe he is a similar player to current NFL star cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

“Na’eem Offord’s functional athleticism, smooth movement skills, elite change of direction and playmaking ability on Friday nights remind us of Stephon Gilmore. Both are similar at the same level in terms of size and athleticism. Gilmore played a lot of quarterback at the high school level, while Offord is used as a defensive back and versatile offensive threat, playing multiple positions on that side of the ball.”

That being said, this is a difficult decision for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. After being held for so long, losing him at the last second will be a tough pill to swallow.

Unfortunately, the decision has been made and Offord will take his talents to Oregon.