Butler's most decorated recruit follows Chris Holtmann to Ohio State

In addition to having head coach Chris Holtmann and his three assistants leave for Ohio State, Butler will also lose its most heralded signee to the Buckeyes.

Four-star forward Kyle Young announced on Twitter on Monday evening that he is backing out of his letter of intent to Butler and joining Holtmann in Columbus.

That new Butler coach Lavall Jordan managed to retain four of Holtmann’s five signees reflects well on him and the Bulldogs program. Point guard Aaron Thompson and wings Christian David, Jerald Butler and Cooper Neese each will provide perimeter depth next season for a Butler team likely to begin on the fringes of the AP Top 25.

Persuading Young to stay in the fold would have been another massive early win for Jordan, but that was always going to be a long shot. The promising power forward is an Ohio native with a strong bond with Holtmann and assistant coach Ryan Pedon. Plus he was already very comfortable with the Ohio State campus and program having been recruited by the previous Buckeyes staff.

A tough, skilled power forward who can score in multiple ways, Young was the 105th-ranked prospect in the 2017 Rivals 150. The 6-foot-7 Young should develop into an impact player in the Big Ten who can contribute by spacing the floor with his outside shooting or by posting up on the block and finishing around the rim.

It’s unlikely that Young will play a massive role right away at Ohio State, but he should provide some much-needed depth at either forward spot. The Buckeyes are thin almost everywhere on the floor after their entire 2015 recruiting class transferred or quit the team within two years of arriving on campus.