Lakota East’s Austin Siereveld passes up Alabama, ND for home state Buckeyes
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio (BVM) – For many young football players in the state of Ohio, it is a dream to someday play for the most dominant program in the state. That has been no different for Lakota East offensive lineman Austin Siereveld, and recently, he announced he will join the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2023.
Staying Home!!! 🌰🌰🌰#GoBucks @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/Jmsgz3FPJ2
— Austin Siereveld (@SiereveldAustin) May 4, 2022
Despite his recruiting process not really starting until late last year, Siereveld had all kinds of offers, and narrowed his choices down to a final three of Ohio State, Alabama and Notre Dame.
FINAL THREE!!! pic.twitter.com/YZ2QAWX8XY
— Austin Siereveld (@SiereveldAustin) April 6, 2022
“The recruiting process started out later for me,” Siereveld said. “I got some interest, but it didn’t really pick up for me until the end of the season going into the playoffs … It blew up one month and it’s just been constant since.”
However, when it came down to it, the in-state product couldn’t pass up joining the Buckeyes, and became the 10th commitment in the team’s 2023 class which is ranked No. 4 in the nation.
“It was the right fit for me personally, for academics and football,” Siereveld said. “I could see myself going there where it was a reach for me anywhere else. I just talked with my parents and we all agreed with my decision.”
Making the commitment even more special was having it streamed on CBS Sports HQ with his family and community by his side.
#BREAKING: 4⭐️ IOL Austin Siereveld has committed to Ryan Day and @OhioStateFB 🌰@SiereveldAustin brings Ohio State’s 2023 class to No. 4 in the nation 🔥 pic.twitter.com/aa3luSUI8A
— 247Sports (@247Sports) May 4, 2022
“That was surreal to me, having all my classmates right there watching me and my family right next to me, because they know how much work I’ve put in and what this means to me,” Siereveld said. “I couldn’t have been more happy.”
It was a tremendous moment for the 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive lineman, and one that has vindicated the hard work he has put in thus far in his football career which began several years ago.
Siereveld’s large frame has also allowed him to play basketball throughout his life, and he did dabble into lacrosse up until high school as well. However, football has always been the main sport, and Siereveld has truly excelled.
Always a bigger kid growing up, Siereveld has played on the offensive line from day one. Since, he has developed physicality, athleticism and quick movement for his size that have many thinking he will have a bright future in Columbus.
One of the most rewarding parts of his football journey both during his youth and throughout high school at Lakota East has been getting to play alongside his twin brother, Aiden, who is also a member of the Thunderhawk line and was a second team all-conference performer last fall.
“It’s very special,” Austin said about playing with Aiden. “We kind of have a bond where every game we know what’s going on. If I’m down or if he’s down we’ll pick each other up and we both really have high standards for each other that really pushes us to be the best.”
Austin began his Lakota East career on the freshman team, and had a great year of development to start out his high school career. Continuing to show vast improvement as a sophomore and then a junior, many began taking notice of the lineman’s high skill level last fall as he earned all-district and all-conference honors for a 7-4 Thunderhawks squad.
Still, Austin blocked out the noise and the pressures recruiting can bring, continuing to master his craft.
“We fell short junior year,” Austin said. “I wanted to be the best and didn’t think about all these offers at the time. I was just worried about working hard, being the strongest player and getting my fundamentals to be really good.”
With his commitment now locked up, Austin is hoping to enjoy his senior season but also find more success as the Thunderhawks feature a younger team.
“Hopefully we have a great season,” Austin said. “We have a lot of spots to fill. We had a heavy senior class last year, so we’re going to have tons of opportunities for young guys to step in and hopefully make some plays. I’m just excited for the season to come.”
After his senior season, Austin will get to earn his spot at Ohio State, but he hopes his football career doesn’t stop there. Part of the reason he chose Ohio State is the history the program has of producing NFL talent, and he believes he may be next in line.
“That’s why you choose this school, so that you can develop and hopefully have an opportunity to play at the next level,” Austin mentioned.
Currently, Austin is ranked as a four-star recruit and one of the top players in his class in Ohio. It’s something that not many others can say, yet, the interior lineman is simply trying to focus on what he can do to prove his special talent rather than looking at the rankings.
“I don’t really spend too much [time looking] because I know what I am,” Austin said. “I talk to coaches and they tell me what they think. I just want to prove to everyone that I’m the best. That’s just my goal, to be the best that I can be on and off the field.”
Once at Ohio State, Austin will join forces with many local products. Lakota West standouts Jyaire Brown, Malik Hartford and Tegra Tshabola will all be joining the Buckeyes over the next year or two. Austin also joins Luke Montgomery and Joshua Padilla as in-state linemen in the 2023 class. It should be an absolutely tremendous line that will help protect one of the biggest pieces, Class of 2024 quarterback Dylan Raiola, who committed to the Buckeyes earlier this month.
“I can’t wait, it’s kind of surreal for us,” Austin said. “Playing for your home state, it has a lot of pressure on it, but that’s what the fans want. They want the guy from the home state to play and they’re going to root you on no matter what.”
Playing for the Buckeyes will be a dream come true for Austin. He still has a year to complete at Lakota East, but he is already thinking about that first time he will step out on the field in the scarlet and gray in 2023.
“I can’t wait for the first game,” Austin said. “Hearing the 100,000-plus fans cheering on the Buckeyes and having my family watching me play and having some classmates out there for school, I just can’t wait. It’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a little kid, and I can’t wait to fulfill it.”
