Ohio State landed a gem in this FOGO with quick hands, a well-built frame, and a tenacious mindset. This past weekend, Gaertner was a one-man wrecking crew. He won clamps cleanly, then streaked down field and deposited the ball in the back of the net or dropped a dime to an open teammate. As a bonus, Gaertner showed he could execute clean defensive exits. When action at the dot got messy, Gaertner was able to use his physicality to overpower his opponent and then scoop up ground balls. His ability to muck-it-up for an extended period and then emerge from the scrum with possession was remarkable.

Originally from Tennesee, Gaertner is incredibly polished and technical at the face-off dot. I got a really good sense of his game at Maverik Showtime, where he was named an All-Star and showed off his explosive hand speed and powerful clamps. There’s diversity in terms of the ways he’s able to exit, and he does a really nice job adjusting as each game progresses. He’s plenty capable in his ball in his stick – it felt like that was an area that he improved as the summer went on. With his 6’0, 205-pound frame, technique, grit, and athleticism, seeing him become an early Big 10 commit wasn’t remotely surprising.