The scarlet and gray will have a Brown tint next year.

Corey Brown, a senior football player at Gateway High School, announced yesterday afternoon he will attend Ohio State University. Brown, a 6-foot-1, 186-pound receiver-defensive back, was recruited by the Buckeyes to play cornerback. He is ranked among the top 100 players in the country by rivals.com and gives Ohio State its third recruit from the class of 2009.

Dorian Bell, a linebacker and Brown's teammate at Gateway, and Jeannette running back Jordan Hall chose Ohio State in the spring. The Buckeyes also landed Jeannette star quarterback Terrelle Pryor from the class of 2008.

Overall, Ohio State has landed nine recruits from the WPIAL since 2004. The others are Trinity linebacker Andrew Sweat (class of 2008), Center offensive lineman Evan Blankenship (2007), Trinity tight end-offensive lineman Andrew Miller (2006), Beaver tight end Rory Nicol (2004) and Woodland Hills receiver Devon Lyons (2004).

The players from the class of 2009 can't sign a binding letter of intent until February, but can make a verbal commitment at any time.

"When you go up there, you can't come back without saying you don't want to commit," Brown said of Ohio State.

Brown had visited Ohio State a few times and went back to the school for an unofficial visit Thursday. He was accompanied by his mother and sister.

"It's the perfect place," Brown said. "I used to like North Carolina and Michigan until I visited Ohio State a few years ago."

Brown's other top choice was Pitt, but said Penn State, West Virginia, North Carolina and Michigan were his other finalists.

"If you visit Ohio State, there's nothing to dislike about the place," said Gateway coach Terry Smith. "They get 100,000 fans. They played for the national championship three of the last five years. They put kids in the pros."

Brown had more than 30 scholarship offers from Division I schools.

"Corey's equally talented on both sides of the ball," Smith said. "Out of all his offers, they were probably 50-50 on whether they wanted him as a cornerback or receiver. He doesn't have that 4.3 speed in the 40 that some schools want and he's probably just better suited to play defensive back."

Brown has no preference on positions.

"Whatever gets me on the field the fastest," he said.