Ohio State: Breaking Down the Defensive Line

Despite losing three starters from last year's unit, the Buckeyes are looking for the defensive line to be a strength of the team. Fourth year junior Vernon Gholston (pictured left) was virtually unblockable at the end of the year, and will lead a talented group of pass rushers off the end.

In the past, Ohio State's defensive line was counted to "control the line" and allow the linebackers to roam freely and make plays. This spring the "read and react" mode was replaced by more free-lancing to allow the linemen to wreak havoc in the backfield. Joining Gholston at end are junior Lawrence Wilson and sophomore Robert Rose. Wilson has been soid in his three years and made a big leap this spring. Rose, a five star from the 2006 class, has an amazing combination of size and speed. He will be counted on heavily in the rotation.

The fourth end will be junior Alex Barrow, a solid but unspectacular performer. Barrow came in as a smallish defensive tackle and has successfully transitioned to the outside. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Williams has fully recovered from his knee injury and hopes to regain his explosiveness. He's likely a year away from contributing. Ohio State also brings in one defensive end recruit from last year's class, Soloman Thomas. Thomas was a four-star from West Chester's Lakota West, and has an ideal frame for a weakside DE. Both Rivals and hailed Scout hailed Thomas and a great get, a talented player who flew somewhat under the radar. His commitment reportedly tweaked Ben Martin, a top Ohio prep who ended up commiting to Tennessee. Thomas will spend the year putting weight on and hopes to crack the rotation in 2008.

After losing their top 3 defensive tackles from last year, the Buckeyes are extremely young in the middle. Sophomore Todd Denlinger, a four-star from the class of 2005 is a steady performer with the most game experience. Fellow sophomore Doug Worthington, a Rivals100 player from 2005, has moved over from defensive end. Worthington has bulked up to nearly 280 lbs. and showed great inside push during spring practice. One of the breakout stars from the spring was redshirt freshman Dexter Larimore, who is nipping at the heels for a staring job. Larimore, a former wrestler, is a viewed in the mold of the former Buckeye Tim Anderson. His strength and leverage made him very difficult to block during the spring. Redshirt junior Nader Abdullah showed some flashes during spring practice, but has yet to live up to his enormous potential. At this point, time is running out for him to make an impact in Columbus.

The Buckeyes were frustrated during last year's recruiting season, losing out on a number of top defensive tackle recruits. They missed Josh Brent (#11 nationally, Illinois) and Anotnio Jeremiah (#14 nationally, Michigan State). But the truly galling loss was Joseph Barksdale, a top player from Michigan who seemed like a lock for Ohio State. But his recruiting took a lot of crazy turns, and he ended up announcing for "The University of LSU" at the U.S. Army All-American game. The position was saved when Cam Heyward, the son of former Pitt great Ironhead Heyward, committed to the Buckeyes in February. Given the current depth chart, it's not impossible that Heyward could see some playing time this fall.

As I blogged about previously, the Buckeyes already have a verbal commitment from their top defensive end pospect, Nathan Williams. Despite having limited scholarships, Ohio State will look to add 2-3 more lineman for the 2008 class. Again, Ohio State looks for versatile athletes that could play inside or outside. Kevin Koger, a DE/TE, is one of Jim Tressel's top remaining targets. Koger will likely choose between Ohio State and Michigan, with the Wolverines currently holding a slight end. Koger's recruitment impacts both the defensive line and tight end, where Brandon Moore is waiting for an OSU offer.

Ohio State has offered a pair of defensive ends from the south: Keith Wells (GA) and Quinton Coples (NC). Both have impressive offer lists from ACC and SEC schools, so it will difficult to pull either to Columbus. Willie Mobley (MN) is a hybrid DE/DT that Ohio State is also aggressively pursuing. At defensive tackle, Garrett Goebel (IL) is getting the full court press from the Buckeyes. He holds offers from all of the Big Ten schools, along with Notre Dame, Tennessee and Miami (FL). One other name to watch: Shawntel "Shaq" Rowell, a guard/defensive tackle from Glenville. He's an incredibly talented player with upside, but has both grade and weight issues. Should he have a productive senior season and qualify, and offer (and commitment) is likely.