Buckeye Stock Report

It's been a interesting few weeks, as the Buckeyes have suffered a few minor setbacks on the recruiting front. As we draw closer to the start of the football season, the summer recruiting period is wrapping up. We've got the latest on recent commitments, who is shuffling their top schools, and what to expect in the next few weeks.

QB: Terrelle Pryor (Trend: UP)

Virtually all insider reports have the Buckeyes with a significant lead in the race for the nation's #1 player. OSU will have to withstand the official visits, but confidence is as high as it can be for a out-of-state player of caliber.

RB: None

With high four-star athlete Devoe Torrence already locked up, the Buckeyes appear to be keeping their promise of no other backs. Two backs that they offered early in the process, Richard Watson (FL) and Josh Haden (MD) recently committed to Georgia Tech and Boston College respectively. The Buckeyes could have made a play for Watson but simply stopped recruiting him.

WR: Michael Floyd (Trend: UP); Jeff Fuller (Trend: Even); Cordale Scott (Trend: Even); Josh Jarboe (Trend: Even)

Not a lot of movement on the receiver front. Floyd continues to say positive things about OSU, but nothing to sway my prediction of an eventual Notre Dame verbal. Florida is also a player here, so the Bucks face stiff competition for his services. Another elite receiver the Buckeyes are pursuing is Jeff Fuller (TX). The odds are long that Fuller can be swayed to leave the south, but Fuller consistently mentions OSU in his top 5. An official visit could give the Buckeyes a fighting chance.

Glenville's Cordale Scott continues to play it cool - in some interviews he sounds like he's already part of the Buckeye class, and others acts wide open. Some big time programs like USC and Florida seem leery of offering him, assuming he already locked up for OSU. That seems like a safe bet at this point. As a side note, there has been a lot of chatter about Cordale possibly playing defense in college.

TE: Kevin Koger (Trend: Dead to me); Blake Ayles (Trend: Even+)

Lifelong Michigan fan and recent Buckeye lean Kevin Koger recently committed to the Wolverines. You can read the obit here if you want. The defection of Koger leaves the Buckeyes in an odd position at TE. They already have Jake Stoneburner, but most project him as an H-back/WR. As has been widely discussed, TE isn't the most glamorous position at OSU, so they may not make a push beyond Ayles.

Ayles actually visited in mid-July, but the visit was somwhat overshadowed by the Koger drama. OSU fans assumed that Koger would commit and Ayles would fade away. With Koger off the board, the coaches may redouble their efforts. Though Ayles enjoyed his visit, he also enjoyed his visit to Wisconsin. And with offers from Cal, USC, UCLA and Arizona State, pulling him to the midwest seems like a longshot. Look for him to go elsewhere.

OL: Josh Jenkins (Trend: UP+)

The saga continues for Josh Jenkins, the soft commit to homestate West Virginia. After missing the Buckeyes senior camp in late June and causing a semi-riot among fans over a broken car, Jenkins and his Mom made it to C-Bus last week. The four-star guard had a great time and there were some reports that he was close to de-committing from West Virginia. Should Jenkins eventually become a Buckeye, it would solidify this as the best offensive line class in school history. With many months of annoying reports to come, the Jenkins situation is far from over. Should the Buckeyes miss, they will likely search in-state for a suitable fourth lineman. Jerel Worthy could be the guy if academics are in order.

DE: Keith Wells (Trend: Down); Quinton Coples (Trend: Even); Willie Mobley (Trend: UP)

The dream appears near an end for my man-crush Keith Wells, a lightening fast end with freakish athleticism and a great frame. It looks like he'll end up at either Florida State or Florida, with the Seminoles holding the lead. He continues to mention OSU in his top 5, but hasn't made a visit and appears ready to commit before the season. I will have to throw all of my unrequited recruiting love to Jeff Fuller. At least I'm not posting homoerotic track pictures of high school boys yet.

In regards to Coples, it appears that he will let his recruitment play out during the season. OSU faces both the admissions hurdle, along with trying to bring him north to play. The chances are no better than 20% right now, but the good news is that no other school is pulling ahead.

Mobley could technically be listed under the defensive tackle category, as he could play both inside or at SDE. Though he has a large, eclectic list littered with schools all over the country, the Buckeyes remain a constant near the top of his list. He's made a number of recent statements that paint OSU in a positive light, and OSU is hopeful that he will commit before the season. However, official visits seem likely in his case.

DT: Garrett Goebel (Trend: TBD); Justin Thompson (Trend: Even+)

According to our UM blogger, Goebel is "round two" of the UM-OSU recruiting battle this year. Apparently if great players that Michigan wants commit elsewhere early, they don't count. So tee it up for Goebel, who will likely make a decision in the next couple weeks. OSU fans were very confident of their position with Goebel since June, but they were also confident about Koger. Michigan does hold the advantage of being much closer to his home, and some UM insider believe the Wolverines have closed any gap between the two schools. I've still got to think that opportunity and depth chart will give OSU the edge here, but stranger things have happened.

Thompson gets a slight bump beyond even for the chatter about him de-commiting from Miami (FL). It's still somewhat of a longshot, but it does sound like he will make official visits to at least OSU and LSU. Should OSU somehow grab both Goebel and Mobley, Thompson would probably be out of the picture.

LB: Shayne Hale (Trend: Even-); Steven Filer (Trend: Even-); Etinne Sabino (Trend: Even)

Hale receives a minus based on his mighty mouse cousin's proclamation that they'll go to school together. Though refuted that notion in previous interviews, it's hard to ignore that angle. UM may think they hold some type of edge because they're the best school in common on both lists, but doesn't this have the feel of a both heavyweights missing? How can Saddler want to go to a school where he'd be reduced to waterboy? OSU fans might feel good about their chances in a vacuum, but it's going to be a struggle to get Hale.

As for Filer, rarely will a player get a minus after putting your school in his final two. But that's the case with Filer, who is poised to commit to Notre Dame sometime soon. He may have enjoyed his trip to Columbus, but has complained in many articles about how long the trip is. Look for Filer to be a Domer, and Sabino to stay in the Florida or go to USC. Despite being a top prospect, you likely won't see his name on this list next time if his unofficial visit to OSU doesn't blow him away next weekend.

CB: Brandon Harris (Trend: Down); D.J. Woods (Trend: UP)

Harris seems destined for Coral Gables, though Rutgers continues to put up a fight. He would be a luxury for OSU, but it seems less and less likely that he'll make it to an official visit. Pity, as no one puts more quality corners in the NFL than OSU.

On the other hand, Woods finally received his unconditional offer from OSU. Though the Buckeyes immediately leap to the top, don't rule out an SEC school. The Woods family has southern ties, which could be cause for concern among Buckeye fans. He recently received an Auburn offer, and plans to travel to Florida's Friday Night Lights camp. The quicker a commitment the better.

S: Dan McCarthy (Trend: Dead to me); Terrance Parks (Trend: Out); and Darrell Simmons (Trend: New)

McCarthy shocked no one, save for a few mislead insiders, with his selection of Notre Dame on Monday. Maybe he can teach his brother how to play, or join the ND club of toasted defensive backs. Bitter? Nah :)

Terrance Parks also took himself off the market with a commitment to Florida State. The Buckeye sort of fell of his radar, and it doesn't sound like much of a push was made for his services. Not so quitely, Bobby Bowden is putting together a really nice class.

Simmons is a new name to the Buckeye recruiting scene. He has an impressive offer list, with schools like Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami (FL), Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee all vying for his services. Alabama is currently his leader, but OSU hopes to get a visit.

ATH: Lamaar Thomas (Trend: UP)

Thomas continues to have great things to say about OSU, who must be considered his leader at this time. The top 100 athlete will be making trips to Florida and Tennessee soon, and those schools will likely make up his final three. Illinois is a darkhorse, given their past success in DC-area recruiting.