DiLillo...Runaway Bride?

What a strange trip it's been for Madison TE Nic DiLillo. When the recruiting season started, he was considered somewhat of a fourth wheel in the Ohio TE derby, with Kyle Rudolph (ND), Jake Stoneburner (OSU) and Brandon Moore (UM) getting more of the spotlight. Toss Kevin Koger into the mix, and you've got an talented but largely overshadowed player.

Though he drew some interest from both Ohio State and Michigan, both choose to pursue other players ahead of him. After an impressive visit, DiLillo committed to Clemson in early April. But distance was a factor, and he eventually de-committed in mid-June. DiLillo had been recruited by Pittsburgh since his junior year and offered his verbal to them just a week later.

And that might have been the end of it, a solid Ohio player going to a good Big East school. But a funny thing happened: Ohio State took a Rob Deer-esque swing at the TE position and missed by a mile. They didn't like Brandon Moore because he didn't block. They wanted Kyle Rudolph but he wanted the ball at Notre Dame. Then they wanted Kevin Koger, who decided that competing with Brandon Moore still might get him more catches than playing in Columbus. And finally, Top250 TE Blake Ayles selected USC over Cal, Arizona State, OSU, and Wisconsin.

So the Buckeye coaches apparently huddled and decided they were hell-bent on a TE in this class. They called Nic and offered him, and it sounds like he initially said thanks but no thanks. But news broke tonight that DiLillo de-committed (again) from Pitt and has settled on the Buckeyes. What to make of this? We break own the relevant...and irrelevant.

*Though this may be a fourth option, this isn't chopped liver. DiLillo is a top 20 TE in both Scout and Rivals (3 and 4-stars, respectively). In addition to the late OSU offer, he had a few quality offers, including Clemson, Nebraska, Wisconsin.

*I suppose you can't escape it...this pickup screams two words, "third tackle". Players like Ricky Dudley, who stretch the field and block like girls, are a distant memory. The Buckeyes have a nice group of tight ends that will primarily protect the passer and serve as an outlet on busted plays, flat routes and corssing patterns. No harm in that, but it doesn't exactly get your juices flowing.

*It seems like each time OSU is pursuing an elite pass receiving TE, the same thing gets repeated by opposing coaches, "You'll never get the ball". There is some truth to that, but lack of receiving talent at the position plays a role as well. When you churn out first round WR's on a yearly basis, integrating the TE into your gameplan is not a high priority. But if the talent were there, maybe things would change. On second thought, I'd rather have my dual-threat QB of the future rolling out and hitting a 4-or-5 star WR down field than looking for the TE in the seam anyway.

*The upside? DiLillo plays downright nasty, which perfectly fits this incoming class of linemen. Not that I'm calling him a linemen.

*Thankfully, his mohawk is gone. I'd love to know what bet he lost on that one. Sometimes picture galleries are not your friend.

Bottom line, this is not the sexiest pickup of the season. But it's very much in line with Tressel's recruiting philosophy. I expect him to have a solid, unassuming career at OSU, catching a few passes and winning 40 games or so. It's funny, but given the circumstances, DiLillo might be our commit most likely to bolt. I've never heard of a third de-commitment, but who knows?