Buckeyes on a Roll, Add Williams

Just hours after the commitment of offensive tackle, J.B. Shugarts, Ohio State reeled in its first verbal on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive End Nathan Williams of Miami Trace became the eighth future Buckeye, selecting Ohio State over offers from Oklahoma, Georgia, and Wisconsin. The 6'5" Williams projects as a strongside defensive end, but has the athleticism to play both linebacker or tight end. Ohio State coaches envision him as a Bobby Carpenter-type player.

It's likely that Williams will be the only defensive end in this class. Ohio State has also offered Kevin Koger, but sees him as a tight end, and Willie Mobley, who could also play inside on the defensive line. With all this excitement, it's strange to think Ohio State may be more than half finished with its 2008 class. Taking a crack at how this class might finish up...

QB (0-1): Holding out for Rivals #1 junior, Terrelle Pryor. If he doesn't sign on, the Bucks may pass for this season.

RB (1): DeVoe Torrence*

WR (2-3): DeVier Posey*, Jake Stoneburner*. Look for Glenville's Cordale Scott to wrap up an incredible receiver class. But there will be some teeth gnashing when Floyd inevitably commits to Notre Dame.

TE (0-1): After swinging and missing Rudolph, the Bucks may sit out TE. Brandon Moore may eventually land an offer, and Koger remains a slight possibility. I expect Koger to Michigan, but if Moore gets an offer he'll be a Buckeye.

OL (4-5): Mike Adams*, Mike Brewster* and J.B. Shugarts*. I'm still pinching myself over the last two days. With those three in the fold, OSU would like to add 1-2 more linemen. Kyle Long was a favorite, but reading between the lines, that seems to be fading due to baseball. Josh Jenkins is the top target, and Greg Shaw (FL) is a name to keep an eye on. A few solid Ohio kids, including Marc Stevens, remain an option.

K (1): Ben Buchanan. Supposedly "Nuge-like" player who will both punt and kick.

DE (1): Nathan Williams*.

DT (1-2): Lucas Nix and Willie Mobley are the top targets, and Ohio State would likely take both if possible. Garrett Goebel is also another key target. While OSU loves Larimore and Heyward, they need depth.

OLB (0-1): Shayne Hale is top target here. Although he has listed Ohio State as his favorite at times, something tells me he ends up elsewhere. Etienne Sabino is being recruiting by all of the big programs, and he's a good bet to stay somewhere in the south. Brandon Beachum, another blue chip from Cardinal Mooney, could sneak in. He's a versatile athlete and a Jim Tressel-type player.

ILB (1-2): Ohio State is giving the full court press to Andrew Sweat and Mike Zordich. They will take both if possible. Sweat has become fast friends with Brewster, Stoneburner and Adams, and is set to announce in mid-May. Zordich is a natural leader and could also play fullback at the college level. Both players are also interested in Penn State. Beyond those three, Steve Filer, Brendan Beal and Chritian Wilson also hold offers.

CB (0-1): After taking an entire classful of defensive backs last year, cornerback is not a priority need in 2008. Terrence Parks is the only recruit with an offer, but it's a good bet that he'll play somewhere in the SEC. I'm making a personal plea for Johnny Adams to get an offer - the kid just looks like a beast.

S (0-1): The top target is Dan McCarthy, the third player on this list from Cardinal Mooney. He has also offers from Michigan, LSU and Oklahoma, but this looks to be a race between OSU and Notre Dame. Though his brother is a Golden Domer, it's even money right now. OSU has minor interest in a pair of UCLA verbals, Rahim Moore and E.J Woods. Don't look for either to head east. One other name to watch is Isiah Pead, a running back from Eastmoore Academy in Columbus. The Buckeyes are recruiting him as defensive back/athlete, and e could make some noise with a good camp showing.

This list excludes a handful of top athletes with OSU offers, including Joe Haden, Lamaar Thomas, and Joshua Jarboe to name a few. I just don't see them coming to Ohio State.

Shugarts Joins Stellar OSU Class

As rumored, J.B. Shugarts today announced his intention to attend The Ohio State University. The commitment comes one day after Mike Brewster made his verbal public, and gives Ohio State its best offensive line class in many years. Shugarts choose Ohio State over Texas A&M, LSU, Florida and Oklahoma. He also held offers from Notre Dame, Michigan and USC. Along with Mike Adams, he gives the Buckeyes an unbelievable set of bookend tackles.

Shugarts is Ohio State's seventh commitment for 2008. The class will likely finish with 15-18 players. The "Block O", along with Jake Stoneburner, will continue to work on other prized targets such as QB Terrelle Pryor, OG Josh Jenkins and LB Andrew Sweat. It will be interesting to see if Ohio State ends up offering Shugarts friend (and Michigan dream) Sam McGuffie. On the downside, it seems less likely that Virginia OT Kyle Long will be the fourth member of the offensive line class. He seems more interested in his baseball career, and recently tabbed Florida State as his leader due to their excellence in both sports. More on this incredible run by the Buckeyes over the next few days...

Brewster Makes It Official...Shugarts Next?

Michael Brewster, one of the most highly coveted lineman in the 2008 class, offered his verbal commitment to Ohio State on Monday. The Edgewater (FL) star had long been rumored a Buckeye lock, acting as the catalyst for OSU's dream offensive line class "Block O". Brewster was recently named the #1 lineman in the country by Rivals.com, and choose Ohio State over offers from Florida, USC and LSU.

Brewster was in Columbus this past weekend with a all-star cast of recruits for the annual spring game. Over 75,000 Buckeye fans turned out to watch the Gray defeat the Scarlet, 17-9. Also in attendance was J.B. Shugarts, the blue chip offensive tackle from Klein, TX. Shugarts was rumored to have also committed to Ohio State, and has scheduled a press conference for 4pm central on Tuesday to announce his decisison. You may recognize Shugarts name from his lofty #1 spot on the Michigan big board.

One unfortunate effect of Ohio State's amazing recruiting run is that Elliot Mealer was forced to commit to Michigan. The Wauseon native, a lifelong Buckeye fan, apparently decided that he didn't want to wait for a possible OSU offer. Though he plays tight end in high school, Mealer projects as a tackle in college. Buckeye recruiting experts viewed Mealer as an excellent fallback plan if Block O didn't materialize. I blogged that he was my top choice of in state kids two weeks ago...note that he never made it to the Michigan Big Board. It will be interested to see how Michigan fans spin this commitment. Best wishes to Mealer, as Ohio actual hates to see its kids leave for that school up north. In any other year with a normal complement of scholarships, Mealer would be a Buckeye. But Ohio State is assembling an offensive line class for the ages, and Mealer is the collateral damage.