Buckeyes Add Stellar 2010 Verbal

Buckeye hoops fans will certainly recognize the name Sullinger. After all, power forward J.J. was a key component on the 2006 Big Ten championship team. But his younger brother Jared recently committed to Ohio State, giving Ohio State an excellent start to their 2010 class. As you know, basketball recruiting runs a little differently than football. with an early signing period that typically locks up top players well before their senior campaigns.

Let's forget for a moment that we're writing about a 15 year old, which is sad in its own way. 'Cause you know, if they're 17 it's much better. Sullinger is considered the top player in Ohio for the '10 class, and he's strong candidate top be in the top 50 prospects in the country that year. He plays power forward and at just under 6'7" still has room to grow. He's already a prolific scorer with a great post game for his age. He also has great rebounding instincts and is rarely caught out of position on defense. Scouts who have watched him think that he needs to work on his passing a jumper, but that he has an extremely high ceiling. His stellar performance this past April sealed his offer from OSU.

So score another stellar verbal for Thad Matta. We'll be tracking Sullinger's progress and keep you updated on his prep career as he prepares to become a Buckeye. (photo courtesy of Rivals.com)

Ohio State: Breaking Down the Linebackers

Last year was supposed to be a rebuilding for the OSU defense, which lost 9 starters from the conference co-champion team of 2005. However, the 2006 unit exceeded expectations, leading the nation in scoring defense for much of the season. Certainly the defense was protected by a juggernaut offense that kept it off the field and constantly put pressure on the opponents. Problems in the secondary were exposed when Michigan was in the hurry-up facing a nearly insurmountable deficit, and obviously in the BCS title game when Florida picked apart the zone coverage. The Buckeyes will look for the linebackers to be the strength of a unit that should be one of the toughest in the nation in 2007.

As a caveat, linebacker is another example of how the coaching staff values flexibility and versatility. The Buckeyes will mix up their personnel depending on formation, and hence they rarely split players up into traditional Mike, Will and Sam distinctions. That's particularly true given the proliferation of spread offenses in the Bg Ten.

Leading the charge is Nagurski winner James Laurinaitis, who enters his junior season as the undisputed field general of the defense. The "Little Animal" filled in for Bobby Carpenter as a freshman in his first win against Michigan, and had a knack for big plays in his first year as a starter. He will man the middle and be an every down player for OSU. Despite the plethora of awards and nominations, the coaches are looking for Laurinaitis to take a big step forward, improving his lateral movement in the running game and showing improvement in coverage. Laurinaitis currently claims that he will return for his senior season in 2008.

The other mainstay at linebacker is junior Marcus Freeman, a former four-star recruit. Freeman's performance thus far is considered somewhat disappointing given the expectations coming in. But an injury sustained as a freshman set him back somewhat at the beginning of last year, and he was significantly better by the end of last year. Freeman is not much of a pass-rushing threat, but he is a sure tackler and makes good reads in zone coverage. There is little downside to his game, and he has a chance to emerge as a star.

The spring's breakout star was senior Larry Grant, a junior college transfer from 2006. Grant was all over the field in the spring game, wreaking havoc in the backfield. Now that light has gone on for Grant, the coaches hope he will transition from a solid contributor to a dynamic playmaker. He will be spelled by senior Curtis Terry, who offers a tough run presence in support. Terry is extremely aggressive and can be used in certain zone blitz packages as well.

The first option off the bench is sophomore Ross Homan, one of the outstanding four-stars from the class of 2006. Homan can play both inside and outside and could see more overall snaps than both Grant and Terry. He is being groomed for a starting job in 2008.

Joining Homan on the second unit is redshirt sophomore Austin Spitler. There was some talk that Spitler might move to the other side of the ball and play fullback. But that never materialized, and Spitler turned in an impressive spring. Along with redshirt freshman Mark Johnson, Spitler is insurance in case Laurinaitis heads to the NFL next year. Johnson, a four-star recruit from 2006, was one of the nation's top inside 'backers as a prep player. Injuries cost Johnson his entire freshman campaign, and he never really got into the flow of the defense. But those inside the program like Johnson's fiery attitude and leadership skills. Though he will get some reps, expect a true impact to happen in '08-'09.

Also in the mix is redshirt freshman Thaddeus Gibson, a top ten outside linebacker in 2006. Gibson is currently working behind Grant and Terry on the strong side, but has the speed and athleticism to switch to the weak side if needed. With Grant and Terry graduating after this season, Gibson will compete for major playing time in 2008.

Ohio State has two four-star linebackers coming from the 2007 class: Brian Rolle from Immokalee, FL and Jermale Hines from Cleveland's Glenville High School. Rolle is a bit undersized at 5'11" but has great instincts and blazing closing speed. He was also a bruising fullback that will not shy away from contact. Rolle was the MVP of the Florida North-South game and dramatically rose up the recruiting ranking as the yea went by. Hines was a late qualifier and choose OSU over Michigan and Iowa. He played outside linebacker on defense and QB on offense, so he's got the athleticism to move around. He could start out as a large safety depending on his development.

Though Ohio State has great depth at linebacker, the 2008 class has a number of extremely talented linebackers interested in the Buckeyes. Topping this list is Andrew Sweat from Washington Trinity (PA). Sweat recently cut Michigan and Penn State from his final four and will choose between Ohio State and Notre Dame.

Another target for Coach Tressel is Cardinal Mooney's Mike Zordich. Zordich has offers from Michigan, LSU, and Oklahoma, among others. But with a Dad that played for Joe Paterno, this appears to be a battle between Penn State and Ohio State. Zordich is probably not the most athletic player you'll find, but he has great football smarts and is a natural leader. He could also play fullback in college, and with his intangibles is a great bet to be captain wherever he chooses. Both Zordich and Sweat are expected to announce in the next few weeks.

Other out-of-state players on OSU's radar are Shayne Hale, Steven Filer, Brendan Beal, and Christian Wilson. Of the group, Hale is receiving the most attention from OSU. He was recently named as a five-star by Rivals. There is likely only room for one other linebacker should Sweat and Zordich commit. Beal is probably the least likely to become a Buckeye, seemingly headed for USC or Notre Dame. Within the state of Ohio, there are a number of other outstanding prep linebackers like Steve Gardiner, Doug Rippy and Mike Spooner. None currently have offers from OSU.

An Easy Rebuttal for the Buckeyes

Where to start? With the angry accusations? With the bizarre and rather inaccurate personal claims? Or with the straight-forward and somewhat mean-spirited attacks on Ohio State, its players, and the state in general?

As a general overview, the purpose of this blog to cover recruiting and games for Michigan and Ohio State. Any blog post should not be regurgitation of what you can find elsewhere, but provide unique insight and with strong analysis, humor and some friendly verbal jousting.

Our Michigan blogger apparently took exception this post, which included some tweaking and smart-ass remarks breaking down his target list. He might have been further irritated by the alleged lack of respect shown to the Brandon Moore commitment just a day later.

First, this blog is only interesting if we explore the differing opinions and perspectives of Michigan and Ohio State fans. I'm pretty sure no one is going to come read this on a regular basis for us to congratulate ourselves on how great the schools and programs are. One of the huge problems with recruiting coverage right now is that it increases the "echo-chamber" effect. Fans receive information slanted toward their predisposed opinions fed to them by sources that have an economic incentive to keep them interested and excited. So if we just fire these claims back and forth, how have we advanced the discussion? If you think Ohio State fans are forming opinions based on biased or incorrect information, no need to indict the source. Actually post a counter argument. Because I can tell you than all recruiting fans think that their rival’s writers spin things in a positive way for their teams.

I think the Moore post is a great example, where I raised a number of intriguing questions - or so I thought. Where does this player rank at his position in the state? How does his game project at the next level? What type of offense does he fit in best? Does he belong on top 100 lists? Why was he offered by great southern schools but none of the other midwestern powers? How will it impact other key recruits this year? Will Michigan be able to use this as a springboard for recruiting in talent rich Ohio, or is it an aberration based on limited scholarships? Can Michigan successfully develop lower rated players like Mealer as well as OSU has? Yes, this post was written from the perspective of an Ohio State fan. But there is plenty of balance, and without discussion on these types of questions, what have we really created?

Second, I think my mock post on the target list was pretty amusing, if I do say myself. Sure, it had a lot of inside recruiting jokes and goofy references. And yeah, some of the comments on Michigan football players were searing indictments. But should I not mention Ohio State's incredible run of success against Michigan? Should UM win this fall, should I assume that you'll just twiddle your thumbs and say "heck of a game" for the next 365 days? I doubt it. This is the same guy who sent me a sympathy card proclaiming victory BEFORE the Ohio State-Michigan game. And the same guy who classily wore the "We Are Not Convinced" shirt afterward. If my posts are "offensive", what do you call that?

Unfortunately, the comments from your response don't follow suit. They come off as just bitter and angry. So they say in Super Troopers...

Mac: But our shenanigans are cheeky and fun!
Thorney: Yeah, and his shenanigans are cruel and tragic.
Foster: Which... makes them not really shenanigans at all.

And I think one other thing bears mentioning. Obviously we don't all make our living reading and writing about college sports, as fun as that would be. But this list has virtually the same introduction we've seen in other posts. I still don't really understand the ranking process, why potential five-star guys are backup plans, and only the truly informed recruitnik knows these players without full names or links. We get out of this what we put in, and to make it a destination for Ohio State and Michigan fans to find great back-and-forth, we need more substance. So with a smart-ass post like this one about hockey, Mealer and pot shots about Notre Dame, I thought you'd jump right into the fray. Otherwise, I'm left extending dropped arguments like facing an Abe Pafford coached LU team.

So I'll try and cover the at least the factually incorrect statements and the more outlandish claims from Bill's response.

QB: Bill claims that Antonio Henton was the 40th ranked player in Georgia (shades of the Charlie Stein/Evander Holyfield ESPN commercial?). If you're going to exaggerate, you might as well make it believable. Rivals had Henton as the #25 player in the state and the #1 quarterback in Georgia in 2006. He was also in the top ten overall for dual-threat QB's. I actually think Scout had him higher. What's interesting is that David Cone, the quarterback not the pitcher, also came from Georgia in the same class. He wasn't even on the state's top 50 list.

I don't honestly know how Boeckman or Schoenhoft will do. The latter was an Elite 11 QB and the former has a lot of experience in the system. Surely this year will bring some growing pains during the transition out of the Troy Smith era. The same thing happened in 2004. But that year we beat favored Michigan and didn't embarrass ourselves in a lower bowl against an inferior opponent (how'd that go with Nebraska again)? If you can win a championship with Krenzel at QB, I'm sure we'll find a way to win 8 or 9 games this season as we rebuild.

RB: Beanie Wells already has an undisputed Big Ten championship to go with his nice long touchdown run and win against Michigan. You don't have one of those, do you Jack? I'd be happy to take any reasonable bet you want to make about Beanie's career versus Grady's. Maybe they both came in as talented prospects, but only one is destined to be a star.

Mo Wells is mediocre right now, no doubt. Comparing him to a back-to-back thousand yard RB like Pittman is a joke. Doesn't seem like the OSU offense has plays designed to utilize his scatback skills. He will get a chance as the change of pace guy early in the season. If he doesn't produce, both Brandon Saine and Boom Herron will have an opportunity to steal carries.

WR: This section borders on incoherence, so I'm tempted to skip it. I'm comfortable with a starting trio of Robiskie, Hartline and Small, and Dukes and Lyons both had strong springs. Maybe these aren't guys aren't Ted Ginn, but when has OSU had problems developing wide receivers? Jenkins, Gamble, Holmes, Ginn and Gonzalez have all been first round picks, and only Ginn was a prized recruit.

As for this year, I respectfully disagree. Posey was the MVP of a NIKE Camp and most assuredly will catapult himself into the top 100 when the new lists come out. Offer lists can be deceiving when kids commit that early; surely you know that. As for Scott, he's also had a good spring and should be a great Buckeye. Mock Glenville if you want, but if they want to keep giving OSU players like Donte Whitner, Robert Rose, Ted Ginn, Troy Smith, Curtis Terry, Bryant Browning, and Ray Small, I'm all for it. I don't know how Stoneburner will work in our scheme. But I know he's been very hard to defend at camps, and show great hands. If he wins as much against Michigan as much as Samardzija did, I'll be fine.

OL: Yep, our line got taken to town by Florida. Too slow? Not as talented? Bad game plan? Sluggish after the layoff? Don't know, don't care. Maybe they were overconfident after waxing Michigan's "defense for the ages" in November. How did Jake Long do against the USC pass rush in the Rose Bowl?

I do need to address (again) the silly claim that OSU has abandon in-state recruiting for a national strategy. Nothing could be further from the truth. As has been widely-discussed, OSU has a very limited number of scholarships this season. Despite that, we already have 6 of 8 commits from Ohio. There are plenty of talented kids that are going to go elsewhere. But as of right now, only Kyle Rudolph feels like a loss. Take a look back at OSU's recruiting classes; we consistently take at least 50% from the talent-rich state. Tressel targets the top players in the state and does everything he can to build a fence around the state. Sometimes we lose kids (Ben Martin) but his track record has been pretty good. Michigan will never be able to do this because they simply don't have access to that type of talent in-state. The question is whether players like Moore and Mealer (not offered by OSU) will have any long-term impact.

Two other quick things: it's a joke to call Shugarts and Brewster as "slightly higher rated" than a marginal kid like Mealer. And when you want to throw stupid-ass stereotypes around, you might want to reconsider your usage of "in bread". They can help you with the spelling in Roanoke.

DT: Uh oh...we pay our kids thousands of dollars? Better alert the NCAA. I'll ask Chris Webber to head up the investigation. It's funny to get a character lecture from the team of Carson Butler, Adrian Arrington, and Eugene Germany. By the way, be careful crossing into Ohio from Michigan if you're driving.

This is the type of excellent discussion I knew we'd get, "I'm not sure if [the recruits are] any good...my initial impression is nope." Tough to defeat that sort of iron-clad logic. Well played, sir.

LB: You're right, the Nagurski winner is definitely a pussy. Again, he somehow managed to win a lot of awards and beat Michigan in his first two tries. I don't think I'd call Freeman a "bust" thus far, but we'll see if he steps it up this season. I'd respectfully disagree with the rest of the garage spouted about our linebacking core. I feel like we're legitimately 8 deep with a lot of flexibility. Even though we could lose 3 of the top 6 guys after this season, I don't ever envision a short-term LB issue like Michigan is experiencing this year.

Laurinaitis-Freeman-Grant
Homan-Spitler-Terry
Johnson-Gibson

Toss in four star recruits Brian Rolle and Jermale Hines and the future looks bright. Check back with me later this week after Andrew Sweat announces...

DB: Taking a look at the last 5 years or so, I think it's hard to argue that Michigan is the one with the great DB's and OSU full of "second team" guys. Your first round pick last year, Leon Hall, was absolutely torched in our game. That's ignoring the gruesome performances by Sears, Trent, Adams and whoever you trotted out there. No doubt that Warren and Cissoko will be good players. There's no sense in breaking down the corners and safeties at this point; that post will come some time next week. Suffice to say OSU feels we have a lot of young, talented players, and we're very excited about incoming guys like Clifford and Scott.

Oh, that kid from Orchard Lake St. Mary's is Aaron Gant.

There's a repeat of the in-state versus national recruits discussion. I think that's an interesting topic, and since I've more than answered Mr. Bill, we'll save further debate for later. I really don't see how any of those posts are "offensive", "driven by anger" or full of "hate speech". Perhaps our UM contributor can further elaborate. I'd love to see him tackle these issues mentioned in my recent posts, so we'll see if he's up to the challenge.

Until then, I'll leave you with this list. Inclusive of this year's partial commits, it includes all of the players from the 2006-2008 classes that had Michigan offers and choose Ohio State.

Mike Adams
Mike Brewster
JB Shugarts
Jake Stoneburner
Devoe Torrence
Eugene Clifford
Boom Herron
Jermale Hines
Brandon Saine
Taurian Washington
Jake Ballard
Aaron Gant
Thaddeus Gibson
Dexter Larimore
Connor Smith
Chris Wells

I'm not sure who would comprise the Michigan list. I can come up with Mike Massey, Justin Boren, Greg Mathews, Junior Hemingway, and Donovan Warren without looking. Though I think Massey was a few years back.

The Response

I can do it too…

OSU’s QBs suck (their upside is a poor man’s John Stocco or a poor man’s Quincy Carter). Henton is delusional and was like the 40th ranked player in Georgia and is currently referred to as a “turnover waiting to happen”.

Beenie Wells is Kevin Grady II. M. Wells is what like a poor man’s Pittman maybe? Torrence is a whiny kid so inferior to the real RBs in this class that it doesn’t warrant review.

There is an unproven soft short skinny fast kid at WR and two slow backup types and more of the same coming in. This year they are getting one kid from OH who has a crappie offer list, another kid from OH who basically doesn’t have an offer list but is from Glenville so OSU must take him, and then there is the tall white kid who is the next Samardzija (whatever, you think Warren and Boo Boo are worried?)

There TEs will get them 150 yrds and 2 TDs and for that I congratulate them. I don’t even know if they have an HB or care and ditto with FB.

Their tackles are in counseling post-Fla and Jamison and Graham are licking their chops. Their interior linemen are recruiting busts or guys I’ve never heard anything good about. Then there is about a two year gap where apparently OSU will not be using an O line because the block O guys are considered raw and in Shugarts case for example have essentially never pass blocked before in their life (which would make them as good as Barton and Boone right now). In Block O they have what they have (four years from now) always dreamt of but never before obtained…recruits that we all think are good and not just Jim Bob from central OH who thinks the world of his in bread three-star (if that) son. So for that I say welcome to the club OSU (finally). BTW- its one position and one recruiting season so let’s not blow our loads quite yet. But your progress in becoming more Michigan-like is noted (I always knew OSU would become UM-like at their first available opportunity).

The DTs are terrible. I mean really bad. But don’t worry because the future is bright with the angry white kid from Indiana and the athletic kid from Georgia. But OSU…you might want to carry more than a couple DTs. That advice is free. What’s not free is everything else in life (OSU pays thousands not millions to its players) so Gholston is bolting for the pros after his 7-5 junior season. That leaves a couple of guys (Wilson and Rose) who I actually like (there’s a complement for you) but I’m not sure if the DE recruit last year or the DE recruit this year are any good…my initial impression is nope.

The son of a wrestler kid is a pussy who we will run over again this year. There’s Grant who is supposed to be good now and the one 5-star guy who has been a bust thus far. Then there are some guys who do one thing well and everything else not well. Then there are guys like Homan and Johnson and Gibson who are all top 250 guys that you can find at any top 20 program. They may add one more of that variety this year. OSU is alright at LB but an “embarrassment of riches” is funny. I don’t blame the poster for the foggy glasses however because he is fed info from some of the worst recruiting cites in the country. This comes from the fact that OSU historically just takes the kids who are at the various football banquets at the end of the year throughout Ohio and the national scene is new to them. BTW- OH fans used to brag about the in-state pride on the football team now they reject OH kids for a slightly higher rated national guy to which I say that OSU is finally getting it yeah! Isn’t it weird how recruiting based on talent seems to work? Anyways, the UM recruiting cite guys for the most part don’t even live in MI. The best of them, Tom Beaver, was raised in and lives in Texas (football mecca). They are spread out throughout the country and their contacts are everywhere. So they bring a much more national viewpoint and have a much greater understanding of recruits in every state. This is because Michigan recruits every state and has for a long time. OSU is the OH university (since OH decided against a large counterpart with a greater focus on academics) while UM has wolverine nation.

OSU has a good corner who is leaving after his junior season. They got some guys this year that are the classic better than everyone in the big 10 but Michigan types. Get the second team big 10 plaques ready. I hear Coleman is good at safety (more props) but I don’t know who the other safety is going to be (Lord I hope its not Grant). I actually won’t pick on OSUs secondary too much I will let Manningham, Arrington, and Matthews do that for me.

Then there are special teams without Ginn.

The coach has been great against UM so far but so was Lllllllllllloyd (so funny and clever and original) at the same point in his career. See above as to why the future ain’t so bright. OSU sure is proud of an athletic program that is like the Dallas Mavericks of college sports. Ooops I mentioned a team that isn’t OSU or UM so I guess that was wrong of me. I just keep forgetting that OH is only a college sports state by default because their pro sports teams suck so bad and for so long.

I will defend and explain the Michigan recruits (easy) and every part of the list in the near future as well as the direction of the current Michigan football team. There is so much more I could say here but what little I have said was meant to show 2 things:

1. Bye Bye Glory Days.

2. Throwing attack after attack out at UM, the UM blogger, and whatever else is driving the anger of the writer at the moment (temper temper) is not educational, does not prove you are a bigger fan, is offensive, and takes away from my time to learn more about UM and OSU football so I and others can enjoy the rivalry and college football season in a greater way. This isn’t a fantasy football message board. I figured there would be trial and error on this project. I love the OSU blogger. His passion is one of the things I like best about him. I am sure the hate speech is cool at Columbus bars at closing time but this blog is the road to Toledo not the road to Columbus.

Here's the latest update on Ohio State 2008 recruiting board...

QB: The song remains the same. Right now it's Terrelle Pryor or bust. Ohio State will evaluate kids at camp and during their senior campaigns, but someone would really have to have a sustained, elite-level performance to get an offer. As for Pryor, he's still completely wide open. He wants to stay close to home, so Pitt and Penn State will be players, as will schools like Florida, Michigan, Texas and USC. West Virginia is a dark horse given their proximity and the offense they run. At this point, OSU has to feel like it is in good shape - not a leader by any stretch, but they're doing everything they can. Lots of contact from the 8 guys already committed...Pryor has definitely noticed the line that would be protecting him.
(0-1 likely taken, 35% confidence regarding Pryor)

RB: DeVoe Torrence is already on board, and his strong camp showing has him in contention for #1 player in the state. There was a lot of chatter that DeVoe was promised that he would be the only back in this class. That might be the case, but there are a number of "athletes" that could join the class with the ability to play RB.

One player getting a long look from the coaching staff is the widely-discussed Sam McGuffie. For Ohio State, he projects as more of a slot receiver or returner, but it will be interesting to see if he eventually gets an offer. McGuffie currently has a "top 13" that doesn't include Ohio State, but an offer would likely shoot them into the top tier. Michigan fans believe McGuffie is a Wolverine lean, so this could be an interesting head-to-head battle.
(0-1 likely taken, 15% confidence regarding McGuffie IF OFFERED)

WR: This is an interesting position for Ohio State. DeVier Posey, the MVP of the Piscataway NIKE Camp, is already on board. He looks like a top ten in the country WR at this point. Cordale Scott from Glenville has long been considered a lock to become a Buckeye at some point. But there are some big out-of-state names still interested in Ohio State; the question is whether the Buckeyes have room to take them. Joshua Jarboe (GA), Jeff Fuller (TX), Michael Floyd (MN), and Kenny Tate (MD) all have OSU near the top of their list. But with the numbers crunch, there may not be a scholarship available.
(2-3 likely taken, 75% confidence regarding Scott)

TE: Ohio State already has a commitment from Dublin's Jake Stoneburner, a hybrid TE/WR that will be a matchup nightmare in college. He's looked strong this spring, exhibiting great hands and running fast 40 times. The only other name on the board right now is Kevin Koger, who can play either TE or WDE. He seemed like a Michigan lean for the last month or so, but OSU is making a strong push. The good money is still on Koger to be a Wolverine, and if that's the case, OSU is probably done at TE for the 2008 class.
(1-2 likely taken, 45% confidence regarding Koger)

OL: The celebrated trio of Mike Brewster, Mike Adams and J.B. Shugarts are already in the fold and leading the charge on many of OSU's remaining targets. At this point, the Buckeye probably want at least one more lineman, with Josh Jenkins at the top of that list. As a soft verbal to West Virginia, timing will be tricky for Jenkins. Another big name is Greg Shaw (FL) who will camp this summer in Columbus. Should both of these top players fall through, OSU will look to the deep in-state talent pool to fill out the line class.
(4-5 likely taken, 40% confidence regarding Jenkins)

K: Ohio State's first commitment came from Westerville K/P Ben Buchanan. Though some fans would like to conserve scholarships in a limited year, Buchanan is the top kicking prospect in the midwest. He will take over the punting job initially, and hopefully will handle both positions by 2010.
(1 taken, no other targeted prospects)

DE: The Buckeye have already landed Nathan Williams, a SDE from Miami Trace. They are likely looking for at least one other defensive end in this class, and would like to add the aforementioned Koger for flexibility. The top two names at this point are Willie Mobley (MN) and Keith Wells (GA). Mobley is a bit of a 'tweener at this point, and if he comes to Ohio State may slide inside to DT. OSU has had decent success with this type of move, as evidenced by Darrion Scott and Doug Worthington. Wells is an extremely fast player on the weakside. He recently narrowed his list to 6, but left open the possibility that UGA or Notre Dame could join that list. Ohio State, along with Florida, seem to have a slight lead at this point.
(1-2 likely taken, 45% confidence regarding Mobley, 25% confidence regarding Wells)

DT: Despite the addition of Cameron Heyward in the 2007 class, tackle remains a need position for thr Buckeyes. Mobley remains a possibility, and there are currently two other players on the radar for OSU. Garrett Goebel (IL) is one of the top players in Illinois, and has offers from the entire Big Ten, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Miami (FL). The Buckeyes are high on his list, but Goebel is still early in the process. Shawntel Rowell from Glenville is another player that could eventually get an offer. He has extrememly high upside, but most show consistency on the field and in the classroom this year.
(1-2 likely taken, 45% confidence regarding Mobley, 35% confidence regarding Goebel and 65% confidence in Rowell IF OFFERED)

MLB: Despite an embarrassment of riches at the linebacker position, Ohio State is aggressively recruiting some of the top backers in the country. The top two names on the list are Trinity's Andrew Sweat (PA) and Mooney's Mike Zordich. Sweat is down to OSU, Notre Dame and Michigan and should announce in the next few weeks. Zordich, a Penn State legacy, is also expected to offer his verbal in June. Zordich's future may be at fullback, where he also excels. Should either of these players head elsewhere, Ohio State would focus their efforts on Steven Filer (IL) and Brendan Beal (NJ). Filer is an exceptionally talented athlete that doesn't yet have an offer but frequently hears from the OSU staff. Beal has OSU in his top three, but seems to be headed to either USC or Nore Dame.
(1-2 likely taken, 70% confidence regarding Sweat, 50% confidence regarding Zordich)

OLB: At this point, OSU has only offered one player, Shaye Hale from Monroeville Gateway (PA). Hale has great blend of size and speed, and may yet grow into a weakside defensive end. With an impressive offer list from national powers, Hale will have his pick of schools. Florida, Michigan and Ohio State are some of his top choices. There has been some talk that Hale wants to play with teammate Cameron Saddler, a 5'6" cornerback/athlete. Michigan has already offered Saddler, and it seems highly unlikely that OSU will follow suit. Should Hale choose another school, Brandon Beachum from Mooney might be in line for an offer.
(0-1 likely taken, 35% confidence regarding Hale)

CB: Having loaded up on defensive backs in the last two classes, corner is not a huge priority for the Buckeyes. D.J. Woods, Isiah Pead and Johnny Adams are three in-state prospects hoping for an offer. At this point Woods, who was flat-out amazing at the last two camps, is ahead in this race.
(0-1 likely taken, 75% confidence regarding Woods IF OFFERED)

S: The third Mooney prospect on Ohio Sate board is Dan McCarthy, who has a brother at Notre Dame. McCarthy has narrowed his list to Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan. At this point, it seems like a battle between family ties and McCarthy's strong relationship with the Buckeye coaching staff. Should McCarthy opt for the Irish, OSU may not offer another safety. But such a move would likely increase the chances that one of the other in-state cornerbacks/athletes could get an offer.
(0-1 likely taken, 50% confidence regarding McCarthy)