Rivals.com Releases Position Rankings

Rivals.com, one of the top high school football recruiting sources, released their first take on the '08 class position rankings. The lists are littered with Buckeye verbals and targets, and obviously there will be plenty of changes during the season. Here's my initial take:

QB: No surprise with Terrelle Pryor at #1, but it was interesting that Marqueis Gray was the #4 dual-threat QB. He looked good at camp, but spent some time at receiver as well. I don't think he's getting an offer. Cincinnati commit Dominick Britt clocked in at #18, just one behind mammoth D.C. Jefferson.

RB: Devoe Torrence is still listed as an "athlete", so no sign of him on this list. Jonas Gray, a Michigan back with no Michigan offer, and Brandon Beachum, an Ohio State back with no Ohio State offer, are both in the top 5. Curious. Isaiah Pead shows up at #34, but he should be a little higher, like top 27-ish.

I'm interested to see where Michael Shaw (currently #12) ends the season. The Rivals folks love the Trotwood back. And if you were wondering where Sam McGuffie landed, it was #1, but on the all-purpose back list. It's also known as the "third down back" list, and may eventually be known as the "actually a slot receiver back" list. It goes without saying that it's a "too small for the Big Ten back" list.

WR: DeVier Posey makes the top 5 in a very deep year. The Buckeyes are serious competing for #8, #10, #14, #18, #21 and maybe #23. That's a lot of elite targets...can you guess who they are? If not, maybe you need to pay more attention to this blog. I think Scott is the best bet, but I really like Jeff Fuller. Pity that he's an Aggie legacy.

TE: Ohio has three of the top six, but of course the Buckeye commit is at the bottom. The OSU coaches swear they like Stoneburner as a WR/H-back better than Moore as a pure TE. Maybe this is a case of two players simply fitting into different offenses. Either way, we'll certainly be following their careers with extra scrutiny. Kevin Koger, who burst onto the recruiting scene and has since disappeared again, is #16. There's no indication that anyone other than Ohio State or Michigan has a legitimate chance. Longshot Blake Ayles is number 3, incidentally.

OT: Mike Brewster is the #1 tackle overall, which is great since he's definitely playing inside. You'll notice I'm skipping Center down below. I won't revisit the great Dann O'Neill debate of 2007; I'll just note that Shugarts (13) and Adams (15) appear MUCH higher on other lists. Possible target Greg Shaw is listed at #12, and an offer may be coming soon.

OG: Four-star Josh Jenkins barely cracks the top ten guards at #9. Conflicting information is flying all over the place on Jenkins, whose recruitment will cause some serious teeth-gnashing before it's all said and done. Blog favorite Jake Current is all the way down at #44. Baah.

WDE: Georgian Keith Wells is #5, and he's approaching man-crush status. Unfortunately, I think a commitment to Florida (weak) may be on the way. Wells is huge and will be a flat-out stud in the SEC. This is the position Shayne Hale projects at, and OSU has no other real targets.

SDE: Nathan Williams makes the four-star grade and #12 at his position, which is better than I was hoping for. Quinton Coples (14) and Willie Mobley (17) are on the OSU radar, with the latter showing strong interest. After the great NIKE camp in Colorado, I thought Mobley might be in for a little bump.

DT: Garrett Goebel clocks in at #5, and there will be some very disappointed Buckeye fans if he doesn't come to Columbus. The only other live targets are both commitment elsewhere: Moses McCray (#16, Florida State) and Justin Thompson (JC transfer, Miami-FL)

ILB: That Shayne Hale fellow pops up at #1, Steven Filer at #2 and Brendan Beal at #3. And oh yeah, Andrew Sweat is *just* #7. The Buckeye coaching staff had him as their #1 MLB target, since Hale isn't actually playing that position. Hale is obviously #2 on the wish list at this point behind Pryor, but I'd hate to see Filer in Ann Arbor. You've got to scroll down to find Mike Zordich at #14. I hope he realizes that Penn State isn't really Linebacker U anymore.

OLB: Mike Yancich, Sweat's teammate, make a surprise appearance at #9. Ohio notables:
Taylor Hill (25), Justin Staples (33), BJ Machem (37), Doug Rippy (48), Fred Craig (51) and Steve Gardiner (57). I think many observers from the state would disagree with these rankings, but there's still a senior season left to find out. I'm still convinced someone on this list will find there way to Columbus.

CB: Brandon Harris is #8 and Johnny Adams is all the way down at #45. I don't see Harris at OSU, or even taking a visit. That's a little low for "Mr. Excitement", who had a strong performance in Akron this past weekend.

S: EJ Woods, a soft UCLA commit, is #3 overall. He grew up a Buckeye fan and is flying out to Columbus for th 6/22 camp. With Dan McCarthy (12) fading out of the picture, the timing is great for an offer. I'd love for Tressel to give him the "you're the only safety we're recruiting" speech. Except for Terrance Parks (22), who I think is actually a cornerback. Ah screw it E.J., do you really want to wear powder blue and play second fiddle to USC? Come to OSU and you'll still get a shot at the Trojans.

ATH: Devoe rocks the house at #4. With a strong RB campaign at Massillon, I think a 5-star upgrade will be in order.

K: The release of the position ranking was met with general indifference, save for at kicker. Buckeyes fans screamed foul when Ben Buchanan was insulted by a #8 in the country ranking. He might have gotten the shaft because he's a kicker/punter, but no matter. The school of Mike Nugent will turn him into a Groza/Guy winner just yet.

(photo by Rivals.com)

Michigan: Pre-Camp Recruiting Update, Part 1

I still feel that Michigan's class will get up to 25 spots. It will at least be in the lower 20s but we have several 5th year to be players who I think won't be back for a final year of eligibility (EGs- OL Grant DeBenedictis, DL Brett Gallimore, & CB Doug Dutch), WR Antonio Bass will likely finally call it a career and Michigan will get a medical exemption, and WR Mario Manningham (and maybe more) will probably go pro early. Plus there is always a surprise or two (like Cobrani Mixon transferring to Cincinnati maybe???).

QB: It's very hard to get a good QB to commit the year after Mallett. However, Mike Glennon of Virginia (who is a Rivals 4-star and an Elite 11 invitee) said literally all the right things in a Rivals article posted today (including dealing with the Mallett issue) and now I'm actually feeling pretty good about him. Virginia Tech is the main competition because his older brother is currently their starting QB and they are the home team, however, Mike was a huge Michigan fan growing up and VA Tech also got a 5-star QB commit last year so we'll see. And I'm also not saying that nobody else has a chance with him.

No Michigan fan thinks we can get Pryor. The pitch is: come to UM and play b-ball (we were apparently the first to offer him the ability to play both) while red-shirting as a freshman in football and become more polished. Then backup Mallett for a year and start as a third year sophomore when Mallett leaves a year early for the pros.

Option 3- Offer the best of the QBs at camp.

RB: Sam McGuffie (Scout #42 and Rivals 250- and he will be climbing) should be a wolverine and I think he'll commit before July. Michigan thinks he is the star back that will restore the roar along with fellow Texans Ryan Mallett (QB) and Darryl Stonum (WR)...with help from some non-Texans as well. The other RBs are backup plans to McGuffie even though you can make good arguments for a couple of them being as or more talented than Sam. As for taking a second RB, it's possible that Jonas Grey (Detroit) gets an offer but not likely. It's more likely that a RB/ATH such as Ray Polk (AZ) or Michael Shaw (OH) (both Rivals 4-stars) get teamed with McGuffie. Also, the state of Michigan is deep at RB next year and has two top 100 types so there is no pressure to take 2 in this class.

WR: Darryl Stonum (TX) (Scout #41 and Rivals #54) should be a wolverine and I think he'll commit before July. He is the deep threat to follow last year's deep threat Tony Clemons. Michigan also wants a possession receiver to follow last year's possession receiver JR Hemmingway. Michigan should get either Jonathan Baldwin (PA) (Scout 4-star and Rivals #28) who they currently lead for but with ND right behind or Fred Smith (Detroit) (Rivals top 250) who many people feel will be blue but I'm not one of them. Also look for Michigan to get a WR/ATH (like Zion Babb last year) and they lead (big?) for Vaughn Carraway (PA) (Scout 4-star) who may be a commitment before July as well.

There are lots of other WR offers out there but I really feel like it will come down to these guys mentioned above. Of course, as with every position there is always a possibility for a surprise.

TE: We already got our man in Brandon Moore (OH). He's fits the mold of current Michigan TEs (See Tim Massaquoi and last year's 4-star Martell Webb). A block first, catch second guy would be a great complement. Kevin Koger (OH) is an OSU battle and he provides versatility by being able to play DE as well. I say 51/49 UM. If Michigan got Koger or Graham (PA) (Rivals 4-star) I would be thrilled with this year's TE class. I would be pretty darn happy if we got fast-climbing NJ boy Chris Pantale as well. Overall I'm feeling like we will end up having two pretty good TE classes in a row with each class containing 1 solid four star and 1 high three star.

OL and Defense coming soon...

Ohio State: Pre-Camp Recruiting Update

Ok, technically it's not pre-camp, since the first one day seniors camp started today. There have been some interesting development since our last Big Board recruiting update. For a time, it seemed like Ohio State's class was almost already written in stone. But as is always the case, some heavy leans head elsewhere, and new prospects emerge as key targets. Ohio State's class will likely only have 16-18 players, meaning only 7-9 more verbals are left for the next 8 months. Here are some quick hitting updates...

QB: Ohio State fans have long believed that only Terrelle Pryor would be extended a scholarship at quarterback.That still seems to be the case, and many consider OSU to be the current leader for the nation's #1 player. Location will be a huge factor, so only West Virginia, Pitt and Penn State seem like realistic threats at this point.

Two other names have popped up that could play factor at QB: MarQueis Gray of Indiana and Orhian Johnson of Florida. Gray impressed OSU coaches with strong performances at spring camps. He'll be attending OSU's camp in the hopes of earling an offer. Johnson is a fast rising prosects that reports a "verbal" offer from the Buckeyes as an athlete.

RB: Ohio State remains committed to Devoe Torrence as the only true RB in the '08 class. But two Ohio prospects that could get an offer are Isiah Pead (Eastmoor Academy) and Brandon Beachum (Cardinal Mooney). Both would technically be recruited as athletes or for the defensive side of the ball. Pead seems to have a leg up on D.J. Woods and Johnny Adams as a defensive back,and could get an offer rather soon. Beachum, who as recently named to the Rivals100, seems to be an athlete without a true position.

Lastly, Ohio State remains semi-involved with bruising Florida RB Richard Watson. He'll be at one of the OSU camps, but it seems less and less likely that he will join this class.

WR: This is an extremely deep year for wide receivers, and the Buckeyes are at the top of many elite layer's lists. Having already received verbals from top 100 players DeVier Posey and Jake Stoneburner, it was long thought that Glenville's Cordale Scott would finish off the receiver class for OSU. That still may be the case, but Scott is taking his time, which is standard practice for Glenville kids. In the meantime, a gaggle of four and five star recruits remain heavily interested in the Buckeyes. Could someone take Scott's place?

Michael Floyd (MN), Josh Jarboe (GA), Jeff Fuller (TX), Kenny Tate (MD) and Fred Smith (MI) are all members of the Rivals250. All but Smith holds an offer, and he will be at camp trying his best to earn one. My gut feeling is that Ohio State will end up in the top 2 or 3 for these players, but not actually land any of them. Floyd will go to Notre Dame, Jarbow will stay in SEC country, Tate will go to Maryland or Florida and Fuller will end up someplace like LSU or Wisconsin. Smith seems like a nice player, but I don't think he'll get out of the state of Michigan. That still leaves Scott as the logical choice. The coaching staff has a pretty specific MO on this...they stop texting recruits and don't bother to invite players for official visits once they've zeroed in on a few select players. Look for attrition on this list over the summer.

TE: Ohio State is actively recruiting Blake Ayles (CA), who has Ohio State in his top 5. With Stoneburner headed for WR or H-Back territory, OSU could still use a legitimate TE in this class. It may be tough to get Ayles away from the west coast, especially given OSU's poor use of the TE over the past few seasons. And don't forget about Kevin Koger, the Toledo prospect that is basically down to Ohio State and Michigan. he Wolverines may lead, but the gap has been steadily shrinking.

OL: With three pieces of Block O already on board, the Buckeyes are looking to add just one more offensive lineman to this stellar class. The only player holding an offer is Josh Jenkins, a soft verbal to his home state school, West Virginia. Jenkins is a true guard and would be a great complement to Brewster, Adams and Shugarts. However, it's unclear when Jenkins might announce his intentions - he's under heavy pressure to honor his commitment to the Mountaineers. Putting additional pressure on Jenkins is Greg Shaw, a top 100 tackle from Miami (FL). Shaw is scheduled to camp with OSU and badly wants an offer from the Buckeyes. His impressive offer list includes virtually all of the top SEC and ACC schools. Should Shaw get an offer, it could force Jenkins to show his cards earlier than he expected. Right now, Jenkins is the more likely of the two to join Block O, but that could quickly change. I've long thought that Jenkins was in a bind; he faces intense, daily pressure to honor his verbal and stay at home. But he also hears from Mike Brewster and co. on a consistent basis, and seems to love Columbus. This reeks of a situation where Jenkins, under unrelenting scrutiny, tells coaches, players and the media whatever they want to hear. Another Anthony Davis?

A handful of solid Ohio prospects will also be camping in Columbus, though none seem close to an offer at this point. However, there is usually at least one surprise offer, so we'll keep you posted. Missing on Jenkins and Shaw might be a disappointment for recruiting "fans", but getting an Ohio kid like Jake Current would be fine with me.

DL: The Buckeyes would like to add at least 2 more defensive linemen to this class, and three names that have separated themselves from the pack. Defensive tackle Garrett Goebel is the Buckeyes top DT target, and is in Columbus as we speak. Or as we type, if you want to be picky. His list was down to Notre Dame, Michigan and Ohio State, and OSU is giving him the full court press this weekend. I expect Goebel to visit Michigan this summer just to be sure and then verbal to OSU. Willie Mobley (MN) and Keith Wells (GA) are the other two top defensive line prospects. Mobley played lights out at the Colorado NIKE camp, and OSU is in his top three. Questions remain about his ability to shift inside, but he's extremely strong and explosive. There's no question about Wells' size - he's 6'5" and ha a huge wingspan. OSU and Florida are reportedly his two two, but he's still very interested in Georgia and Notre Dame as well.

Glenville OG/DT Shawntel "Shaq" Rowell is also being recruited by Ohio State, but it currently appears that weight problems will prevent him from getting an offer. Ohio State continues to recruit juior college transfer Justin Thompson, who has already verballed to Miami (FL). Thompson has left a crack open for other schools, and plans on visiting OSU this month.

LB: Ohio State received great news and disappointing news recently, with the commitment of Trinity LB Andrew Sweat to OSU and the announcement that Mike Zordich will be heading to Penn State. Both play in the middle, and Sweat was by far the higher rated of the two. In fact, the coaches had Sweat as their #1 rated middle linebacker in the country. The Buckeyes may take 1-2 more linebackers in this deep class, with the top prize being Gateway (PA) LB Shayne Hale. Hale, who some project as a rush end, says that FLorida, OSU, Michigan and Notre Dame currently top his list.

Three top players I don't expect to see in Scarlet & Grey are Steven Filer (IL), Brendan Beal (NJ) and Etienne Sabino. Sabino is the best of the bunch, but I expect him to stay in the south. Beal has USC and Florida at the top of his list, and OSU isn't really pushing to change that. Filer will be visiting Columbus this summer and of the three, is the only one that OSU has a chance to get. Michigan and Notre Dame will be tough to beat for his services. Christian Wilson, another top PA player, is not hearing from OSU as much and may no longer be a target.

OSU fans have been spoiled by the fast start and marquee names that have committed. But this wouldn't be a Jim Tressel class if there weren't a few curveballs. Linebacker could be the spot where that happens. A talented group of in-state players could impress the coaches and get an offer. A few names to watch: Taylor Hill of Cardinal Mooney, Doug Rippy from Linden-McKinley, and Steve Gardiner from Dublin Coffman are all making a case for an offer.

DB: At one point, OSU felt good about its chances with Mooney standout Dan McCarthy. While the Buckeyes are still in the game, it seems like McCarthy will in fact join his brother in South Bend. With such a big '07 DB class, the position is not a priority right now. In additional to Pead, Woods and Adams, OSU continues to pursue a few out-of-state stars. Soft UCLA verbal E.J. Woods (CA), Terence Parks (GA) and Brandon Harris (FL) all hear from the Buckeyes. However, I wouldn't consider any as OSU leans at this point. The most likely scenario is that Ohio State picks one or two in-state players, depending on the slots available.

Taking a crack a projecting the class is always good for laughs when you look back in February. I've given OSU 18 scholarship, which is pushing the limit of what we have. It's funny to write in Pryor at QB, but OSU has to be considered at least a 40% chance at this point, and no other school would be higher. As noted above, I think Scott and Jenkins are the best bets round out the offense.

On the defensive side, I think Goebel is nearing lock status for OSU. I would be extremely disappointed if he ended up at Michigan. Mobley could be our next great one from Minnesota, but his rising star could net offers that challenge OSU. Michigan fans will howl at the inclusion of Hale on this list, and I don't blame them. I've blogged before that Hale just seems like the type of kid who doesn't end up at OSU. But at thi point in time, I don't feel stronger that Michigan or Florida will end up with Hale, so there's no reason not stay optimistic. Check back once he's taken his visits.

Yes, there's a lot of hedging at the bottom here with the Ohio kids. Hill has the most impresive offer list of the linebackers, but all three will have their shot in camp. History says a guy like Gardiner, who plays tough and has great speed, might impress and end up with the golden offer. Woods has been a demon on the camp circuit, but I think Beachum and Pead have a slight lead at this point.

QB: Pryor

RB: Torrence

WR: Posey, Stoneburner, Scott

TE: Koger

OL: Shugarts, Adams, Brewster, Jenkins/(Current)

K: Buchanan

DL: Williams, Goebel, Mobley

LB: Sweat, Hale, (Gardiner)/(Hill)/(Rippy)

DB: Pead

ATH: Beachum/(Woods)

With a camp today and another on 6/22, we'll have lots of updates coming soon. I'll also periodically update my project list, just for fun. I'd be interested to see how Michigan projects their much larger class. Perhaps we can have dueling lists with Shayne Hale...

(photo by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)