The Final Five?

With 16 current verbals, but one possibly in jeopardy, the Buckeyes are closing in on a class they may exceed the vaunted 2002 group. If we assume 15 spots are solid, there are probably no more than 5 total spots left. We break down how those spots might fill out, and who's left on the board.

QB: So, there's this Terrelle Pryor guy. And no amount of private assurances will make it any less stressful. They call it a "sweat" in poker, but even that doesn't do it justice. This is a full on recruiting panic for OSU fans, a chance for a historic class in reach. But the prospects, even if they're dim, of losing him to Michigan would cause a meltdown of never-before-seen proportions. It will certainly exceed the Ben Martin-Joe Barksdale-Anthony Davis disaster of 2007. And Pryor wouldn't have it any other way. That he loves the recruiting circus can only mean more ulcers are coming in the next few weeks.

False hope? The Detriot media continues to write empty articles with tenuous ties and questionable accuracy. Pryor will likely announce on signing day. Though he may enjoy the All-American game, filled with all of his future teammates.
Survey says? O-H-I-O

RB: With speculation rampant that Devoe Torrence will not be part of the '08 class, OSU is hoping to get a visit from 4-star Texas RB Aundre Dean. Though he's committed to UCLA, the lack of a coach has led him to reopen his recruitment. He's planning on visits to LSU, Alabama, Louisville, Arizona State and OSU.
Survey says? No dice. Look for 2 RB's in 2009.

WR: With the surprise defection of Glenville's Cordale Scott, the Buckeyes could potentially take one additional receiver. Though Josh Jarboe is still technically on their list, he will probably remain in the south. But the Buckeyes are still trying to get a visit from Miami Northwestern WR Tommy Streeter. Streeter is looking for a spread offense, and has already visited Oregon and Boston College. South Carolina and the hometown Hurricanes could also receive visits. It's a long shot, but with the Florida Buckeyes in his ear, there's a small chance.
Survey says? He won't even visit. The Buckeyes were too late to the game and too loaded at WR.

OL: I think we've already reached our Josh Jenkins quota for the week. It will be interesting to hear what comes out of the U.S. Army All-American game, where I'm sure the other future Buckeyes will be clamoring for an announcement.
Survey says: Fine, I concede. Jenkins will be part of this class. Surely that means a surprise verbal to FSU is coming, right?

DL: With four verbals, including three 4-stars, already in the fold, one would assume the Buckeyes are done here. But the Buckeyes are still in hot pursuit of three top prospects. One of them is enigmatic DL/LB Shayne Hale from Gateway. Hale is set to announce at the Army All-American game, with OSU in his final two. But signs are pointing to the hometown Panthers, where his mighty mouse cousin recently verballed.

The Buckeyes are seem more likely to get one of two players currently committed elsewhere. 3-star defensive end Keith Wells (GA) is a Florida State verbal. But he reported had a great visit and is less enthused about the Seminoles after the recent cheating scandal. Besides, I did ask Santa for a brutal fast speed rusher, and no way Santa can turn me down...

Also on the radar is Corey Liuget (FL), a 4-star with a soft verbal to Illinois. Liuget was one of the top performers at a recent Florida All-Star game, disrupting numerous plays in the backfield. It's possible that he could play inside or outside, which fits the recent trend at OSU. The Buckeyes will most certainly receive a visit, and Etienne Sabino may come up to try and seal the deal.
Survey says? The Magic 8 Ball is hazy. Seriously, all signs are pointing up with Wells, but right now I still have him on the outside looking in. My gut, filled with tasty Sheetz and Al's wings, says the Buckeyes can steal Liuget from Illinois.

LB: The Buckeyes are probably done here, especially given the bountiful haul that will come in 2009. But keep an eye on Steve Greer. He's a 2-star from Ohio that quietly had an impressive senior season. If some of the high profile players fall through (don't they always?) he could get a late offer. There's always one Rocco in every class, right?

3-star linebacker Steve Gardiner from Dublin Coffman may also commit to Ohio State, but it will be as a grayshirt into the '09 class.
Survey says? Though fielding a team composed entirely of linebackers is appealing, I think we're done for '08.

DB: It has long been assumed that 4-star cornerback Brandon Harris would eventually commit to Miami (FL). But after a lackluster season, Harris has indicated that he's still open to other schools. Two of those schools are Ohio State and LSU, who have some sort of scrimmage at LSU's home away from home. Harris is schedule to visit Columbus on January 11, possibly at the same time as Liuget. Harris would be an unbelievable coup, giving the Buckeyes a pair of legitimate shutdown corners from Florida in the last two years.
Survey says? I'm still saying a Miami lean at this point, especially with a Coral Gables visit. The momentum is there - can national championships and the Buckeyes success with corners in the NFL give them a chance?

So at this point we're projecting Pryor, Jenkins and possibly Liuget to join the class. That's ridiculously optimistic, but this has been a special year for OSU recruiting. I don't see the Buckeyes taking to more linemen, but I think Wells and Harris will have spots open till the end. The Buckeyes should have a clearer picture of the remaining guys in mid-January, and there's always a possibility that transfers, NFL defections, or misses could lead to other offers.

Buckeyes Add #4 for '09

While the staff is still putting the wraps on the incredible 2008 class, the Buckeyes are already piling up commitment for next year. Just two days after receiving a verbal from stud DT John Simon, OSU received a pledge from St. John's offensive lineman Jack Mewhort.

Mewhort plays center but may project as a guard at the next level. He turned in a strong junior campaign to earn his offer, and committed just one week later. Though some have suggest he may be just a 3-star prospect, the Ohio State coaches have done an incredile job of identifying and developing in-state linemen. Kirk Barton, Steve Rehring and Bryant Browning were all unheralded Ohioans that have become great contributors.

Following a class of 3 or 4 elite linemen, it will be interesting to see the makeup of the incoming '09 linemen.

Josh Jenkins De-Commits from WVA

While the press continues to harp on the problems that The Rod's hire created for Ohio State - namely the Pryor recruitment and Les Miles staying at LSU - there has been at least one clear positive. The fallout from The Rod's slimy exit from Morgantown continued as top O-Line prospect Josh Jenkins de-committed from the Mountaineers.

Jenkins, one of the most highly decorated players in West Virginia high school football history, had been committed since the end of his junior year. Despite having an extremely good relationship with the Ohio State staff and the incoming class, Jenkins was clearly struggling with his obligation to stay in-state. While OSU fans may brush this off, one need only look to the reaction of players that left Ohio to understand the possible consequences of Jenkins leaving.

Though Jenkins may have eventually have ended up at another school, the fiasco with The Rod provides ample cover to reopen his recruitment. The Buckeyes now appear poised to grab the coveted fourth member of "Block O", completing the school's most impressive offensive line class in recent memory. However, Florida State is still in the mix, and Jenkins mentioned that he would speak with coaches from Penn State and Pittsburgh. West Virginia remains a possibility, depending on the incoming coach.

Anyone who has read the blog during the season knows that I had my doubts that Jenkins would ever make it to Columbus. Possibly jaded by the Anthony Davis experience of 2007, it seemed like the pressure to stay at home would be too much too overcome. At this point, OSU has to be the favorite to land his service. Jenkins provides a critical inside presence to the line class, a true guard to join Mike Adams and J.B. Shugarts and tackle. Mike Brewster appears talented enough to play any of the five line positions in college, though many believe his ultimate destination is center.

Jenkins is rated as a 4-star by Rivals, just outside the top 100 at #104. He is the 5-star in the Scout system, listed as the #1 guard in the country.

Buckeyes Nab Top D-Lineman for '09

The Buckeyes received a huge present the day after Christmas, nabbing a verbal commitment from 2009 standout John Simon. Simon is considered one of the premier defensive linemen in the '09 class, likely playing inside at tackle or possibly rushing as a strongside end.

Simon will most certainly be one of the top 3 players in Ohio next season, and Rivals and Scout have already named him on their preliminary top 100 lists. He becomes the third commit to join a class expected the reach 23-25.