Breaking Down the '08 Class: Defense

We finish up our first look at the newest Buckeyes with a quick analysis of the defensive players...

DE: The Buckeyes picked up three defensive ends, adding much-needed depth. In typical Jim Tressel fashion, the players are diverse in their skill sets. Keith Wells, once a Florida State commit, is a speed rusher off the edge. Willie Mobley, the #2 player in Minnesota, will start outside but has the frame to possibly move inside like Darrion Scott. And Nathan Williams is a hybrid DE/OLB, recruited to play a position similar to Bobby Carpenter.

GRADE: A. With Vernon Gholston heading to the NFL, Lawrence Wilson going to be a senior, and Alex Barrow leaving the team, the Buckeyes needed quality and quantity. They got both – the addition of Wells just before signing day was another coup from the state of Georgia.

DT: Garrett Goebel, the #1 player from Illinois, selected OSU over Michigan last fall. This was a huge get for the Buckeyes, and not only because they beat Michigan head-to-head. The interior of the defensive line is young and has talent, but Buckeyes had a series of high-profile misses last year in Joseph Barksdale and Josh Brent. Goebel is a wrestler that immediately will compete for time in the rotation, and beating out incumbent starters Dexter Larimore or Todd Denlinger in ’09 is a possibility.

The Buckeyes also added Glenville prospect Shawntel Rowell in January. There was a great deal of debate about whether he would get an offer, due to both academic and weight issues. But a slimmer “Baby Shaq” was able to get everything in order and join the class. He seems like a bit of a project; I wouldn’t expect a serious contribution until the ’10 season.

GRADE: A-. Goebel himself was as important a prospect as the Buckeyes had, save for perhaps Adams and Brewster. If Mobley eventually moves to the interior, they could be a monster tandem. Rowell is hard to call at this point, as he has the talent but will need to work hard.

LB: After taking two linebackers last year, the Buckeyes added another pair in ’08. The headliner is Etienne Sabino, a south Florida native ranked at the top of the middle linebacker class. It’s hard to imagine he won’t be a stalwart on the defense for the next few years. A redshirt is doubtful next season, and he’ll battle Austin Spitler for the starting job in ’09.The other commit is Andrew Sweat from Pennsylvania. Sweat has two things going for him – speed to the ball and versatility to play any of the linebacker positions. I think he’s going to need to bulk up, so he might not see the field next year. But he’s a sure tackler and natural leader, and will be an asset for 4-5 years.

GRADE: A-. Much like Goebel, Sabino is worthy of an A all by himself. Sweat stock fell a tad bit during the season, but the coaches really value his skill set. The Buckeyes may look back with regret at some misses, especially Mooney backer Mike Zordich.

CB: After adding six defensive backs last year, the Buckeyes have just one cornerback for this class. Travis Howard, a 3-star and Sabino’s teammate, is a solid prospect in his own right. Boasting offers from Miami, Florida and Tennessee, he’s a physical corner with good speed. He’ll bide his time, but has the look of a very good #2 corner in the future.

GRADE: B. It’s hard to penalize OSU after the haul from last year. Howard looks like a gamer, but doesn’t come in with the same lockdown potential like James Scott. Buckeye fans were teased at the possibility of players like Patrick Johnson and Brandon Harris, which would have been unbelievable gets. But Howard is a Tressel-type player with Chris Gamble-esque upside.

S: Once the Buckeyes missed on in-state Dan McCarthy, it appeared they might not take a safety at all. But they ended up with two, including out-of-nowhere Zach Domicone and signing day surprise Orhian Johnson. Domicone literally emerged on the scene and had accepted an offer in a matter of days. Johnson seemed likely to take a quarterbacking opportunity at a lesser school, but opted to join the Buckeyes as an athlete. He’ll focus on defense, but be given the opportunity to work in some WR sets.

GRADE: C+. There is big-time potential here – Domicone didn’t get an offer from Oklahoma and Ohio State for nothing, and Johnson is top 50 player in talent-rich Florida. Originally pursued by the big boys in the south, I just don’t know whether Johnson will settle on a position or successfully transition to defense. And Domicone may have a hard time cracking a very deep crop of safeties. But I’ve learned my lesson doubting Jim Tressel’s ability to find diamond in the rough, so I’m prepared to be wrong on this one. At worst, both might be steady role players providing quality depth.