Breaking Down the '08 Class: Offense

With 19 LOI's faxed, and one very large outstanding question, it's time to take a look at how Ohio State did. We'll tackle the offense tonight and the defense tomorrow.

QB: Obviously, there’s a gaping hole in this discussion with the unsettled Terrelle Pryor situation. After a flurry of activity and rumors yesterday, Pryor decided not to sign today. Of course, he didn’t cancel his press conference – don’t be silly. Pryor will at least visit Penn State, and possibly trek out to Eugene to see if he wants to be a Duck.

In truth, the status quo has not significantly changed. I still believe that Ohio State is the overwhelming leader, though Pryor could obviously have his mind changed during his other visits. The Buckeyes haven’t yet experienced a high-profile recruit go into overtime, so we’ll have to see how this plays out. There’s not much 2009 impact, as Todd Boeckman was going to be the starter and Antonio Henton is more than capable of filling the dual-threat and back-up role.

GRADE: Incomplete. We’ll let you know in a few weeks at Parent-Teacher conferences.

RB: As we noted last week, the Buckeyes did not send a Letter of Intent to Massillon running back DeVoe Torrence. With no true back in the class, OSU will want to add at least one blue chip RB in next year’s class. However, it is worth noting that Maryland athlete Lamaar Thomas played RB at the Army All-American game and looked very good doing it. Should Pryor end up in Columbus, the two could be a deadly combination in the backfield in the “Troy Smith” spread offense. Don’t want to offense The Rod and his “read option”…

GRADE: B+. In a class full of potential stars, I expect Thomas to be a huge success in Columbus. He deserves an A all by himself, but since he’s not a full-time running back, I try to be reasonable. Also, the staff gets knocked down a peg for the entire DeVoe situation, which was no good from the beginning.

FB: With three graduating players at the position, OSU was happy to add 3-star FB Jermil Martin. Hailing from Glenville, Martin will immediately be given an opportunity to compete for playing time. Whether or not he will see the field is dependent on his ability to pick up the scheme and get strong enough for pass protection. Additional tidbit - Martin apparently has requested Keith Byars' #41, so he gets extra points but has a lot to live up to.

GRADE: C. There’s nothing wrong with Martin, though it is unclear how much action he’ll get over the next few years. Aram Olson was a higher rated recruit, though he’s been unable to stay healthy. With Ross Homan joining the fray in ’09 and a possible option look from the offense, Martin looks more like depth at this point than a key cog.

WR: Technically there’s only one WR in this class, 5-star DeVier Posey. The La Salle product burst onto the scene last spring with amazing camp performances and never slowed down. He will compete for time immediately, but will not likely make a huge impact until the 2009 season. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t a starter as a true sophomore. Of course, both Lamaar Thomas and Jake Stoneburner have to be mentioned here, since they will both see time.

GRADE: A. Three different types of receivers, all exceptionally talented. There are no holes here, which is why Ohio State fans barely missed a beat when Cordale Scott went to Illinois.

TE: The Buckeyes have two tight ends in the class - the aforementioned Stoneburner, who will likely migrate to wide receiver, and Nic DiLillo, a more traditional tight end. Buckeye fans have big hopes for Stoneburner, who has great speed and can create mismatches with his size.

DiLillo traveled an odd route, committing to both Clemson and Pittsburgh before getting an Ohio State offer. So remember to send a valentine to Kevin Koger, whose defection to Michigan opened up a ‘ship. Koger bet get used to defensive end, as it would DiLillo is a nasty blocker but definitely does not fall into the third tackle category. He runs good routes and has surprising soft hands.

GRADE: B. The tight end is not a feature position in the OSU offense, and DiLillo is probably a perfect fit for what they need. Still, you have to consider what might have been, missing on Blake Ayles, and a host of in-state players like Kyle Rudolph and Kevin Koger.

OL: It is difficult to understate what Ohio State did with the amazing trio in this class. After a series of misses over the past few years, Buckeyes fans were in a near panic over the depth of the line. The coaches brought in three of best linemen in the country, all of whom were on board by April. Mike Adams, the subject of massive debate by Rivals.com, got the last laugh. He moved all the way up to #3 overall in the country, and has the look of a franchise left tackle. Mike Brewster, a top 15 player in his own regard, is now legendary for his relentless efforts in putting this class together. He should be an anchor in the middle for the next 3-4 seasons. And J.B. Shugarts, once at the top of the Michigan big board, almost gets overlooked. But he will certainly complete for a spot in the two-deep right away, and could be a starter by 2009.

GRADE: A+. No, the Buckeyes didn’t get Kyle Long (baseball at Florida State) or Josh Jenkins (West Virginia re-commit). But they have shored up a glaring need with some of the best prospects available. This will certainly go down as one of the best line classes ever assembled.

K: Ben Buchanan was actually the first commit of the class. At that time, the Buckeyes were still reeling from the Florida title game loss, misses on key ’07 recruits, and looking at maybe just 13 available scholarships. So some fans weren’t actually giddy when he verballed. But he’s one of the top kickers in the country – most certainly in the top 5. And the staff did well to get a player that can both kick and punt, hopefully saving a scholarship in the process.

GRADE: B+. You can’t really ask for more, but you also can’t give A’s to kickers. If he turns out to be Mike Nugent the second, I’ll revise the grade.

(photo of Lamaar Thomas courtesy of WashingtonPost.com)