Buckeyes Big Board - June Update

Ohio State wrapped up one of its most decorated classes ever in 2008, though it missed out on some national accolades from the media due to the class size and the Terrelle Pryor circus. But the Buckeyes kept the momentum up since Pryor signed his Letter of Intent, already gathering 17 commitments before mid-June. Who’s left on the board, and what can we expect this summer?

Analysts knew the 2009 class would be large, expecting a number from 23-25. It now appears that the class could swell to as many as 27…and perhaps higher? The unusual scholarship count is due in part to all of the juniors that returned, leaving the Buckeyes with a sizable senior class of 20 players. It is expected that at least 2-3 juniors will depart early for the NFL, including Heisman hopeful Beanie Wells, and fourth-year juniors Lawrence Wilson and Brian Hartline. Factoring in the normal team attrition from injury, transfers and other issues, and the Buckeyes have a lot of roster spots to fill. The Buckeyes will also be able to count some early enrollees from last year's class in a different year, which is allowed by NCAA guidelines.

QB (0-1): Bringing in a top-notch signal caller after Pryor was never going to be easy, and it now appears that the class might not have a quarterback at all. There are a few reasons for that, including the staff's confidence in walk-on Joe Bauserman, as well as the versatility of players like Ohrian Johnson. Victor Marc and Devontae Payne seemed like contenders at one point, but an offer does not seem imminent for either. One in-state prospect that Ohio State will continue to monitor is Patrick Nicely, who has traditional pocket-passer size but has run a spread offense before.

RB (3): Jeanette athlete Jordan Hall is already in the fold, projected as a slot-type weapon that can lineup in a variety of places. The Buckeyes will take at least 1 more back, 2 if the right player wants to come. At the top of that list is Jamaal Berry, a top 100 back from Florida. He grew up a Miami fan, but they already have a commitment from Bryce Brown and appear to be looking elsewhere. Florida remains a threat as well. The Buckeyes would like to add Berry’s speed to the power running of Carlos Hyde, a big back from Naples, FL. Hyde has family ties to the Cincinnati area and is planning to visit OSU next weekend. Should the Buckeyes miss on Berry, they could pursue Trabis Ward (FL) or Ohioan Bud Golden.

FB (2): The Buckeyes have commitments from Adam Homan and Zach Boren, both of whom could also be considered linebackers. They’ll join OSU at a thin position with just incoming freshman Jermil Martin ahead of them.

WR (3): The Buckeyes already have verbals from Chris Fields, the top WR in Ohio, and James Jackson, a lighten-fast slot receiver from Michigan. They plan to add at least one more receiver, and legacy Duron Carter is your best bet at this point. Cris Carter’s son also has an offer from LSU, but the Buckeyes have to be considered the favorite at this point. Ohio State would, of course, find room if an elite 5-star like Marlon Brown wanted to come to Columbus. But the case is less clear for players like Kraig Appelton, Jheranie Boyd or Shaquelle Evans.

TE (1-2): The Buckeyes have mammoth Reid Fragel on board, but could still add another TE if the right one comes calling. They have offers out to Dion Sims (MI) and Ra’shede Hageman (MN), but both seem inclined to stay in-state as of now. Ed Hazelett (IN) could be a possibility as well.

OL (4): Other than defensive back, this is probably the most debated position by the fans. Ohioans Jack Mewhort and Corey Linsley are already going to be Buckeyes, and transfer Justin Boren won’t count against the scholarship total. The Buckeyes want to add two more, and the preference would be Glenville tackle Marcus Hall and guard Chris Watt (IL). The former must be considered a Buckeye lean, but you can never discount the impact of official visits, perception of depth charts, and the unpredictability of teenagers. Though the Buckeyes are in good shape with Watt, he could easily end up at Notre Dame, Illinois or Michigan. Should that happen, OSU can turn to in-staters Ryan Spiker, Sam Longo, or Nate Klatt to fill the last spot. All three appear willing, but the numbers crunch could keep them out. There is no indication that the Buckeyes will offer Ricky Harris or Chris Freeman, who is clearly this year's Zebrie Sanders.

DE (2-3): The Buckeyes lured highly-regarded SDE Melvin Fellows away from his initial commitment to Illinois, a critical swing in their efforts to keep top talent at home. They would also like to add the other top in-state defensive end, Jonathan Newsome from Glenvillle. Newsome has publicly named OSU his leader, though he has not seen other schools. The possibility exists that one other player could sneak into this class on the defensive line, likely Pat Muldoon from the Cincinnati’s famed St. Xavier.

DT (2-3): With this week’s announcement from Adam Bellamy, many thought the Buckeyes were done at defensive tackle. But the Buckeyes continue to pursue two top out of state players, Corey Adams (AZ) and Tyrone Ezell (PA). It appears that OSU might take one, but certainly not both. They could be competing for the same spot as Muldoon, depending on the rest of the class. Even if neither one comes, Bellamy will team with underrated John Simon to form a great interior duo. Simon was an early commit and big victory for the Buckeyes, who struggled at Cardinal Mooney recently.

LB (3): Barring a waiver from the NCAA allowing them to roster 50 linebackers, the Buckeyes are probably done here. They have an incredibly strong threesome of Dorian Bell (PA), Jordan Whiting (KY) and Storm Klein (OH). In the national rankings, Bell will likely remain the highest rated player in the class. Whiting is a physical specimen and Klein in the mold of the prototypical Ohio ‘backer. They may continue to recruit Florida stars Jelani Jenkins and Frankie Telfort, but I don’t expect that either will make it to C-Bus.

DB (6): Defensive back has been a roller coaster already and it’s only June. At corner, the Buckeyes have commitments from Clayton Northmont’s C.J. Barnett (OH) and Maryland speedster Dominic Clarke. The Buckeyes are in hot pursuit of Corey Brown from Gateway (PA), who has a visit set up around June 20. At least three other players are legitimately in the conversation – Justin Green (KY), Brandon McGee (FL) and D.J. Hunter (OH). Green is being recruited as an athlete, and is the brother of former OSU DT Marcus Green. McGee plays QB in high school but projects as a corner at the next level. He visited during the spring game and has consistently named the Buckeyes among his leaders. Hunter is a 4-star player with good footwork and speed, but OSU is by far his best offer.

At safety, the Buckeyes have top 100 prospect Jamie Wood from Pickerington Central. They would like to add at least one more, possibly two depending on the numbers. Vlad Emilien (FL) plays on the same team as Brandon McGee and appears to be a lean at this point. The Buckeyes were in early but will face still competition from SEC schools and Michigan. Bradley McDougal (OH) is another 4-star athlete-type that may come in as a safety but has the talent to move around. E.J. Banks has mentioned OSU frequently, but spots are becoming short for players that want to take visits.

Adding up the numbers, you see a class around 27…could it even be 28? One thing to keep in mind is that recruiting has a way humbling the “experts”; as soon as you think you know how it will all play out, everything changes. Buckeyes don’t want to be reminded of 2006, when a bevy of top prospects were poised to verbal but ultimately ended up elsewhere. At this point, the Buckeyes have to feel confident with Hyde, Hall, Carter and Newsome. All four have strong ties to the state or program and would bump the Buckeyes up to 21 commits. They will take an additional lineman, whether it’s Watt or a deserving Ohio kid, getting us to 22. I think Buckeye fans are expecting Emilien and Brown to join the fray at some point, and we might know on Brown sooner rather than later. That’s 24, which just a few spots open. You can bet that Jamaal Berry will have a spot open regardless. Pencil in one more defensive lineman – likely Muldoon but possibly Adams, and one more athlete/DB – McDougal or Green, and you’ve got the magic number.

I’m most suspicious of the Florida crew, since distance and impressive alternatives are an issue. I’ve just never had a good feeling about McGee, and I also think Adams will ultimately go elsewhere. OSU just does not recruit the west particularly well. Either way, this is a top 3 class at the end of the day, even if some Buckeye fans bemoan the ratings.

It's also interesting with the new Michigan system to see how few head-to-head battles are left. The OSU coaches are definitely on track to have most of this class wrapped up at the end of the summer, just needing to do maintenance so they can focus on the upcoming season.