Defense Big Board: 18 Hours from Kickoff!

On the eve of Ohio State opening game against Youngstown State, we take a look at the defensive side of the 2009 recruiting class. Though things are almost set here, some big names are still on the board. Are all of the defensive commitments solid? Could a few blue chippers be added to the mix?

DE: The Buckeyes have already restocked the cupboard with two quality defensive ends from in-state. Mevin Fellows is the headliner - he offered an early verbal to Illinois but switched to OSU - and has star potential. Jon Newsome broke with Glenville traditional by committing this summer, a sign of how quickly the this class filled up.

Ohio State took serious looks at a few other Ohians, Tank Carradine and Pat Muldoon. But the talented Carradine apparently had academic issues, and Muldoon crossed Ohio State off his list once the scholarship become tight. Don't expect any other ends to join this class.

DT: After a few seasons of missing on elite interior defenders, the Buckeyes are back in a big way in the middle. It all starts with John Simon from Cardinal Mooney, one of the top players in the state. Though he was insulted by ESPN inane early rankings, he'll a lock to anchor the middle of the 4-3 attack. Though less heralded, Ohio State is excited about the potential of Adam Bellamy. He seems a lock for redshirt but could an excellent three-technique tackle.

Despite the two highly rated commitment, Coach Tressel is looking to knock it out of the park with Corey Adams. The Arizona stud has offers from almost every national power and is considered a top 100 player in the country. He grew up a Buckeye fan and has Ohio State in his top three. Though I'm generally skeptical of players from the west, keep an eye on the official visit.

LB: It's hard to believe that anyone has a better linebacking core in the '09 than Ohio State. The jewel of class so far is Dorian Bell, a 5-star from Gateway. He's the top player in talent-rich Pennsylvania and has great speed and instincts. He's joined by Storm Klein (OH) and Jordan Whiting (KY) who both committed early. Whiting is a physical specimen and Klein is a hard-nosed player, both with the athleticism to move around the field.

The only player still on the Ohio State radar is Frankie Telfort, an elite outside linebacker from Florida. He'll take visits to other top schools like Florida, USC and Tennessee, but the Bucks will get their shot as well. His friendship with Jamaal Berry can't hurt, along with the Floridians like Sabino and Brewster already in Columbus. Still, this is still a long-shot at this stage.

DB: The Buckeyes are loaded up at defensive back with six commitments. The high number is a sure sign of the transition to spread attacks, where speedy defenders with cover skills are necessary. This group is amazingly talented and balanced, with Rivals.com ranking all of them as 4-star players. At cornerback, Ohioan C.J. Barnett has lockdown potential, and Gateway's Corey Brown has starred at the elite camps this year. He has the ability to play on either side of the ball.

One of the most underrated commits is certainly corner Dominic Clarke (MD). His recruitment surprised some Buckeye fans, but scouts have come away very impressed with his performance this spring. He's a top 5 player in Maryland and the type of high-character player Tressel has a knack for finding. If there's a worry here it's with Justin Green (KY), who's brother Marcus played DT at OSU. Green remains publicly committed, but his verbal occurred before he was probably ready. He's a top-notch athlete but could still be quietly looking around.

S: At safety, two in-state stars are solidly in the OSU camp. Jamie Wood is rated by Rivals as the #2 safety in the country, and unheralded Bradley McDougald has gained recognition for his skills. Though Ohio State has added safeties late each of the past two years, don't expect that to happen again.

The Buckeye blog is at the beach this week, but we'll trolling the bars to catch our game against the Penguins. We'll do a full review of the game Monday, but watch to see what freshmen get into the game late. Youngsters that don't see action Saturday are likely to redshirt, barring injury or a major move.