Welcome to the Bucknuts OSU football recruiting Quick Read. This is a
one-stop reference where you can come to get the latest summary on Ohio State
football recruiting and where the Buckeyes stand with various in- and
out-of-state prospects. In this feature, we will list the top ten remaining
uncommitted prospects from both inside and outside of the state of Ohio, as well
as a summary of each position and the latest on the players who currently stand
as recruiting possibilities for the Buckeyes. Also included will be staff
commentary from Steve Helwagen, Gary Housteau and Duane Long as they give their
current thoughts on the state of OSU football recruiting. This feature will be updated every two weeks and more as needed as the
recruiting season starts to heat up. Read on for the latest summaries and
developments concerning OSU football recruiting.
The following is a compilation of the opinions of the Bucknuts staff and does not represent the Ohio State football program.
| Ohio Top
Uncommitted Prospects (w/OSU interest) |
Out-Of-State
Remaining |
| Based
on Scout.com Rankings |
1. Ray Small,
WR*
2. Derrell Johnson, ATH
|
Ray Small
|
1.
Larry Grant *
2. Elijah Fields,
WR *
3. Kylan Robinson, RB *
4. WR Damon McDaniel *
4. Colin McCarthy, LB *
5. Corey Peters *
6. Ashton Henderson, CB *
7. Wes Lyons, WR *
|
Larry Grant
|
|
|
Elijah Fields
|
|
* - denotes a reported OSU offer |
|
Ohio State Official Visit Weekends |
| Sept. 9-11 (Texas): |
Aaron Brown, A.J. Wallace, Steven Wesley |
| Sept. 23-25 (Iowa): |
David Ausberry, Colin McCarthy |
| Oct. 14 (MSU): |
Navorro Bowman, Wes Lyons, McKenzie Matthews |
| Dec. 2 |
Jason Adjepong, Jake Ballard, Bryant Browning,
Kurt Coleman, Ryan Hill, Dexter Larimore, Tyler Moeller, Robert Rose,
Ray Small, Joe Thomas, Chris Wells |
| Dec. 9 |
Ross Homan, Grant Schwartz |
| Dec. 16 |
Andy Miller |
| Jan. 6 |
Walter Dublin, Mark Johnson, A.J. Jones, Greg
Mathews, Kylan Robinson, Johnnie Troutman, Aram Olson |
| Jan. 13 |
Anthony Bowman, Aaron Gant, Thaddeus Gibson,
Damon McDaniel, Connor Smith |
| Jan. 20 |
Larry Grant, Corey Peters (22-23) |
| Jan. 27 |
Elijah Fields (27th or 28th), Antonio Henton |
| Bucknuts
Staff Commentary |
|
Steve Helwagen: |
Timing
is everything, they say.
It seems that with nine days to go until national
signing day, Ohio State and colleges all over the country are now at the
mercy of a handful of kids who are waiting until the last moment to make
their college decisions. In an effort to try and sort this out, let’s
look at when some of OSU’s top recruits on the board figure to make
their announcement:
Yesterday – WR Anthony Bowman (he re-affirmed his
verbal to Iowa on Sunday), Johnnie Troutman (picked Penn State over OSU)
Today – LB Thaddeus Gibson (just picked the
Buckeyes)
Any Day Now – WR Ray Small, DT Corey Peters
(wrapping up OSU visit today, may decide soon after)
Wednesday – RB Kylan Robinson (smart money says
Miami)
Thursday – WR Wes Lyons (West Virginia or Ohio
State, it seems)
Feb. 1 (national signing day) – WR Greg Mathews
(still seems to be Michigan, but you never know), LB Larry Grant (will
announce following Oregon visit), DB Elijah Fields (could wait until
after OSU visit next weekend), WR Damon McDaniel (the rumor mill just
keeps churning)
Who Knows? – LB Colin McCarthy (we haven’t been
able to get a hold of him, so it’s impossible to know when he may make
a decision)
Gibson gives OSU 19 verbals in a class that could
number 22. Small and Grant seem safe bets for spots as well. That leaves
Peters, Lyons, Fields and McDaniel, legitimately, for that last spot.
|
|
Gary Housteau: |
Who
really knows how the last week and half of the recruiting season will
play out? At this point, it's time to appreciate what Ohio State already
has and only look at the potential remaining prospects as a bonus. While
the recruitniks out there fret over who is left to join the fold in the
remaining days, it's time to take an inventory of the players already on
board and appreciate who's already there.
With Chris Wells and Ross Homan at the very top of the
2006 recruiting class, how could this group be looked at in a negative
light no matter who else came after? Wells just might be the best high
school running back that the great state of Ohio has ever produced and
he's likely to earn significant minutes in the offensive backfield as a
freshman while I have a really strong feeling that Ross Homan is
destined for A.J. Hawk-type greatness at Ohio State. It just might take
Homan a full year to surface where Hawk was almost an instant hit. And
the fact that both of these guys, Wells and Homan, will participate in
spring ball is something really exciting to anticipate.
Sure it might not have been the greatest haul ever for
the Buckeyes in Ohio this year in terms of quantity, but the quality of
the ones that Ohio State did reel in is certainly something to feel good
about.
Connor Smith and Robert Rose played in the Army
All-American game after stellar careers at Colerain and Glenville,
respectively. Smith played on a state championship team and only lost
two games in two years, to the same team, while Rose only lost three
games in the same amount of time. Both players have many strong points
to their game but they certainly both have areas they need to work on.
Kurt Coleman was another summer commit like Smith that
has all been forgotten about already. Coleman was a solid two-way
performer for Northmont High School and he should add much-needed depth
to the defensive backfield as early as next season. Jake Ballard will
come to Ohio State as a tight end although some people think his future
may be as an offensive tackle. That will certainly play itself out as
Ballard will continue to physically develop during his days at Ohio
State, but for now a sure-handed tight end with great size and
versatility is certainly something Ohio State will value a great deal.
Tyler Moeller made Ohio State fans wait a little bit
longer than his teammate at Colerain before he pulled the trigger but,
with his nose for the football and an ever-running motor, he's the kind
of football player that was worth waiting for. Outside linebacker is the
position that he dominated at for the past two years and he'll get his
first chance to play in the same spot at Ohio State. Thaddeus Gibson adds even greater depth to the linebacking positions after making his commitment official on Monday morning.
And Bryant Browning was one of the two other players
from Glenville that Ohio State fans have been expecting a commitment
from for the longest time and he finally delivered that commitment just
a week ago. He helped sure up the offensive line situation with his
versatility to play anywhere along the line after starting the past
three years at right tackle for Glenville.
After Ray Small makes his official commitment known some time
this week, that should just about do it for the remaining players in
Ohio that Jim Tressel and his staff seem to still be tracking.
Obviously a lot of the talented out-of-state kids will
complement this group nicely but it's always good to land a quality crew
from the home state every year. This year will certainly prove to be no
exception.
So no matter how the rest of the class fills out
between now and the actual day the seniors sign a letter of intent on
Feb. 1, Ohio State fans already have a whole lot to be excited about.
Whoever else they land from this point on should be considered merely a
bonus.
|
|
Duane Long: |
With
national signing day just around the corner, we are able to get a bird’s
eye view of the 2006 recruiting class.
We will see what a deep class it was. Look at the
schools that took Ohio talent this year. Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa,
Virginia Tech, Boston College, Syracuse, Auburn and Notre Dame all came
to Ohio in search of talent.
That also shows where Ohio State is in stature. There
has been enough national success to ask the question, “Is Ohio State a
national recruiting power?”
The fact that the staff could pass on players that
drew some of the nation's heavyweights to Ohio answers that question.
The other thing that will be remembered, possibly the most important
thing, is the impact of more stringent academic standards. This class is
surely top 10 and is at least in the discussion for top five. Thaddeus
Gibson and Raymond Small are top 100 players. Derrell Johnson is a great
player. What does the class look like if all three of them make it? |
Click
here for the latest recruiting features from Bucknuts and Scout.com network
|
Position-by-Position Rundown
(Commitments and Possibilities, listed in alphabetical
order)
Red text
indicates updated info since last quick read |
|
Quarterback |
|
Antonio Henton
Verbals: 1
Needs: 1 |
- Antonio Henton, Peach County, Ga. *
Verbal to OSU -- 6/28/05. Will likely be lone QB in this
recruiting class. Helped lead his team to a Class AAA state
championship this weekend. Was 8-of-18 for 223
yards passing with one TD and rushed six times for 38 yards with two
TDs in the title game.
- Commentary: With Henton's commitment, Ohio State is likely done with
recruiting the quarterback position this year.
|
|
Running Back |
|
Chris Wells
Verbals: 2
Needs: 0 |
- Chris Wells, Akron, Oh. Garfield*
Verbal to OSU -- 2//6/05. Visit - 12/2. Scout.com No. 1 RB prospect.
Had
a dynamite final game on 10/28, logging (unofficially) 370 yards on
37 carries to finish the season with over 2,000 yards. Garfield
missed the playoffs so Wells's high school career is done. Visited
USC on 11/4 and seemed to love the trip, but stated his desire to
play at Ohio State. Was recently named
Scout.com's top overall prospect in America. Won
MVP of this year's U.S. Army All-American Bowl, rushing for 67 yards
and 3 touchdowns on 13 carries.
- Aram Olson, Irmo, S.C. * (Fullback)
Visit - 1/6. Came up to OSU for the Illinois game on an
unofficial visit. Took official visit
to Ohio State on 1/6. Committed to Ohio State
on 1/18. Gives OSU a true fullback to go with Wells.
- Kylan Robinson, Tampa, Fla. Chamberlain *
Visit - 1/6. Enjoyed his trip to Ohio
State, but most feel the Miami Hurricanes will eventually win out.
Has risen to become one of the nation's best RB prospects since his
senior year video has surfaced. Finished
up his official visits with a trip to Miami this past weekend. Will
announce his decision on Wednesday.
- Commentary: Unless Robinson picks Ohio
State, the Buckeyes are done at running back this year.
|
|
Wide Receiver |
|
Josh Chichester
Verbals: 1
Needs: 2 |
- Josh Chichester, West Chester, Oh. *
Verbal to OSU -- 7/1/05. Big receiver is having a solid
season.
- Anthony Bowman, Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary *
Visit - 1/13. After
a surprise visit to Ohio State, Bowman decided to re-affirm his
commitment to Iowa on Sunday night.
- Elijah Fields, Duquesne, Pa. *
Visit - 1/27. our-star prospect who has been consistently listing Ohio State. Also
showing interest in Penn State and West Virginia. Fields said OSU will likely get a visit. Academics
are an issue. Moved to the wide receiver
list after stating that OSU likes him as a WR. Had an unbelievable
senior season, scoring 30 TDs and averaging 49 yards per score. Had
704 yards rushing and caught 42 passes for 1,167 yards. With
most players, there's usually at least a vibe that people get
concerning where the player might be going to college, but Fields
does not seem to be one of these players as no one seems to have an
idea where he might be leaning. Has visited Pitt, Penn State, and
West Virginia, but PSU has reportedly not yet offered. Is scheduled
to take a visit to Ohio State this coming weekend after his SAT test
on the 27th. Plans to announce shortly after.
- Derrell Johnson, Youngstown, Oh. Mooney
Excellent athlete who is listed here as a receiver but could
play several positions. Prime in-state candidate for a Buckeye
offer. Offers from Penn State, Iowa, North Carolina,
others. There is
strong mutual interest. Academics are all that is standing the way
of a Buckeye offer. Johnson seems determined to be a Buckeye.
- Wes Lyons, Pittsburgh, Pa. Woodland Hills*
Visit - 10/14. Brother of OSU WR Devon Lyons. Also considering Miami (Fla.),
West Virginia, Louisville, and Boston College. Visited Ohio
State for MSU game and had positive things to say about the
trip. Ohio State has risen on Lyons's
list in recent weeks. Could be between the Buckeyes and West
Virginia. Brother Devon's move from WR to S may have helped. Will
announce Thursday. Final choices seem to be Ohio State, West
Virginia and Boston College.
- Greg Mathews, Orlando, Fla. Edgewater *
Visit - 1/6. Despite visiting OSU and family influence in favor of
Ohio State, Mathews has not publicly stated any intentions of
switching from his commitment to Michigan. Matthews
took a visit to Florida State this past weekend and seemed to enjoy
the trip, but told GoBlueWolverine.com of his intentions to stay
with Michigan.
- Damon McDaniel, Virginia Beach, Va. Lordstown *
Visit - 1/13. Made a surprise official
visit to Ohio State despite being committed to Florida. After his
visit, sources indicated that it looked likely McDaniel would
probably not wind up at Ohio State. No
one seems certain, however.
- Ray Small, Cleveland Glenville *
Visit - 12/2. The latest in a long line of electric Glenville football
players. Can play WR or CB in college. Small is expected to announce soon, and most expect the choice to be
Ohio State.
- Commentary: Ohio State should be getting
commitments from at least one of these players. Small is expected to
be one of them, while the Buckeyes seem to still be in play the most
with Fields and Lyons.
|
|
Tight End |
|
Andy Miller
Verbals: 2
Needs: 0 |
- Jake Ballard, Springboro, Oh. *
Verbal to OSU --6/2/05. Visit - 12/2. Scout.com No. 5 TE prospect. Picked OSU over
Michigan, several others. Team is having excellent season, one of
the top teams in Division II.
- Andy Miller, Washington, Pa. Trinity*
Visit - 12/16. Committed to Ohio State on
1/13. Kept his intentions well-hidden, so it was a surprise to some
he selected against Pitt. Will be coming in as a tight end.
- Commentary: Ohio
State is likely done at the tight end position.
|
|
Offensive Line |
|
Connor Smith
Verbals: 2
Needs: 1 |
- Bryant Browning, Cleveland, Oh. Glenville *
Visit - 12/2. Verbal to OSU - 1/16/05. Announced for Ohio State over
Tennessee, Michigan State, and Northwestern.
- Connor Smith, Cincinnati, Oh. Colerain *
Verbal to OSU -- 7/31/05. Scout.com No. 5 OL prospect. Five-star
prospect, rated by Scout.com as tops in the Midwest. Recently
played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
- Commentary: Browning and Smith will probably
be it for OSU at OL this year.
|
|
Defensive End |
|
Robert Rose
Verbals: 2
Needs: 0-1 |
- Walter Dublin, Sarasota, Fla. *
Visit - 1/6. Committed to Ohio State on 1/9. Was originally
planning to visit Clemson but liked his OSU trip enough to make his
choice and cancel the Clemson visit.
- Robert Rose, Cleveland, Oh. Glenville *
Verbal to OSU - 1/7/06. One of Ohio's top line prospects and a U.S. Army All-American selection.
Has officially visited USC and will visit Ohio State. Other schools
of interest include LSU, Florida and North Carolina.
Selected Ohio State at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and played
very well in the game.
- McKenzie Mathews, Syracuse, N.Y. Christian
Brothers Academy *
Lists Ohio State, Michigan, others. Visited Ohio State
10/14-10/16 and enjoyed the trip. Has said he will wait until signing day to
decide. Mathews seems
focused on other schools. Ohio State does not seem to be in the
picture at this point.
- Commentary: The Buckeyes are likely done
at defensive end this year.
|
|
Defensive Tackle |
|
Dexter Larimore
Verbals: 1
Needs: 1-2 |
- Dexter Larimore, Merrillville, Ind. *
Verbal to OSU - 12/18. Visit 12/2. Offered by Ohio State in September and a Michigan offer came
quickly after. Has been to games at OSU and UM and has officially
visited both. Rated as the nation's top heavyweight wrestler. Committed
to Ohio State in December. Selected the Buckeyes over
Michigan.
- Corey Peters, Louisville, Ky. Central *
Visit - 1/22. Was listed as being an
official visitor but not much detail has surfaced about his
trip.
- Johnnie Troutman, Browns Mills, N.J. Pemberton
Township *
Visit - 1/6. Talented DE /DT ended season early due to an ACL injury.
Ohio State is among many who have offered. Took
an official visit to Penn State on 12/2 and had a good visit. Enjoyed
his trip to Ohio State and listed the Buckeyes and Penn State as
co-leaders after his visit. Committed to Penn
State on 1/22.
- Commentary: In most likelihood, Larimore
will be the lone DT.
|
|
Linebacker |
|
Mark Johnson
Verbals: 3
Needs: 1 |
- Thaddeus Gibson, Euclid, Oh. *
Verbal to OSU - 1/23/06. Visit - 1/15. Top remaining uncommitted recruit in Ohio. One of the best
defensive prospects in the Midwest. Tennessee, Michigan, and Penn State
were among his schools of interest. Academic situation could be a
concern.
- Ross Homan, Coldwater, Oh. *
Verbal to OSU -- 2//7/05. Visit - 12/9. Solid commitment to
Ohio State. Wrapped up his outstanding high
school career with a state championship ring as Coldwater defeated
Youngstown Mooney this past weekend. Was named Ohio High/ONN state
player of the year. Will be enrolling at OSU in January.
- Mark Johnson, Los Angeles, Calif. Dorsey*
Verbal to OSU - 1/8/06. Visit - 1/6. Committed
to Ohio State over LSU, Cal, others. Big-time prospect.
- Tyler Moeller, Cincinnati (Oh.) Colerain *
Verbal to OSU -- 9/14/05. Visit - 12/2. Having a
fine year as Colerain is in position to defend its Division I state
title. Had several big plays in nationally televised win over Tyler
(Texas) Lee.
- Larry Grant, CC of San Francisco *
Visit - 1/20. Originally committed to Florida, Grant did
not get accepted as a result of not having taken a math course
required by the SEC. Grant now is looking elsewhere, and he is
zeroing in on Ohio State. Enjoyed his
recent visit to Ohio State enough to say the Buckeyes were the clear
leader, but will visit Oregon on 1/27 before making his signing day
announcement.
- A.J. Jones, Tampa, Fla.
Middleton *
Visit - 1/6. Committed to
Florida.
- Colin McCarthy, Clearwater, Fla. Central
Catholic *
Visit - 9/24. Outstanding athlete who visited for Iowa weekend. Has roots in Pa. Plans to take all
visits before deciding. Not much
word has come out recently regarding McCarthy, but the vibe seems to
be pro-Miami.
- Commentary: The Buckeyes have a dynamite
linebacker class. Grant would be icing on the cake.
|
|
Cornerback |
|
Chimdi Chekwa
Verbals: 2
Needs: 0-1 |
- Chimdi Chekwa, Clermont, Fla. East Ridge * -
Verbal to OSU - 12/21. Visit - 12/14. Not many had
heard of Chekwa before December as he was looking at other schools
besides OSU, but the Buckeyes came on quickly and strongly, getting
a verbal commitment a short time after his visit.
- Kurt Coleman, Clayton, Oh. Northmont
Verbal to OSU -- 6/26/05. Visit - 12/2. Outstanding
athlete; listed over 40 offers. Plays WR and CB exceptionally
well.
- Ashton Henderson, Tallahassee
(Fla.) Lincoln
OSU and Henderson have
seemingly been on again, off again in recent weeks. Would most
likely take a visit if OSU wanted to bring him in, but things appear
uncertain right now. He will remain one to keep an eye on. Ole Miss
and UCLA are likely at the top of his list.
- Commentary: It's likely that Ohio State
is done at cornerback this year.
|
|
Safety |
|
Grant Schwartz
Verbals: 1
Needs: 1 |
- Aaron Gant, Orchard Lake,
Mich. St. Mary's *
Visit - 1/13. Committed -- 1/24. Under-the-radar prospect
who has emerged with several quality offers, including reported
offers from Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State. Had
a strong visit to Ohio State with his teammate Anthony Bowman.
Committed to Ohio State shortly after his visit.
- Grant Schwartz, Dana Point, Calif. Dana
Hills *
Verbal to OSU - 10/27. Fine athlete and the son of ex-Buckeye Brian Schwartz. Committed
to Ohio State on 10/27, not long after receiving an offer. Chose the
Buckeyes over Oregon and others.
- Commentary: After landing Grant, the
Buckeyes are likely done at safety.
|
| Underclassmen
Watch
By Steve Helwagen
|
 |
|
Brian Gamble |
It was confirmed this past week that Ohio State has
offered Cincinnati LaSalle junior defensive end Ben Martin. Duane Long
of Ohio High magazine rates Martin as the No. 1 junior in Ohio. (Long’s
first look at the state’s top 100 prospects for 2007 will be published
in the May edition of Ohio High.)
Bill Greene of the Bucknuts staff recently had updates
on a pair of top juniors from Massillon Washington in RB-DB Brian Gamble
and LB-DB Andrew Dailey. These two players helped lead the Tigers to the
Division I state championship game this past year and figure to be among
the state’s top players in the 2007 class.
With Ohio State getting a verbal commitment from DB
Aaron Gant from Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary, the Buckeyes are well
aware of junior QB Justin Siller. Siller (6-3, 178) is already
considered one of Michigan’s top junior prospects. Michigan State and
Notre Dame are among those fighting for his services. He seems to be a
Michael Vick play-a-like, according to one observer. Other schools
already casting an eye are Louisville, Michigan, Miami (Fla.),
Northwestern, Ohio State and Virginia Tech.
|
Full List Of Ohio Recruits
Big Ten Recruiting Classes
Illinois | Indiana |
Iowa
| Michigan |
Michigan State |
Minnesota
| Northwestern
| Ohio
State | Penn
State | Purdue
| Wisconsin
Check back soon for the next Bucknuts recruiting Quick
Read!
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