News regarding Ohio State football is relatively light, even with the NFL Combine taking place later this week. Earlier on Twitter today, I came across a tweet from FBSchedules.com that contained a link regarding the 2014 Navy football schedule.

Within the link, Navy football discusses the upcoming 2014 schedule. I reposted my original tweet, in case anyone may be interested. No word as of yet from Ohio State officials if it is a 12pm EST kickoff.

Good morning Buckeye Nation.

National Champs: The Ohio State Buckeyes Men’s Tennis team has won a National Championship. The indoor team has done something that eluded them by finally winning the National Title this past weekend. This is why students choose to come to The Ohio State to have a chance to win National Championships doesn’t matter the sport. Congratulations to coach Tucker and his players keep up the great work and carry the momentum forward.

Coach for Sale: It seems our favorite punching bag from TTUN is getting a new title. There are so many jokes that can go with what I feel is a bizarre move. Brady cHoke will no longer be known as the head football coach at TTUN he will now be known as Brady cHoke the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach. The Harris family paid 10 million to basically buy the head football title. Seems more and more colleges are doing this as a way to bring in money for their schools. What surprises me is no one thought to bid this out for cHoke I mean come on (insert fat joke here). I think I would have waited a year to see who the next coach is because if history is any indicator next season could be another bad year for the maize and blue with cHoke as their savior.

Get Your Tickets: I know after this brutal winter its hard to think that spring is actually around the corner. Your Buckeye football team will be having their Spring Game on April 12 at the ‘Shoe. Before the game begins the Buckeyes will face TTUN in Lacrosse. Get your tickets now since they will be cheaper than at the door and cheer on your Buckeyes to a victory and then enjoy the future of Buckeye football.

College Football Popularity: Did you know that Ohio State was second in the nation for attendance? Only three teams averaged more than 110k for attendance at their home venues. TTUN was first (surprisingly that many fans wanted to see their team lose), Ohio State, and Alabama were the three. The SEC lead the nation for attendance.

Until next time Buckeye Nation…

Here is a quick look at how I see the top of Ohio State’s recruiting board. This list is fluid and always subject to change. As we all know, the arms race of recruiting can change in a hurry.

10) Minkah Fitzpatrick DB (6’0 185 lbs Jersey City, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep) – Tall defensive back with range and speed. Fitzpatrick is being courted be schools all over the country. Ohio State would love to keep their recent pipeline to New Jersey flowing. However, Fitzpatrick won’t be an easy get from the Garden State. Alabama seems to be the early leader with South Carolina and Ohio State right behind them. It’ll be interesting to see if Fitzpatrick’s teammate, QB Brandon Wimbush’s destination will have any impact.

9) Devante Peete WR (6’5 195 lbs Pompano Beach, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas) – The ever elusive tall split end Ohio State has coveted the past two recruiting seasons may be on his way in 2015. The answer could be south Florida’s own, Devante Peete. Peete possesses a unique blend of size and speed that Urban Meyer desperately wants on his offense. Peete attended a bowl practice down in Miami and plans on making it up to Ohio State in the near future. St. Thomas Aquinas has been a bit of a Florida pipeline for the Buckeyes and hopefully that trend continues this recruiting cycle.

8) Steven Gonzalez OL (6’5 300 lbs Union City, NJ/Union Hill) – Ohio State’s impressive 2014 offensive line haul won’t stop them from recruiting more top notch talent at the position. Gonzalez is just that and it appears that Ohio State holds an early lead for his services. Offensive Line coach Ed Warinner is the lead recruiter. The Big Ten’s expansion to the east coast may help the Buckeyes in this New Jersey native’s recruitment as well.

7) James Daniels OL (6’4 282 lbs Warren, Ohio/Harding) – Daniels is the only offensive line prospect from Ohio the Buckeyes have offered to this point. The son of former Buckeye, LeShun Daniels, James appears to be poised to join the Buckeyes at some point. Like his father, he seems destined to play guard at the next level.

6) Ricky DeBerry LB (6’2 238 lbs Richmond, VA/St. Christopher’s School) – While Ohio State has recruited well at linebacker the last few years; they still can’t seem to develop much depth. In order to change that, they need to reel in guys like DeBerry. There is no doubt; the hiring of Larry Johnson will help Ohio State immensely during this recruitment. Expect DeBerry to visit Ohio State sometime in the next month or two.

5) Nick Conner LB (6’3 230 lbs Dublin, OH/Dublin Scioto) – Conner has blown up in recent weeks on the recruiting trail. He recently made a visit to Columbus and is definitely high on the Buckeyes. Urban Meyer and co. have not yet offered but that could be coming soon. Stay tuned, I think it’s only a matter of time.

4) Justin Hilliard LB (6’2 215 lbs Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier) – Without a question, Ohio State has the first pick of top talent year in and year out in the State of Ohio. However, Cincinnati has been a problem area for the Buckeyes to consistently land talent. Meyer and Cincinnati native, Kerry Combs, have hit the Queen city hard the past two years and it’s time to see if their hard work pays off. Hilliard is not only one of the best Linebackers in the Midwest, but the whole nation. Ohio State has some stiff competition early on in Michigan, Iowa and Oklahoma.

3) Tim Settle DL (6’2 290 lbs Manassas, VA/Stonewall Jackson) – The strength of Ohio State’s defense is their defensive line. With that being said, that won’t stop the Buckeyes from pursuing Settle in a relentless manner. Simply put, Settle is one of the best defensive linemen in the nation. After watching his film, it’s easy to see why all the top programs in the nation are going to scratch and claw for his signature come February 2015.

2) Jerome Baker ATH (6’1 210 lbs Cleveland, OH/Benedictine) – Baker has size and speed and projects on both sides of the ball. He will either play linebacker on defense or running back on offense. I tend to think he plays linebacker at Ohio State if he signs with the Buckeyes. Given Ohio State’s success recruiting Cleveland, I expect him to be a Buckeye when it is all said and done. Don’t sleep on Penn State though; surely they will not stop recruiting Baker.

1) Torrance Gibson QB (6’4 198 lbs Fort Lauderdale, FL/American Heritage) – With nearly a year until signing day 2015, Gibson appears to be one of the highest priorities in the Ohio State class. The interest is mutual and I expect the Buckeyes to remain in heavy contention into the fall. He’s got a unique blend of height and speed. He reminds many of Terrelle Pryor with his long strides but has a bit more quickness than Pryor. We’ll see what happens with this one, but with Meyer in Columbus, the Buckeyes will have a great chance to land this super talented signal caller.

Make no mistake about it, the return of senior quarterback Braxton Miller was the biggest recruiting news the Ohio State Buckeyes coaching staff received all off-season. Miller’s return not only provided the Buckeyes with national title hopes going in to the 2014 season, but also allowed for less experienced backup quarterbacks, Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett, to prepare further more for their opportunity to start in the upcoming years. Joining that quarterback competition in January is a signal caller from deep in the heart of Georgia, Stephen Collier. Collier was not the most glamorous quarterback recruit in the 2014 class, but in my opinion the Buckeyes received a very good quarterback. Let’s take a look at his skill set and the impact he’ll have in the future.

Background
Stephen Collier
3 Star QB, Lee County High (Leesburg, GA)
6-4, 205 pounds

Senior Stats:
24 Pass TDs
2,300 Pass Yards
20 Rush TDs
1,021 Rush Yards

Arm
Collier has good arm strength. He does not have the arm of Braxton Miller, but he also has a much better arm than Kenny Guiton. You will not see him fit too many balls in to tight windows, but Collier has proven that he can most certainly throw a fifteen yard out on the money without worrying about him lofting the ball and the corner jumping the route. The majority of his throws across the middle of the field and deep down the field are in stride. He very rarely hangs a ball up for his receiver.

Collier’s accuracy may be the most concerning part of his game, but that’s not really saying much. The majority of Collier’s inaccuracy problems come from inconsistent footwork. He should clean that up very quickly with the help of Coach Herman. That is prevalent in young quarterbacks so calling it an area of “concern” is probably over reacting a little bit.

Collier’s release is very traditional. He has a compact, quick release which provides the ball with some snap and zip when it comes out of his hand.

Feet
As previously stated, Collier’s footwork in the pocket needs to become more consistent. He at times throws off of his back foot, and in high school he is able to get away with that. However, when the speed of the game increases Collier will need to have his feet and eyes in unison on a more consistent basis.

Collier is a very good runner. He is not Braxton Miller, or even J.T. Barrett, but Collier is a powerful runner. He is not afraid to lower his shoulder at the right time to pick up a first down or a touchdown. Collier is not very shifty, but he is able to maneuver throughout the pocket, while keeping his eyes downfield, and either deliver a strike outside of the pocket, or create some yards on the ground. Collier ran a similar system to the Buckeyes offense in high school, so he should be comfortable with the read option game, and also be productive on designed quarterback keepers. Do not expect to see Collier rush for more than 8-10 times in a game. If he does, the Buckeye offense will be in trouble.

Mind/Intangibles
This is my favorite aspect of this kid. He has impeccable character and comes from a phenomenal family. Collier will be a leader from day one. He is a grinder, who learns extremely quickly, and despite his 3 star status, earned a right to compete at the Elite 11 quarterback competition in Eugene, OR with some of the best quarterback prospects in the nation. He is a very composed player in the pocket, and does very well in chaotic situations. Listen to what the director of that Elite 11 camp, and quarterback guru, Trent Dilfer had to say about Collier below. Also make sure to check this interview with Collier done last summer.

Overall
I love Collier’s upside and how high his ceiling is. He already possesses the mindset of an elite college quarterback, which is generally half the battle with a lot of talented players like Braxton Miller coming out of high school. Collier loves to work on mastering his craft and I think it will lead to a very intense and tough quarterback competition next season with him and J.T. Barrett. A lot of fans were disappointed to not snag a Brandon Harris who has a very talented arm, but I think Collier is a better quarterback now and going forward than Harris. Collier is a great, great addition to the quarterbacks meeting room and in my opinion could help this team tremendously behind the scenes his freshman year, and will have the opportunity to compete for a starting job going in to his second season.

The Buckeyes added to safeties to the 2014 class.Erick Smith and Malik Hooker. These are two top notch safeties. I just see our secondary getting stronger and stronger throughout the seasons. Hopefully, with some different players and a new scheme the Buckeye defense can have a good year defending through the air.

Erick Smith: Erick Smith joined his teammate Marshon Lattimore. The both committed during the Army-All American Game. Erick is a 4 Star from ESPN. He is coming from Glenville High School in Ohio. He is just another example of being able to recruit good players in the state is crucial. Smith is 6’1 and weighs about 185. He is a very good safety being rated 11 in his position. He makes plays and is very well in zone coverage. If you watch his highlights from his State Champsionship game you can see how good of an athlete he is. Also, you can see how easy he can come up and make plays. He is going to be a huge part of that fast defense shaping up for OSU.

Malik Hooker: Malik is a 6’2 185 safety out of New Castle, PA. He was given a 4 star from ESPN. He is the 50th safety coming out of the 2014 class.If you did not know, Hooker spent his first two years playing basketball at New Castle. He started playing football his Junior year. Clearly, he adjusted to the game quickly with offers flying in. He received some solid offers from Arizona, Virginia Tech, Penn State and Michigan. This is another good commitment for Ohio State. It is important to have many good players at each position in a recruiting class. Malik brings much more depth to the class.

So late last night I was able to catch up with 2014 safety Shelby Spence. As you can imagine the young man who is also considering Harvard, Princeton, and the University of Chicago was catching up on homework so our conversation was brief as I didn’t want to ruin his GPA. 🙂

As for his visit he had a great time at OSU and enjoyed his time in Columbus. He was hosted on his visit by early enrollee QB Stephen Collier. Spent most of his time with Mark Pantoni because unfortunately Coach Meyer was out of town all weekend.

As for an offer… He is still waiting for some info from the coaches on that issue and will be in contact with them later this week. He is not sure still if there will be an offer made whether it is full ride or preferred walk-on.

He can see himself attending Ohio State and that it would be a great place for him to spend his College years but just isn’t ready to make that call yet without more information that he hopes to have soon. He does not have a timetable of when he will make a final decision but hopes to know everything he needs to know soon so he can begin the process of finalizing his plans.

We will have more on his plans and info about his contact with the coaches later this week.

Speed, versatility, and play-making ability are all characteristics of the 2014 receiver and running back recruits. Meyer and staff went out again and brought in some of the fastest players in America. Not only are these guys fast, but they are very talented at their specific craft. The receiving core last year was abysmal so Meyer went out and recruited another true number 1 type wide-out. He also recruited another Dontre Wilson type player, and a future stud H-back. With all that said, lets take a look at the future play-makers who will don the scarlet and grey.

Noah Brown
4 star WR/H-back, Pope John XXIII (Sparta, NJ)
6-2, 215 pounds

While Brown was recruited as a receiver, it is my personal opinion that he would fit perfectly in an Aaron Hernandez type role, without the jail time. Brown is a physically dominant receiver on the outside, but he also ran the ball in high school, and split some time at the tight end spot. Since he did play multiple roles in high school he is somewhat of a raw product when it comes to one specific position. However, the potential is there for Brown to be a major contributor. If he were to add another 10-15 pounds to his frame he would become a match-up nightmare. If Brown is able to find a role in the offense and master his craft, expect to see him on the field somewhat as a sophomore, and even more as a junior.

Terry McLaurin
4 Star WR, Cathedral (Indianapolis, IN)
6’0, 190 pounds

McLaurin is the most athletic kid in the country that you probably have not heard about. 4.4 forty speed, 45″ vertical, you name it this kid has the athletic ability to do it. McLaurin was Mr. Football in the state of Indiana, where he led his team to a state title with a dominant 3 touchdown performance in the championship game. McLaurin is a winner in every sense of the word. He’s a fairly polished receiver, but I see him making an early impact in the return game. As fast as Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson are, do not sleep on McLaurin. I see him becoming a punt return specialist early on, and later in his career being a very dangerous slot receiver.

Parris Campbell
4 Star RB/WR, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, OH)
6’0, 184 pounds

Campbell ran the ball extremely effectively for St. V during his time there, but some scouts have him projected to play wide receiver. In my opinion I see him being more effective out of the backfield if he could add some size to his frame. Campbell shows that he has a great jump cut in the hole and he does not shy away from contact. His vision is pretty good, but it is his lack of natural hands and crisp route running that will most likely land him in the running back meetings to begin. Campbell will most likely need a red-shirt year to add some weight to his frame and adjust to the physicality of college football. After that I could see him earning a little playing time in his second year in the program, followed by a very busy junior and senior year.

Johnnie Dixon
4 Star WR, Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
5-10, 197 pounds

While Curtis Samuel possesses all of the hype going in to spring ball, Johnnie Dixon will have the biggest freshman year of any player on this team. Dixon is a number one wide receiver through and through. His route running is phenomenal, he understands how to uncover in zone coverage, and do it in rhythm with the quarterback. He has a great natural feel for when to get his head around for the ball. His body control is very good, and he plays much bigger than his height and frame. He plucks the ball out of the air with great ease, and to top it all off Dixon is a player who can beat press, gain separation, and only gets faster throughout his route. He is a very mature freshman, and enrolling early will help him compete for a starting job this spring. Even though there are seasoned veterans ahead of Dixon, I believe he possesses more natural wide receiving skills than both Devin Smith and Evan Spencer right now. Dixon will be an All-American by the end of his second year, this guy has it all.

Curtis Samuel
4 Star RB/WR, Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, NY)
6-0, 185 pounds

The buzz this spring has been around Samuel, and so it should be. Samuel’s speed is electric. He has been clocked running 4.38 forty, and sometimes looks even faster than that. Samuel will play the hybrid role in the offense, but expect the majority of his contribution to come on kick returns and at the running back spot to begin his career. Samuel is a play now guy who can line up in the backfield, where Wilson lined up last year, as I expect Wilson to be shifted out more for receiving purposes. Samuel is a very decisive runner, who makes purposeful cuts and has very little wasted movement. That reason alone makes him at times look faster than what he is. I expect Samuel to get up to around 195-200 pounds and become a serious focal point of the offense in his freshman campaign. I expect his numbers to surpass Dontre Wilson’s freshman numbers, because Samuel is a better runner and decision maker with the ball than Wilson was coming in as a freshman. Enrolling early will be huge for Samuel, and the coaching staff, as he can go through the weight training, and also learn the playbook early on. Samuel is a very gifted player and in my opinion with some added size and playing experience, he could easily become one of the most electric play-makers in the Big Ten for years to come.

Well I wrote yesterday that Ohio State fans should be on commitment watch I wasn’t talking about the young man who became commit number three for Coach Meyer and his staff. Today’s news of a commitment comes from the state of Florida and Safety Ben Edwards a 4 star 6′ 200 lbs recruit from Jacksonville, Florida. Rivals ranks him a 4 star and the 5th best Safety in the country and the 149th best recruit overall.

Ben Edwards is likely just the first of a few recruits from the state of Florida this year. Coach Meyer is making a major push to establish Florida as a recruiting base for OSU again. Last year the only recruit they landed from Florida was WR Johnnie Dixon while he is great you need Florida kids to succeed in CFB these days.