Vonn Bell

In what Urban Meyer described as one of the greatest recruiting performances he had ever seen by safeties coach Everett Withers, the Buckeyes went into SEC country (Georgia) and wrestled away the fourth ranked safety in the country, Vonn Bell. The Buckeyes fought defending National Champion Alabama and Tennessee for the 6’1″, 190 lb 5 star safety. Bell is the complete package at safety as he has great range, is excellent in run support and possesses great ball skills. With his size and athleticism, Buckeye fans should be seeing a lot of Bell this year, either on special teams or at safety. Vonn Bell was ranked as a 5 star by both Rivals and Scout and a 4 star by ESPN and 247.

Jayme Thompson

Jayme Thompson is another hard hitting commit for Coach Fickell’s defense. Thompson is a 6’2″ 185 lb safety from Central Catholic High School in Toledo, Ohio. Thompson is more of a strong safety prospect compared to the ball hawking Vonn Bell. He tends to play better in the box, where he is strong in run support and is a very good blitzer. Thompson may have to be coached up a bit by Coach Withers to improve his coverage skills, but he possesses great athleticism to play safety at a high level. He could be a candidate for a red shirt with three safeties already on the roster and Bell, but we shall see. Jayme Thompson was a consensus 4 star prospect by ESPN, Rivals, 247 and Scout.

Some have said that Vonn Bell was the most important player recruited by the Buckeyes, as it proved that Meyer could go down into the south and battle the SEC for a big time recruit. With injuries and inconsistency from the elder safeties, Buckeye fans could be seeing Bell earlier than expected, but if not he will get his chance to start next season. Thompson is a player who could play strong safety or the STAR position with his size and athleticism. Overall, Buckeye fans should be ecstatic with both players and especially Bell who could turn into one of the all-time Buckeye greats at safety if he lives up to the high expectations.

With every recruiting cycle there are lots of players for fans to gush over and for them to declare as the next great player for insert school name here. Mostly though the QBs and RBs are given the biggest virtual parade to welcome them to the class and school. Ohio State and its fans are no different. The 2013 class brought us only 1 QB and officially 1 RB and both are super stars in waiting and perfect for the system that OSU has in place now and will utilize in the future. So here to remind you and update you are the guys from the 2013 class who will be the future of the program for the next 5 years or so.

QUARTERBACK

J.T. Barrett

J.T. Barrett is a 6’2″ 205 lb 4 star Dual-Threat QB from Wichita Falls, Texas. According to 247sports Barrett is the no. 3 ranked Dual-Threat QB and the no. 100 overall best recruit in the nation. Rivals has him listed as the 152nd best prospect and Scouts has him as the 13th best QB in the country. Unfortunately for Barrett he suffered a severe knee injury in his SR year and dropped in the rankings because he was out of sight and out of mind but the reality is if he heals well he has the tools to succeed big time. JT being a dual-threat QB will fit in perfectly in the Coach Meyer spread offense. He is the perfect combination of thrower and runner. He has the accuracy and the speed to confuse defenses. At the same time he is a natural leader who will command the offense and make everyone around him better. This is a huge pick up for Coach Meyer and his staff. You can see his highlight reel below. It is from his JR year….

RUNNING BACK

Ezekiel Elliott

Ezekiel Elliott is a 6’1″ 210 lbs RB from St. Loui, Missouri. Big Zeke is a scat back at heart. He isnt small by any sense of the word but has elusiveness and shiftyness that will fit so well in Urbans system. He has great hands and will be a threat to catch the ball a lot and make plays out wide. Rivals ranks him a 4 star and 84th best prospect in the country. ESPN ranks him a 4 star and 109th best recruit in the country. Scout ranks him a 4 star and 9th best RB in the nation. 247sports ranks him a 4 star and 70th best recruit in the country. Below you can view his highlight reel.

Conclusion

Both of these guys are the future of Ohio State football. JT Barrett will surely red shirt his freshman year as he is still recovering from his knee injury. Ezekiel Elliott on the other hand will see some time on STs and most likely on offense in the jet sweeps and pistol formation. The future is very bright with this duo of offensive stars.

Well it is the weekend which means Urban Meyer and company are hosting a list of top tier recruits who are at the very least interested in playing for Ohio State. This weekend is no different with 3 big time visitors on tap that include Lonnie Johnson a 3 star WR from Gary, Indiana and Malik McDowell a 5 star DE from Detroit, TSUN, and Clifton Garrett a high 4 star LB from Plainfield, Illinois.

Lonnie Johnson tried to commit a few months back when OSU offered but the coaching staff and his mentors decided he should wait until he was more knowledgeable about the process. If he still wants to commit this weekend would the staff accept it this time? That is the million dollar question. In his JR season he had 31 catches and 777 yards and 13 TDs. Watch his highlights below….

Malik McDowell is the biggest target this weekend because it would further decimate TTUN and MSU to lose the best player from TSUN and would cause even more uproar from their fan bases which pleases us here at motsag to no end. Malik is a special player for sure and a national prospect that has all of the top schools in the country chasing him. His JR season he had 63 tackles and 15 TFL and 1 FF. Watch his highlights below….

Clifton Garrett is one of 4 LBs from the 2014 class that many OSU fans will hear a lot about over the next year. He is a big time player and a top of the board recruit for OSU. He seems to be as big of fan of OSU as OSU is of him so although he has said he wont commit anytime soon don’t be surprised if he does sooner rather later. His JR seasn stats were 78.5 tackles and 3 TFL and 3 FFs. Watch his highlights below….

Billy Price

Billy Price is a 6’4″ 305 lb defensive tackle from Youngstown, Ohio. He was very solid on the defensive line for Austintown Finch High School, making plays in both the run game and the passing game. His tape shows his knack for big play ability by causing turnovers and sacking the quarterback. Like the other defensive lineman recruits, Price gets after the quarterback and possesses a very high motor. He has a chance to get into the defensive line rotation right away and still has a very high ceiling. Throughout the film he shows a mean streak which is key to great defensive line play. Price was ranked as a four star across the board by Rivals, ESPN, 247 and Scout.

Michael Hill

Michael Hill is a US Army All American who stands at 6’3″ 315 pounds and reigns from Pendleton, South Carolina. Hill had offers from every major school and chose the Buckeyes over Alabama, LSU, Florida and many others. Hill is one of the more dynamic defensive tackles in the nation and possesses great athleticism for his size. He recorded 81 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, six sacks and four forced fumbles his junior year. He is another player that could get immediate playing time on the defensive line. Hill has the size and strength to play on the interior and the speed and quickness to get some time on the outside. On film he dominated almost every lineman that he played against in both the run and pass game. We can add Hill to the long list of play makers that were recruited this year on the defensive line. Rivals, ESPN, 247 and Scout all ranked Hill as a four star defensive tackle.

Donovan Munger

Donovan Munger is a 6’3″ 285 lb defensive tackle from Shaker Heights, Ohio. Munger has the size and ability to play both sides of the ball, which he displayed dominance on both the defensive and offensive line during his highlight tape. He is not a real flashy player on either side of the ball as he seemed to just over power the opponent in high school. Could be a red shirt candidate to add some weight to his frame and would benefit from good coaching from Coach Vrable. He is a great run stopper who would see the field on goal line and running situations. Munger was ranked as a three star by Rivals and ESPN and was ranked as a four star by Scout and 247.

Conclusion

This post wraps up the excellent defensive line/ defensive end class recruited by the coaching staff. Although we could see some red shirt or transfer due to the abundance of young talent in the trenches, this is by far the deepest and most talented group recruited. Including the defensive ends, we could be seeing up to 4 freshman with significant playing time this season. Price and Hill could be three down terrors with their talents and we could see Munger as a run stopping specialist at some point. Buckeye fans should be very excited for this very deep and gifted defensive line/ defensive end class.

Joey Bosa

Joey Bosa is a 6’6″ 275 lb defensive end who played at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Bosa earned both Under Armour and USA Today All- American honors as he recorded 75 tackles and 14 sacks his senior year. Not only did he record 14 sacks but he constantly pressured the quarterback into poor throws and basically dominated every lineman he went against. Bosa could also be confused with JJ Watt as he bats down many throws by using his height and long arms to get into passing lanes. He possesses a very quick first step and every hand movement that he makes is very violent, which tends to knock opposing lineman off balance. Like Mike Mitchell, Bosa is a throwback kind of player who brings nastiness to Coach Fickell’s defense. Although there is an abundance of young talent on the Buckeye defensive line, Bosa will certainly make an impact in 2013. I will go as far to say that he will make the greatest impact on the defensive side of the field compared to the rest of this very deep recruiting class. Rivals, ESPN and 247 all ranked Bosa as a four star recruit, while Scout ranked him as a five star and the fourth best defensive end in the country.

Tyquan Lewis

Tyquan Lewis is a 6’4″ 225 lb defensive end from Tarboro, North Carolina. As a Junior, he registered 63 tackles and 12 sacks from a two point stance (see video below.) Lewis is an interesting prospect, as he has never really played in a three point stance and will need to be coached up to play on the defensive line. He excels at rushing the passer and could have potential after a possible red shirt season. Lewis does have a quick first step and could be a menace on third down, rushing the passer later on in his career. File Lewis as a project right now but he could surprise after a full camp. ESPN ranked Lewis as a three star recruit, while Rivals, 247 and Scout ranked him as a four star.

Tracy Sprinkle

Tracy Sprinkle is a 6’4″ 250 lb defensive end reigning from Elyria, Ohio. Last season Sprinkle dominated, as he recorded 103 total tackles and 19 sacks from his defensive end position. It seems as though Meyer has loaded up on the defensive line and all of these defensive ends are premiere pass rushers with supreme athleticism, and Sprinkle is yet another example. He explodes off the edge on a consistent basis and lays punishing hits on opposing quarterbacks. Sprinkle has a relentless motor and is constantly around the football making plays in the backfield or at the line of scrimmage. He does have the body to play right away but we will see if he can find a niche in this loaded defensive line. Rivals, ESPN, 247 and Scout all ranked Sprinkle as a three star defensive end but as an early enrollee, he could stand out in camp.

Conclusion

This three man defensive end class is highlighted by Joey Bosa but both Tyquan Lewis and Tracy Sprinkle are very talented and should make an impact by the time their Buckeye careers are finished. Look for Bosa to make a splash from day one with his relentless motor and nastiness that he could bring to the defense right away. I fully expect him to play a high percentage of snaps at either defensive end or at defensive tackle depending on the scheme. Lewis seems like more of a project compared to the other two as he played his high school career in a two point stance and he could also add some weight to his frame. Sprinkle has the body and talent to play right away but will he be able to break into the stacked depth chart on the defensive line? This group has scary pass rush potential and they will be giving B1G quarterbacks nightmares for years to come if they pan out.

Frankly a lot of recruiting gurus were predicting this the moment that Lawrence Marshall announced he had committed to OSU. I always prefer to give the benefit of the doubt. While this isn’t the most surprising move ever happening so soon probably is. Below you can see a brief but detailed timeline for this whole thing….

February 10th– He commits to Ohio State and becomes the 4th member of the 2014 class

February 11th– He tells the guys at 11W in an interview the following….

“@Derek11W- Q: Is your process completely over? Do you plan on taking any more visits?

Lawrence Marshall- A: I do not plan on taking any more visits. Ohio State is the pick.”

February 12th– Visits MSU and attends the MSU vs. TTUN basketball game sitting with MSU FB players.

February 13th– Visits TTUN.

February 13th– Tweets out the following…..

Clearly these past few days have been a roller coaster ride for a young man who is impulsive to say the least. Decommitments happen and who knows where he will end up at the end of this process but if history repeats itself you will never see him in an OSU jersey on the field. Most of the time they never recommit especially for Urban Meyer.

Darron Lee and Christopher Worley are both in-state, talented players but it is unknown where defensive coordinator Luke Fickell will play them. Both are athletic, heavy hitters that played safety (Lee) and outside linebacker (Worley) in high school and have the attributes to play either position for the Buckeyes.

Darron Lee

Darron Lee played high school football in New Albany, Ohio and dreamed of becoming a Buckeye. He was an under the radar recruit with offers from some mid-level BCS schools (Arizona St., Boston College, Kentucky, Toledo, etc.) but no powerhouses. Lee attended the Ohio State summer camp and actually outplayed Vonn Bell throughout the camp. After impressing the coaching staff, he earned a scholarship offer and the rest is history. Lee is a 6’2″ 200 lb athlete who could see time at either safety or outside linebacker. Personally, I see him as more of a strong safety type because of his mixture of sure tackling, closing speed and ball hawking ability. If he is not at a strong safety, he could line up at Meyer’s STAR position behind Christian Bryant. He is really impressive on tape and although I do not think we will be seeing him much this year on defense due to returning secondary talent, he may work his way onto special teams. Lee could be one of the steals of this class as he possesses excellent ball kills that are hard to find at any level. He also has great size and played well in run support which is why some say he could play linebacker for Coach Fickell. Rivals, ESPN, and 247 all had Lee as a three star recruit, while Scout had him ranked as a four star recruit.

Christopher Worley

Christopher Worley is a 6’3″ 190 lb outside linebacker who played at the Ohio State football factory, Glenville. I see him in the same situation as Lee but with more of a lean to outside linebacker than safety. Worley punishes the ball carrier on almost every hit he delivers and is a great open field tackler. I project him as an outside linebacker especially with more voids to fill at that position but Coach Fickell could put him at strong safety/ STAR as he covered a lot of running backs and slot receivers at Glenville. He constantly lined up in the slot and made most of his plays outside of the tackle box, either blowing up screens or runs to the outside. Worley could play close to the line of scrimmage for run support and covered the flats pretty well which is why he will most likely play outside linebacker. Like Lee, Worley has the size and ability to play special teams right away and Coach Fickell will ultimately decide where to play him on defense as he gets older. Rivals, ESPN and Scout all ranked Worley as a three star recruit, while 247 ranked him as a four star outside linebacker.

Conclusion

Darron Lee and Christopher Worley could line up at various positions in their Buckeye tenure and their versatility sets them apart from others. They were both under the radar recruits that caught Meyer’s eye and he felt that they both deserved offers. They played good competition in high school and I think Meyer came across two gems that should have had more scholarship offers, especially Lee. Both could either redshirt or play on special teams and neither option would surprise me. The more big, versatile athletes that Coach Fickell has to plug into his defense, the better. They are both quality football players and both will eventually be making plays at either strong safety, STAR or outside linebacker for the Buckeyes.