One week removed from one of the best recruiting days in Ohio State history, the attention now turns to Friday, July 11th.  Jerome Baker, one of the nations best linebackers, is set to commit that day.  Many people feel like Ohio State is the heavy, heavy favorite.  I tend to disagree with that.  I think this is a lost closer than most people think and I am going to give you the school(s) that is going to give Ohio State trouble for Baker.

Is Jerome Baker going to be the Next 2015 commit for Ohio State?

The Contenders:

Ohio State- What many people consider the heavy favorite, Ohio State has long been the favorite for Baker because it just makes sense.  They are the home state school and Baker plays football for Benedictine in Cleveland, Ohio.  Baker grew up a Penn State fan as a matter of fact and many thought that they would be giving Ohio State the most trouble in the end.  After a SEC swing where he visited Tennessee and Florida, it became more and more of an Ohio State vs. SEC battle.  Urban Meyer has had great success the past couple of recruiting classes with the top players in Ohio, getting the players he wants most in Ohio.  I think this one is going to come down to Ohio State and my next team on the list.

Florida- Will Muschamp has had his ups and downs at Florida, but there is no doubt that he can recruit.  Anybody can recruit at the University of Florida, but Muschamp deserves credit.  But with Baker’s recruitment, I think a lot of the credit has to go to LB coach DJ Durkin.  Baker has built a very strong relationship with Durkin, and I think is the main reason as to why he might choose Florida.    Baker has made it no secret how much he loves Florida.  There is some serious smoke out there about Baker and Florida and it is not just his camp trying to build some excitement for the announcement.  I think he really likes Florida and Florida is going to give Ohio State A LOT of trouble.

Tennessee- Whatever kool-aid Butch Jones is selling on the recruiting trail, I sure want some.  He has been on fire since he has taken over at UT.  Baker has taken a visit to Tennessee and came away very impressed.  I think that Tennessee is the dark horse in this race.  I think a lot of people are writing Tennessee and a lot of other schools for that matter, off because many feel he is an Ohio State “lock”.  If Jerome were to leave the state, I think an up and coming Tennessee program would be a good fit for him.  He could become the leader of that defense.  I like Tennessee to round out the top three for Baker but I think this is going to be a Ohio State and Florida battle.

Prediction: Ohio State.  Urban Meyer has worked too hard and too long for the top in-state prospect to go somewhere else.  The Mariano Rivera (I’m a Yankees fan so I love this analogy) of recruiting, I think Meyer closes this one out.  I think Baker loves Ohio State and is not going to give up the opportunity to play in front of family and friends at the Horseshoe.  I think Baker chooses Ohio State at his announcement. 

By Michael Rockstedt: Follow @Mike_Rockstedt

Want to ask the staff a question about where things currently stand with Ohio State recruiting? Now is your chance! Comment on this article, and ask your question and I’m going to select a couple of the best and answer them.  I’ll be taking questions from now until Midnight tomorrow night. Ask away!

By: Michael Rockstedt: Follow @Mike_Rockstedt

When you have over 31 offers as a rising Junior, odds are you are very talented.  Class of 2016 running back Robert Washington, from Huntersville, North Carolina,  has more than 31 offers and is still collecting, most recently from the University of Florida.  Joining Florida on that list are schools like Nebraska, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. Ohio State offered Washington in April and it did not take him long to reciprocate that interest.  He has made it no secret that he loves Ohio State.  He attributes this to many things, including the tradition Ohio State has.

Is Robert Washington going to be the second RB commit for 2016?

“I love the tradition that Ohio State has, especially at running back,” he said of why he loves Ohio State. “The running backs they have had like Carlos Hyde and Archie Griffin, are just special players.  The coaches are amazing too.  I love coach Drayton, he is a good coach and we continue to build our relationship.  The university has so much pride and I love everything it has to offer.”

Washington immediately tried to set up a visit with Ohio State after the offer and did so by visiting on June 21st for the camp.  Although he did not participate in the camp, he was able to tour the school and get a better feel for the campus facilities.

“I got to tour the campus and facilities, and they were both amazing,” he said of his visit.  “I got to meet with Coach Meyer and all of the coaches a lot which was awesome.  I also got to speak with Rod Smith a lot too.  He told me about the tradition Ohio State has and how they were preparing him for life after football.  I enjoyed hanging out with Rod, everything was really cool.”

Washington was very excited about the chance to possibly play football in the Scarlet and Gray.  With over 31 offers, he still has his pick of the litter when it comes to choices.  He told me that he is going to have a top 15 by August, a top 10 by December, and then commit either next May or June.  He told me that Ohio State would be in the top 15 for sure, but other than that, he was still trying to figure things out.  He hopes to come to Ohio State for a game in the fall.  When he is not on the football field, he likes to hangout with his friends and girlfriend, and to workout.  I asked him what he wanted to say to Buckeye nation and he replied,”Watch out for me, I might be a Buckeye soon!”  I love Washington’s game and when I asked him who he liked to model his game after and he replied with Marshawn Lynch, I thought that was the perfect example. He possesses a great combination of speed (4.47 40 yd dash) and strength to go a long with a great balance of rushing and catching balls from the backfield. Robert Washington is a very talented recruit and one that everyone should get to know.

Check out his highlights: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1627878/highlights/128099375

Also you can follow Robert on twitter: @RDubb_5 

Kyle Rowland of 11w first reported that Tracy Sprinkle a redshirt freshman defensive lineman has been arrested and indefinitely suspended.

Melissa Linebrink of the Chronicle Telegram recieved confirmation from Lorain police that Sprinkle was arrested on charges of possession of drugs, heroin, drug paraphernalia, rioting/failure to disperse.

Sprinkle who is a graduate of Elyria High and former standout for the Pioneers.

When more information becomes available we will keep you updated.

The quarterback position is arguably the biggest position to recruit for every recruiting class.  Coaches spend many hours traveling to watch quarterbacks throw in front of them.  The 2016 QB class is already a deep class and some of the top quarterbacks have Ohio State at the top or around the top 5.  Dwayne Haskins has Ohio State at the VERY top.  The 6-2 quarterback from Maryland  has offers from many of the top programs across the nation including Ohio State, Florida State, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Tennessee.  One of those stands out to Haskins and that is Ohio State.  Dwayne told me the reason he loves Ohio State so much is because of what the program has to offer and because of the tradition.  He recently took a visit to Columbus which he came away very impressed, and added to his overall feel of Ohio State.

“I sat down and talked with the staff a lot,” Haskins said of his visit to Ohio State.  “I walked around the campus, got to go to the school store as well.  I love the atmosphere at Ohio State overall.”

Haskins had a very good time on his visit to Ohio State.  I asked him what they told him about playing there and he told me that they love him as a quarterback. “They said that I have a lot of potential that I have not tapped into yet but I already show great skills,” Haskins said of what the staff thinks of him.  Haskins and Ohio State seem to have a very strong relationship.  I think that feeling of love is mutual between Haskins and Ohio State.

As for the rest of the summer, he is making a Florida swing, attending the Rivals Camp in Jacksonville, Florida, one of the most prestigious underclassmen camps, and then visiting Florida State and Florida.  He is not sure if he is going to make it back up to Ohio State for Friday Night Lights but he is trying to work that out.  He wants to be a Sports Broadcaster when his football career is over, but from what school is he going to receive his degree? Haskins told me you’ll know after this season.  Haskins is very excited about the chance to play football for Ohio State.  I know a lot of quarterbacks are interested in Ohio State for 2016, but I think Haskins is going to be the quarterback of the class. He loves everything Ohio State has to offer and I think he is going to be a Buckeye when he announces after the season.  I am excited to see his recruitment and his game develop over the next couple of seasons.

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2454303/highlights/98011395

Follow him on twitter also: @dh_simba7 

When it comes to recruiting the 2017 class, most recruitniks know that there are already a handful of offers out.  Austin Mills, from Mount Vernon, Kentucky, hopes to be one of the lucky ones to earn one of those offers soon. Mills, a 5-8 linebacker, knows that he needs to get bigger and stronger if he wants colleges to start noticing him.  He has received some interest from Kentucky, Auburn, and Vanderbilt already.  He is in contact with Kentucky a lot because they are the in-state school so he is able to go there a lot.  Although he does not have much interest from Ohio State, he hopes to gain some interest from them by his play on the field.  Ohio State is certainly one of his favorite schools as he loves everything about them.

Mills is hoping he can earn an offer from Ohio State

“I love the fan base at Ohio State!” Mills said of the reasons he loves Ohio State.  “I love the academics there also. I want to visit before the season to get a better feel of what Ohio State has to offer. I really love Ohio State and I have a lot of interest in them.”

I asked Mills what he thinks is the strongest part of his game and he said that he hits hard and that he is quick on his feet.  I think that he needs to add a little more size, which he has a lot of time for because he is just a freshman.  He is going to get stronger and bigger which could really help him with his game.  Mills loves Ohio State a lot but he also has a strong interest in Kentucky.  He has been to Kentucky a couple of times now and even camped there in June.  As for the rest of the summer, Mills is going to be conditioning with his friends for the season.  He has many friends on the football team with him and they enjoy working out together.  He also switched his position to OLB, so he has been studying and learning coverage skills.  I’m interested in Austin’s recruitment because he is a hard worker and with a little growth spurt, he could be a big player this season.   Follow his recruitment as he gets bigger and stronger.

Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2463171/highlights/134225385

Also follow him on twitter:   @ChiefMills28

What has been a roller coaster recruitment, Justin Hilliard has become the eleventh member of the 2015 Ohio State Recruiting class, after announcing his commitment just moments ago.  The 6-2 Cincinnati Linebacker is one of the top prospects not only in the state but in the government.  Hilliard picked Ohio State over Notre Dame, Iowa, Alabama, and Michigan, although I think the top two were Ohio State and Notre Dame.  His recruitment had people in many different directions as many people thought Notre Dame led, then Iowa, then Ohio State, then the rest was anyone’s best guess.

Hilliard to Ohio State

Hilliard fills an immediate need for Ohio State at linebacker, a group that has under performed to say the least in recent seasons.  Keeping the best players in state has been the top priority for Urban Meyer and Ohio State, and they continue with Hilliard.  What makes this even better, was that he is from Cincinnati, a part of Ohio that does not necessarily mean an Ohio State lock.  Hilliard is going to become a leader for this class immediately and is going to try to bring the top talent with him.  I expect him to recruit Jashon Cornell and Damien Harris the hardest.

Justin Hilliard and Jashon Cornell have decided that they wanted to play college football together.  Justin Hilliard just announced for Ohio State and now Jashon Cornell becomes the twelfth member of the 2015 class.  Cornell, a 6-4, DE, ends his roller coaster recruitment and gives Ohio State two HUGE commitments for this class.  Cornell is arguably the best D-Lineman in the class and many thought that it was a long shot that he would come to Columbus.  But he visited Ohio State for the NFTC camp and he said it was one of the best visits he had been on.  He dominated the NFTC and was invited to the opening, the most prestigious summer camp, held on Nike’s campus in Oregon.

Cornell and Hilliard are a package deal to Ohio State.

This is a huge get for Urban Meyer and staff.  Cornell is going to contribute immediately as Larry Johnson loves rotating his linemen throughout the game.  The D-line has been Urban’s strongest recruiting parts of each class during his tenure at Ohio State.  They have Jones already committed to this class and Cornell just adds so much more to this class.  Cornell is also going to heavily recruit for Ohio State.  I am sure that both Hilliard and Cornell are going to be recruiting Damien Harris the hardest.  Jashon Cornell is one of the best players in this recruiting class.

What was a slow start to recruiting for the Ohio State staff, has really been turned around in the recent weeks.  With several commitments in the past couple of weeks, fans are hoping to add more to the already, very talented, #Elite15.  It was announced about a week or two ago that Hilliard would be announcing Wednesday, July 2nd.  Cornell announced a couple of days ago that he wanted to announce at around the same time as Hilliard.  Then, Jerome Baker announced that he too would be committing earlier, and the announcement is set for July 11th.  I am going to give you my prediction for each one as their recruiting process draws a close.

1. Justin Hilliard– Cincinnati, Ohio

Justin Hilliard

Justin Hilliard’s recruitment has been the typical roller coaster recruitment.  A lot of people thought that because his brother signed with Iowa, they were the leaders.  Then some even thought that Notre Dame was the leader.  Now a lot of people think that Ohio State is the leader.  And, well Alabama is in the top 5 and why count out the best recruiter in the nation?  After months of speculation of his recruitment, the 6-2, 230 pound LB is ready for his recruitment to be over. He wants to be a leader for the class and recruit other players as well.  Whichever school lands him is going to get one heck of a player and person.  Because he is also friends with other top recruits, the school he chooses is probably going to get a plethora of other talent too, for example, Jashon Cornell.  I know that he loves Ohio State a lot and loves the coaches.  I also know that he loves the players already there, especially Raekwon McMillan.  But, he loves Notre Dame a lot also.  I think that it comes down to Ohio State and Notre Dame and I think he picks Ohio State.

2. Jashon Cornell-St. Paul, Minnesota

Are Jashon Cornell and Justin Hilliard a package deal?

Cornell was supposed to announce at the end of August but has decided to move it up to the same day and time as Justin Hilliard.  I think Cornell and Hilliard are a package deal.  The 6-4, 260 pound DE has not been shy about his love for Ohio State and even said it was the best visit he has been on.  People thought that him coming to Ohio State was a long shot, but now things are certainly trending to Ohio State.  A lot of people thought that Ohio State trailed behind Notre Dame and Michigan State.  I think that Ohio State has impressed him a lot, and I think he loves the idea of playing under coach Johnson.  Like Hilliard, whichever school he chooses is going to get a leader for the class and a recruiter as well.  I think this one comes down to Notre Dame and Ohio State also, and I think he picks Ohio State.  I like Hilliard and Cornell to be a package deal.

3. Jerome Baker– Cleveland, Ohio

Another guy who was not supposed to announce until after the season, Jerome Baker is now going to decide on July 11th.  Jerome has long been considered an Ohio State lean as all crystal balls on the 247sports crystal balls have him going to Ohio State.  I talked with Baker about a month ago and he had many great things to say about Ohio State.  “It is home,” he said of why he loves Ohio State.  “I also love Urban Meyer as well.”  He loves everything that Ohio State has to offer.  The 6-1, 205 pound linebacker told me he moved up his decision because he was just ready for it to be over.  He was ready to enjoy everything now.  I think that this one is going to come down to Florida and Ohio State.  I like Ohio State here in this one and I think he picks Ohio State.

Is Jerome Baker going to pick Ohio State?

We here at Men of the Scarlet and Gray, are pleased to announce a more interactive type article.  Last week, we asked you to send questions that you had for class of 2016 star Wide Receiver, Austin Mack.  Mack has offers from many programs around the country, such as Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame.  He is rated as the 78th best prospect in the nation according to 247 sports composite and the 12th rated Wide Receiver.  In my opinion, Mack should be rated much higher, as I think he is one of the most talented recruits in the nation.  He was very excited to have the chance to answer questions from the readers!

Austin Mack loves Ohio State

 What are your top things when you look at a school? Like being close to home, education, coaching staff, and etc?- Zane

The top thing I look for in a school is education. Of course distance matters because I care about my family, but it all depends on the best fit. Also I care about how the coaches treat players and how good I can interact with them.

 Do you have additional summer visits planned?- OSUBasketballJunkie 

 Yes, I am going to MSU on the 12th of July, then going to Ohio State for the Friday Night Lights camp on the 25th , and I’m going to the BBQ in the big house which is also at the end of July. That should be it unless we make a stop to Tennessee on the 17th.

 What has been your favorite part about the recruiting process thus far?- JP

 My favorite part is being able to have the luxury of seeing things that most college fans couldn’t. Growing up as a kid, I wanted to see some of these things like the locker room and the equipment room, and now, since I’ve become more successful, it’s all happening.  It’s pretty special.  Also making relationships with people who I did not think I would, such as (Coach Urban Meyer) is neat too.

Call of Duty or Halo? Who do you model your game after?- El Kaiser

Call of Duty of course! I’m a gamer! But I model my game after Larry Fitzgerald. I can relate my game exactly to his and he is a big bodied receiver like myself. I study most of his routes and tendencies and try to put them into my own.

What is your favorite moment in your football career?- Paul

My favorite moment in my football career so far would have to be when I was a freshman and we won the state championship! One of the best memories in my life. But unfortunately, I wasn’t a big contributor due to our 25 senior starters. So more realistically, my personal best moment is receiving my first big offer from Ohio State. I was on Cloud nine for a while and it was a great feeling.

Name one thing that Ohio State has that Notre Dame does not, and one thing that Notre Dame has that Ohio State doesn’t?- Jesse Sidwell

Ohio State has a more prestigious football program and they have multiple facilities.  Notre Dame has incredible academics. They are compared with Harvard and some Ivy league schools. But the huge difference between them both is one is public and one is private. ND only has about 9,000 kids on campus which is a lot smaller than OSU. But there both great schools and have their own unique, qualities.