The Super Bowl Of Recruiting Is Here!
Welcome to “Second Christmas” for college football fans… the day when programs accept written commitments from the nation’s best high school players to join their families.
It’s another place where “bragging rights” come to play as well, as every University wants to bring in the top ranked class by the assessment of Rivals, Scout, 247, or ESPN. National Letter Of Intent Day also brings a lot of excitement, drama, and just a little bit of ridiculousness across the country… let’s hope that Ohio State has little to none of those last two today, though.
We’ll be updating the Buckeye list as the day goes on, and will also bring you our thoughts on what each athlete brings to the Scarlet and Gray. We’ll also keep you informed on news and notes from the WHAC, and you can look forward to our annual NLOID Podcast on Thursday.
If you’re a real “recruit-nik”, please drop by our friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray; they’ll be livechatting all morning, and always have great coffee and pastries.
As always, it’s a GREAT DAY to be a Buckeye!
Buckeye Early Enrollees
Ohio State had seven members of the 2014 class join the program in January… let’s welcome them again!
- Stephen Collier, QB, Lee County (GA)– This year’s signal caller… may be redshirted to give him a chance to learn the offense.
- Johnnie Dixon, WR, Dwyer (FL)– Speedy receiver who’s a threat every time he gets his hands on the ball. Will certainly add to the “speed” factor that Meyer craves.
- Marcelys Jones, OL, Glenville (OH)– Another member of the Tarblooder Pipeline, Jones brings a large frame to help shore up questionable offensive line depth.
- Raekwon McMillan, LB, Liberty County (GA)– The player of note at the position of need, McMillan will seek early playing time on a unit that struggled this past season.
- Sean Nuerenberger, K, Oldham County (KY)– With Basil leaving us, it’s up to the leg of this Bluegrass Booter to make Kerry Coombs’ life much less stressful.
- Curtis Samuel, WR, Erasmus Hall Campus (NY)– He’s been described as a “special” athlete, although little is known about the level of competition that he faced in high school. That’s sure to change.
- Kyle Trout, OL, Lancaster (OH)– The lone Buckeye State member in the early class, Trout is another lineman with a nasty streak. With large turnover this season, we may see him on the field sooner than later
Newest Buckeyes
And here are the latest additions to the Ohio State family:
- Sam Hubbard, LB, Moeller (OH)– Sam got things started this morning; evidently an early riser and eager to be Buckeye. Listed as an “athlete”, the 6’6″ 223 lb Hubbard will either be a very mobile end, a pretty tall linebacker, or a really big safety.
- Noah Brown, ATH, Pope John XXII (NJ)-The big wide receiver (6’2″, 211) also came on board early. In addition to good size, he also brings 4.5 speed to the position.
- Terry McLaurin, WR, Cathedral (IN)– Next up is Mr. McLaurin, a 6’0″ 175 lb wide receiver from Indiana. Young Mr. McLaurin was reported to have run a 4.3 at the Ohio State camp. He may bring a bit of Ted Ginn’ish play to the position. Get him the ball.
- Marshon Lattimore, ATH, Glenville (OH)– Speaking of Ted Ginn, Jr., the Glenville Pipeline flows with Marshon’s commitment. The 5’11”, 175 lb Athlete will fit in nicely at either CB or Slot.
- Brady Taylor, OL, Bishop Ready (OH)– The Columbus lad thankfully decided to stay “local” and join the hometown Buckeye family. At 6’5″, 280 lb, he’ll be a nice addition to the offensive line. (Warriner ‘sighs’ in relief).
- Erick Smith, DB, Glenville (OH)– The four-star 6’0″ 180lb DB from Glenville joins his team mate Marshon Lattimore in Columbus. He brings a good bit of talent and depth to the secondary.
- Demetrius Knox, OL, All Saints Episcopal (TX)– The 6’4″ 287 lb offensive lineman is coming north to be a Warriner Warrior. The 4-star player has the frame to play inside or outside. Demetrius is a great addition to our O-line.
- Dylan Thompson, DE, Montini (IL)– The 6’5″ 270lb lineman from Illinois is coming east’ish to Columbus. Dylan brings a good frame, and talent, so he will likely be able to put on a few pounds to help at strong side DE.
- Jalyn Holmes, DE, Lake Taylor (VA)– OSU continues to upgrade the talent at DL with the addition of 6’5″ 235lb Jalyn Holmes. The 4-star DE can bring good athleticism to the weak-side.
- Damon Webb, DB, Cass Tech, (TSUN)– Mr. Webb sees the light and brings his considerable talents to Columbus. The 6’0″ 175lb will bring his 4-star talents to cornerback. Good to have a solid ‘cover corner’ in the fold.
- Malik Hooker, DB, New Castle Senior (PA)– The 6’2″ 185 athlete leaves the Commonwealth to improve his State of play. He has the frame and skills to come in at safety or possibly star position.
- Parris Campbell, ATH, St. Vincent-St. Mary (OH)– The 6’0″ 175 lb athlete is letting LeBron live vicariously by signing with the Buckeyes. He played WR/RB at SVSM, so I imagine he’ll get a “look” at both before settling in at WR.
- Dante Booker, LB, St. Vincent-St. Mary (OH)– Dante (6’3″. 210) joins teammate Parris Campbell as a Buckeye. The 4-star linebacker also helps fill the need at linebacker for OSU.
- Jamarco Jones, OL, De La Salle (IL)– Highly sought OL Jamarco Jones will be a great addition to Warriner’s Warriors. The 4-star player was not seduced by the allure of East Lansing. At 6’5, 285, Jamarco brings good size (and talent) and could fit in at either G or T and play them well.
- Kyle Berger, LB, St. Ignatius (OH)– The 6’3″, 205 lb linebacker rounds out the prospects to fill a defensive need for OSU. I think he needs a year to put on some weight, but with 4-star talent, Urban will look to get him opportunities on-field.
This wraps up the day for Ohio State. No drama, no fooling around. This class seems to be eager to get on with being Buckeyes. We’re glad your family. Thank you all.
