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The Buckeyes' Top Prospects for the Class of 2009 Post Spring Game Edition
The Ohio State Buckeyes have just completed one of the best weeks of recruiting in their storied history. Since the Spring Game kicked off, Coach Tressel and his staff have landed verbal commitments from the following blue chip prospects: linebacker Dorian Bell (Rivals 5*, #22 overall; Scout 5*, #1 SLB); cornerback Darrell Givens (Rivals 4*, #224 overall; Scout 4*, #9 CB); defensive end Melvin Fellows (Rivals 4*, #29 overall; Scout 4*, #10 DE); and running back Jordan Hall (Rivals 4*; Scout 4*, #18 RB); and if that's not enough new talent to satisfy you, then the staff also secured offensive lineman Justin Boren, a former five-star recruit and a current All Big Ten performer, in a transfer from archrival Michigan.
The four recent verbals now give the Buckeyes twelve commitments for the class of 2009, which means that the current class is already half full. With all of the buzz surrounding Ohio State football, it is becoming apparent that the staff won't need to hold offers for kids who want to drag out the recruiting process - there are plenty of kids who want to be Buckeyes NOW, and those who hesitate will likely be lost. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised to see the class nearly full by the end of the summer, and maybe even sooner than that if a few key recruits fall into place earlier than expected.
Update 04/28 - Add offensive lineman Corey Linsley (Boardman) to the growing list of high school prospects who have already pledged to the Buckeyes.
Update 04/30 - Well, the Buckeyes have now landed seven commitments in twelve days, as FB/LB prospect Zach Boren has decided to join his older brother at Ohio State.
Speed
1. Jamie Wood, Pickerington Central (6' 1", 185 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Ohio State on February 24, 2008. Wood is a hard-hitting, head-hunting safety prospect who racked up 65 tackles, 15 pass break ups, and an interception as a junior in 2007; he also added 25 receptions for 550 yards and 8 touchdowns as a wide receiver, but his future appears to be on the defensive side of the ball (just check out his highlight films to see why). This season, Jamie will be one of the top overall prospects in the state of Ohio, and he has already been selected to play in the 2009 Army All-American game. Because of his excellent combination of size, athleticism, and aggressiveness, Wood has the potential to be a future "enforcer" in the Buckeyes' secondary. Although he had several other early offers, Jamie grew up a Buckeye fan, and he committed to Ohio State within a week of receiving his official offer.
2. Chris Fields, Painesville Harvey (6' 1", 181 lbs, 4.39 forty, 38" vertical); committed to Ohio State on February 21, 2008. After hauling in 51 receptions for 850 yards and 10 touchdowns, Fields established himself as the top wide receiver prospect in Ohio for the class of 2009; with his outstanding speed and elusiveness, Chris also excelled in the return game, as he took back two kicks and one punt for scores last season. A lifelong Buckeye fan, Chris committed literally within seconds of receiving his offer from Ohio State - when Coach Tressel called to make the offer, Chris spent a brief moment discussing the situation with his high school coach (who happened to be with him at the time), and then he accepted without further delay.
3. C.J. Barnett, Clayton Northmont (6' 1", 171 lbs, 4.4 forty); committed to Ohio State on February 10, 2008. With good size and excellent speed, Barnett is the top cornerback prospect in the state of Ohio for the class of 2009. As a junior last year, C.J. made 60 tackles and 3 interceptions while "locking down" the opposition's top receiving threat. Barnett is yet another Ohio kid from this class who grew up following the Buckeyes, and he didn't seriously consider any other schools regardless of the fact that he was recently caught wearing a maize and blue sweatshirt. In addition to his achievements on the gridiron, Barnett also boasts a 4.0 grade point average.
4. Darrell Givens, Indian Head (Maryland) Lackey (6' 1", 178 lbs, 4.46 forty); committed to Ohio State on April 21, 2008. First, the good news: Darrell claims to be a fan of the Buckeyes, he made unofficial visits to Columbus for a game last fall and for the March 9th Junior Day, he is planning to attend Ohio State's Spring Game, he is a close friend of 2008 Buckeye signee Lamaar Thomas, and he wants to play for a school with a very stable coaching staff. Now the bad news: Darrell is one of the top cornerback prospects in the nation, he has offers from just about everybody, and as a kid he dreamed about playing for the Miami Hurricanes. We'd say that the 'Canes are the early leader, but Ohio State should still be considered a strong contender, at least for the time being. Update 04/21 - Of all the recruits who attended the Buckeyes' Spring Game, Givens was at the very bottom of our most likely to commit list, as he is a blue chip recruit from outside of the local region who was looking at several top national powers. We actually thought that Miami (childhood favorite) had a slight advantage, but Darrell verballed to the coaching staff prior to the game, which kicked off a huge recruiting week for Ohio State.
5. E.J. Banks, McKees Rocks (Pennsylvania) Montour (6' 1", 180 lbs); Ohio State (offered) leads. In high school, Banks plays quarterback (1,235 yards passing, 6 TD's; 920 yards rushing, 10 TD's as a junior), but he will switch positions at the next level, either to defensive back (68 tackles and 5 interceptions) or possibly wide receiver. On the field, E.J. exhibits superior athleticism and an inherent "presence" that most great players possess. Banks is from a Buckeye family, and he is a cousin of former Buckeye superstar Joey Galloway, so look for Ohio State to be at the top of his list (30 offers and counting). Update 04/24 - Instead of taking in the Buckeyes' Spring Game, Banks travelled to Notre Dame to see their spring contest; after the game, he then headed a bit further west to see Illinois. After his trip, E.J. eliminated the Illini, but said that the Irish would likely make his initial cut. With several Florida "speed" prospects being on the verge of committing to Ohio State, it is difficult to gauge the Buckeyes' current level of interest in Banks.
6. James Jackson, Grand Ledge, Michigan (6' 0", 175 lbs, 4.31 forty); Ohio State (offered) leads. Jackson is the prototypical "multi-purpose" player, as he logged time at quarterback, running back (40 carries, 337 yards), wide receiver (31 receptions, 430 yards, 2 touchdowns), and defensive back (2 interceptions) last season. In college, James projects as a wide receiver, where his game-breaking speed (10.56 seconds in the 100-meter dash) will create nightmares for opposing secondaries. Jackson has several offers from top programs around the country (Michigan, Michigan State, Florida, Alabama, Oregon, UCLA to name a few), but Ohio State (visits for Junior Day, spring practice, Spring Game, summer camp) appears to be his current leader. Update 04/23 - James attended the Spring Game with his parents, and left Columbus with Ohio State as his leader. With a new coaching staff and a much different environment, Michigan (offered, childhood favorite) has some ground to make up. Update 04/29 - James visited UCLA for the Bruins' spring game, and came away very impressed (mostly with the amenities of Southern California, but that's always part of the equation). Jackson had expected to issue a commitment this spring (presumably to Ohio State), but the trip out west has him thinking about official visits. Ohio State is still at the top of the list, but UCLA is a major player, and Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, and Tennessee are still in the picture.
7. Vladimir Emilien, Lauderhill (Florida) Plantation (6' 2", 188 lbs); Ohio State (offered) leads. The Ohio State staff has done a great job of identifying "under-the-radar" prospects from the state... [Read More]
The Buckeyes' Top Prospects for the Class of 2009 Spring Game Edition
In today's modern world of athletics, there is really no such thing as an "off-season" any longer, with training and conditioning being year-round activities. However, the annual Spring Game is usually considered to be the official start of the "new" football season, and belive it or not, the 2008 Spring Game is just around the corner. Last year, the Ohio State staff picked up three huge verbals during the weekend of the Spring Game, namely offensive linemen J.B. Shugarts and Michael Brewster, and defensive lineman Nathan Williams. Once again, a large group of top local and national prospects will be in Columbus to check out this year's version of the Spring Game. Topping the list of the expected attendees are the following uncommitted players: offensive lineman Marcus Hall (Cleveland Glenville); defensive end Jonathan Newsome (Cleveland Glenville); fullback Zach Boren (Pickerington Central); defensive end Melvin Fellows (Garfield Heights); linebacker Dorian Bell (Monroeville (PA) Gateway); running back Jordan Hall (Jeannette, Pennsylvania); wide receiver James Jackson (Grand Ledge, Michigan); running back Jaamal Berry (Miami (FL) Palmetto); defensive back Vladimir Emilien (Lauderhill (FL) Plantation); defensive back Brandon McGee (Lauderhill (FL) Plantation); and defensive back Darrell Givens (Indian Head (MD) Lackey). Of course, several of the current Buckeye commitments will also be on hand to watch their future teammates in action. A complete list of Spring Game visitors can be found here: LINK
Speed
1. Jamie Wood, Pickerington Central (6' 1", 185 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Ohio State on February 24, 2008. Wood is a hard-hitting, head-hunting safety prospect who racked up 65 tackles, 15 pass break ups, and an interception as a junior in 2007; he also added 25 receptions for 550 yards and 8 touchdowns as a wide receiver, but his future appears to be on the defensive side of the ball (just check out his highlight films to see why). This season, Jamie will be one of the top overall prospects in the state of Ohio, and he has already been selected to play in the 2009 Army All-American game. Because of his excellent combination of size, athleticism, and aggressiveness, Wood has the potential to be a future "enforcer" in the Buckeyes' secondary. Although he had several other early offers, Jamie grew up a Buckeye fan, and he committed to Ohio State within a week of receiving his official offer.
2. Chris Fields, Painesville Harvey (6' 1", 181 lbs, 4.39 forty, 38" vertical); committed to Ohio State on February 21, 2008. After hauling in 51 receptions for 850 yards and 10 touchdowns, Fields established himself as the top wide receiver prospect in Ohio for the class of 2009; with his outstanding speed and elusiveness, Chris also excelled in the return game, as he took back two kicks and one punt for scores last season. A lifelong Buckeye fan, Chris committed literally within seconds of receiving his offer from Ohio State - when Coach Tressel called to make the offer, Chris spent a brief moment discussing the situation with his high school coach (who happened to be with him at the time), and then he accepted without further delay.
3. C.J. Barnett, Clayton Northmont (6' 1", 171 lbs, 4.4 forty); committed to Ohio State on February 10, 2008. With good size and excellent speed, Barnett is the top cornerback prospect in the state of Ohio for the class of 2009. As a junior last year, C.J. made 60 tackles and 3 interceptions while "locking down" the opposition's top receiving threat. Barnett is yet another Ohio kid from this class who grew up following the Buckeyes, and he didn't seriously consider any other schools regardless of the fact that he was recently caught wearing a maize and blue sweatshirt. In addition to his achievements on the gridiron, Barnett also boasts a 4.0 grade point average.
4. Darrell Givens, Indian Head (Maryland) Lackey (6' 1", 178 lbs, 4.46 forty); Ohio State (offered) in the mix (Miami, Florida, Maryland, Rutgers, Oregon, Penn State, all offered). First, the good news: Darrell claims to be a fan of the Buckeyes, he made unofficial visits to Columbus for a game last fall and for the March 9th Junior Day, he is planning to attend Ohio State's Spring Game, he is a close friend of 2008 Buckeye signee Lamaar Thomas, and he wants to play for a school with a very stable coaching staff. Now the bad news: Darrell is one of the top cornerback prospects in the nation, he has offers from just about everybody, and as a kid he dreamed about playing for the Miami Hurricanes. We'd say that the 'Canes are the early leader, but Ohio State should still be considered a strong contender, at least for the time being.
5. E.J. Banks, McKees Rocks (Pennsylvania) Montour (6' 1", 180 lbs); Ohio State (offered) leads. In high school, Banks plays quarterback (1,235 yards passing, 6 TD's; 920 yards rushing, 10 TD's as a junior), but he will switch positions at the next level, either to defensive back (68 tackles and 5 interceptions) or possibly wide receiver. On the field, E.J. exhibits superior athleticism and an inherent "presence" that most great players possess. Banks is from a Buckeye family, and he is a cousin of former Buckeye superstar Joey Galloway, so look for Ohio State to be at the top of his list (30 offers and counting).
6. James Jackson, Grand Ledge, Michigan (6' 0", 175 lbs, 4.31 forty); Ohio State (offered) leads. Jackson is the prototypical "multi-purpose" player, as he logged time at quarterback, running back (40 carries, 337 yards), wide receiver (31 receptions, 430 yards, 2 touchdowns), and defensive back (2 interceptions) last season. In college, James projects as a wide receiver, where his game-breaking speed (10.56 seconds in the 100-meter dash) will create nightmares for opposing secondaries. Jackson has several offers from top programs around the country (Michigan, Michigan State, Florida, Alabama, Oregon, UCLA to name a few), but Ohio State (visits for Junior Day, spring practice, Spring Game, summer camp) appears to be his current leader.
7. Vladimir Emilien, Lauderhill (Florida) Plantation (6' 1", 188 lbs); Ohio State (offered) leads? The Ohio State staff has done a great job of identifying "under-the-radar" prospects from the state of Florida, and Vladimir Emilien is another kid who fits that profile. Prior to receiving his offer from Ohio State in late March, Vlad had been getting interest primarily from Big East schools like Louisville, South Florida, and UConn, but since the Buckeyes arrived on the scene, he has picked up offers from SEC powers like Tennessee, Kentucky, and South Carolina. Emilien plays defensive back in high school (93 tackles, 8 TFL's, 2 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles as a junior), and he has the size to play safety and the athletic ability to play cornerback at the next level. Vlad admits that he has never been to Ohio, but he is scheduled to visit Columbus for the Buckeyes' Spring Game this weekend, where he will get the opportunity to see his good friend Etienne Sabino make his debut at linebacker for Ohio State.
8. Jaamal Berry, Miami Palmetto (5' 11", 184 lbs, 4.31 forty); Ohio State (offered) in the mix. Like Vlad Emilien, Jaamal Berry is another Florida kid who is starting to emerge as a top national prospect. As a junior, Berry rushed 140 times for 1,033 yards (7.38 average) and 14 touchdowns, but he really began to make a name for himself when he posted a 4.31 forty at a recent Scout combine in Miami - amongst all of that Florida speed, Jaamal was the fastest player in attendance. Jaamal continued to show well at two Nike combines, and earned the running back MVP award at the Gainesville event. Berry is very interested in Ohio State - he will visit Columbus for the Buckeyes' Spring Game this weekend - and he is the staff's number one target at running back. Academics (2.3 GPA, but rising) may be an issue.
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