[Stellar]

Originally Posted by RB07OSU

Good points, though I would consider Gholston and Whitner stars...both were top 15 picks (top ten?...Whitner at #9?) and had great production their final year. To simplify this even further, I think our DT recruiting hurt us the worst, with OL recruiting taking a close second. All the games we got thumped in (Florida, LSU, USC) we got destroyed in the trenches. We took DE's and expected some to pan out at DT...horrible strategy and I doubt we see it again. Taking one tweener DT/DE every class or two is fine, but taking 0-1 true DT's and doing guess work doesn't cut it. I got lambasted for pointing this out but it played out. However, I think lately we are making up for this with Mobley, Goebel, Rowell, Simon, and Bellamy...5 true DT's is about right for two classes, though it doesn't look like Rowell will make it. In '02 we had a great DL and good depth to back it up. I think we are getting back to that point.

Oh trust me, you'll see it again. And not just at Ohio State - watch any team and you'll see it. Everybody tries to grow DTs from DEs. There are just such few natural young DTs out there that already have the size and quickness to play tackle. Once you get past a handful there just aren't enough to go arond. So the idea is that it's better and easier to take a guy whos already quick and athletic and put some weight on him than it is to take a big huge guy whose not quick enough and try to make him faster. As I said before, everybody does that. You'll find them on pretty much every team. In fact on those Florida, LSU, and USC teams you listed all featured DTs that were grown from DEs.