The Buckeyes' Top Prospects for the Class of 2009
December Edition
December Edition
As the recruiting season winds down, we have profiled a few of the prospects remaining on the Buckeyes' board. A couple of new names have been added, and some other prospects are falling out of contention.
Ohio State's primary targets appear to be Cleveland Glenville offensive lineman Marcus Hall, Arizona defensive tackle Corey Adams, Tennessee wide receiver Marlon Brown, Virginia quarterback Tajh Boyd, and Florida cornerback and return specialist Jayron Hosley. If Tressel and Company can land just three of those five blue chippers to go along with the 23 current commitments, then Buckeye fans should be ecstatic with the class of 2009.
Speed
1. Marlon Brown, Memphis Harding Academy (6' 5", 205 lbs). Ohio State (offered) in top 5. Surprisingly, the Buckeyes are still very much in the thick of things with the top overall prospect in the state of Tennessee, and one of the most highly-touted wide receiver recruits in the nation. Although a kid from Tennessee would normally be considered a lock for the home state school, Memphis isn't exactly in the heart of Vol Country (much like Cincinnati is on the fringes of the Buckeye Nation), and Phil Fulmer has had his share of problems keeping the top talent at home (Don'ta Hightower, Golden Tate, Brandon Warren, Patrick Turner, and Michael Oher being just a few of many notable defections in recent years). With that being said, Ohio State has had no success in Tennessee, and very little success anywhere in the deep south outside of Georgia and Florida. New Volunteer head man Lane Kiffin has already made Marlon his top priority, and Tennessee will get Brown's last official visit on January 31st, which is on the eve of Signing Day (February 4th). Georgia (visit 09/26) is also a very serious player, and Florida (visit 01/10) and LSU (visit 01/24) will also get some consideration. Marlon has already made an official visit to Ohio State (10/10) for the Purdue game, but there has been some talk of a return (unofficial) visit some time this month.
2. Tajh Boyd, Hampton (Virginia) Phoebus (6' 1", 210 lbs, 4.6 forty); Ohio State (not offered) in the mix. Back in March, Boyd, who is one of the top dual threat quarterback prospects in the country, committed to West Virginia. By October, he was having second thoughts, and in early November he dropped the Mountaineers and committed to Tennessee. However, new Volunteer head coach Lane Kiffin recently informed Tajh that he would not necessarily be welcome in the pro-style offense that Kiffin was going to install, so Boyd is now on the market for a third time. While Boyd's situation is understandably still in flux, some of his current favorites are Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State. Although Tajh does not yet have a Buckeye offer, he is expected to receive one if and when he takes an official visit to Columbus ... which he probably will, given his strong level of interest in Ohio State. On the field, Boyd definitely has enough speed and athleticism to be an option quarterback, but he seems more comfortable in the passing game, where he exhibits good pocket presence, excellent escapability, a quick release, and accurate delivery. Tajh admits that he is a fan of Troy Smith and Ohio State, and that will certainly help the Buckeyes' cause. An impressive prospect who would be the perfect heir apparent to Terrelle Pryor. Keep an eye on this one....
3. Kevin Newsome, Chesapeake (Virginia) Western Branch & Hargrave Military Academy (6' 3", 210 lbs, 4.6 forty); Ohio State (offered) in top 4 (Penn State, Virginia Tech, Boston College, all offered). We've been reluctant to add Newsome to our top prospects list because it seems fairly certain that he will end up elsewhere, but we decided to include him in the December edition for the sake of completeness. One of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks, Kevin originally committed to Michigan back in the spring, but when the Wolverines kept pursuing other signal callers, he decided to move on. Since then, Newsome has been fairly open in his recruitment, having just recently cut his list down to four schools - Boston College (visit 10/31), Virginia Tech (visit 11/28), Penn State (visit 12/05), and Ohio State (visit 12/12). Because he plans to grauduate early from high school and enroll in college next January, expect a decision from Kevin shortly after his trip to Columbus. We feel that VPI and PSU are the schools to beat ... but that's okay with us, as we think that Tajh Boyd is the better quarterback prospect anyway.
4. Jayron "JR" Hosley, Delray Beach (Florida) Atlantic (5' 11", 175 lbs); Ohio State (offered) in top 4 (South Florida, Michigan, Vanderbilt; all offered). Although he is one of the top cornerback prospects in the Sunshine State, Jayron Hosley has not received much attention from the Big Three, but he does have an offer from South Florida. With that being the case, Hosley will likely head out of state, and Michigan (visit 01/16), Ohio State, and Vanderbilt are three of his current favorites. On the gridiron, Jayron exhibits excellent coverage and ball-hawking skills at corner, and great speed, acceleration, and elusiveness as a punt and kick returner. In fact, Hosley is such an accomplished return specialist that he would merit a scholarship strictly for that aspect of his game (a la Florida's Brandon James), but the fact remains that JR is a top prospect primarily because he is a coveted cover corner. Although it's still too early to get an accurate read on his recruitment, Ohio State seems to be a serious player along with Michigan ... but don't be too surprised if a Florida school "steals" Hosley with a late offer.
5. Justin Green, Louisville Male (5' 10", 170, 4.4 forty); committed to Ohio State on June 22, 2008. Justin claims to be 100% solid to Ohio State ... but he still wants to take some official visits to other schools (perhaps Illinois, perhaps Clemson, perhaps Alabama...). Although that doesn't sound "100% solid" to us, we still think that Green will sign with the Buckeyes in the end ... but don't count out Clemson just yet.
6. Mike Edwards, Cleveland Glenville (5' 10", 170 lbs, 4.5 forty); Ohio State (not offered) leads. Edwards is yet another Glenville Tarblooder who would love to head south to Coulmbus after graduation, but at the moment he does not have an offer from Ohio State. Definitely a "Plan B" recruit right now, but if the Buckeyes suddenly find a need for another cornerback, then Edwards would likely receive some serious attention from the staff. Edwards is currently entertaining offers from Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, among others.
Power
1. Marcus Hall, Cleveland Glenville (6' 5", 285 lbs). Now that his high school season has ended after a heart-breaking 8-7 loss to eventual state champion St. Ignatius, Marcus will begin his official visit tour. The first stop will be Ohio State (12/12), with subsequent trips to Illinois (01/09), LSU (01/16), Miami (01/23), and Michigan (01/30). Although a lot of people are concerned that Hall will end up somewhere other than Ohio State, we are almost certain that he will be a Buckeye. Not only is the Buckeye depth chart favorable (he could be a starting guard from day one), but the Glenville pipeline is still a formidable obstacle for any other school. And let's face it - some kids want the appearance of intrigue even when there is none. Remember last season when Michael Brewster was actively recruiting kids to Ohio State, yet was still talking about taking official visits to Florida, Southern Cal, etc. and waiting until January to announce? Well, when the charade became painfully obvious to everyone involved, Brewster took the sensible course and made an early commitment to Ohio State, thereby becoming the acknowledged leader of the 2008 recruiting class. Similarly, we believe that Marcus made up his mind a long time ago, but that he is simply doing it the Glenville way by giving token consideration to other schools before committing to Ohio State. Will a formal announcement be forthcoming soon after his official visit to Columbus, or will he take a few additional visits just to keep his name (and his fellow Tarblooders') in the news for a while longer? We can't really say at this point, but it shouldn't really matter come Signing Day.
2. Corey Adams, Scottsdale (Arizona) Saguaro (6' 4", 272 lbs, 4.85 forty). Like Marcus Hall, the staff will continue to hold a spot open for Corey Adams right up until the end, which in Corey's case will likely be the Under Armour All American game on January 4th. Adams made an official visit to Columbus for the Penn State game, and that experience vaulted the Buckeyes into the lead. Now, whether that lead is big enough to prevent a late surge from Southern Cal (visit 12/12) or Arizona State (visit 09/19) remains to be seen.
3. Chris Watt, Glen Ellyn (Illinois) Glenbard West (6' 4", 270 lbs); committed to Notre Dame on July 13, 2008. This one probably falls under the category of "wishful thinking", but rumors have been flying that Chris is wavering on his Notre Dame commitment, in part due to the uncertainty surrounding the status of head Domer Charlie Weis. While we feel that Watt will end up sticking with the Irish, it is no secret that several other schools - including Ohio State - are keeping a close eye on the situation.
4. Taylor Lewan, Scottsdale (Arizona) Chapparal (6' 7", 272 lbs, 4.72 forty); Ohio State (not offered) in the mix. Lewan is long, lean, and athletic, and he plays with a whistle-to-whistle attitude. His father was an offensive lineman for Minnesota (offered), so the Golden Gophers will definitely have a good chance to land this legacy recruit. Arizona State (offered) is the local favorite, and Michigan (offered) is also getting a serious look. Although Ohio State has not offered yet, Taylor is "on the board" and getting some attention from the Buckeye staff.
5. John Martinez, Salt Lake City Cottonwood (6' 3", 270 lbs). Despite some serious interest from Martinez, the Buckeyes never offered. Unless OSU come through with a late offer (an unlikely proposition), John's finalists will be USC, UCLA, LSU, and BYU.
:osu: The Ohio State Buckeyes' Recruiting Class of 2009 :osu:
C.J. Barnett, Clayton Northmont (6' 1", 171 lbs, 4.4 forty); committed to Ohio State on February 10, 2008Dorian Bell, Pittsburgh Gateway (6' 2", 220 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Ohio State on April 23, 2008
Adam Bellamy, Aurora High School (6' 4", 280 lbs, 4.8 forty); committed to Ohio State on June 10, 2008
Jaamal Berry, Miami Palmetto (5' 11", 184 lbs, 4.31 forty); committed to Ohio State on August 30, 2008
Justin Boren, University of Michigan (6' 4", 305 lbs); announced transfer to Ohio State on April 23, 2008
Zach Boren, Pickerington Central (6' 0", 250 lbs, 4.65 forty); committed to Ohio State on April 30, 2008
Corey Brown, Monroeville (Pennsylvania) Gateway (6' 1", 179 lbs, 4.58 forty); committed to Ohio State on June 23, 2008
Duron Carter, Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (6' 3", 180 lbs); committed to Ohio State on June 20, 2008
Dominic Clarke, Frederick (Maryland) Tuscarora (5' 10", 178 lbs, 4.41 forty); committed to Ohio State on June 8, 2008
Melvin Fellows, Garfield Heights High School (6' 5", 265 lbs); committed to Ohio State on April 24, 2008
Chris Fields, Painesville Harvey (6' 1", 181 lbs, 4.39 forty, 38" vertical); committed to Ohio State on February 21, 2008
Reid Fragel, Grosse Pointe (Michigan) South (6' 8", 251 lbs, 4.88 forty); committed to Ohio State on May 27, 2008
Justin Green, Louisville Male (5' 10", 170, 4.4 forty); committed to Ohio State on June 22, 2008
Jordan Hall, Jeannette (Pennsylvania) High School (5' 9", 185 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Ohio State on April 23, 2008
Adam Homan, Coldwater, Ohio (6' 2", 230 lbs); committed to Ohio State on December 29, 2007
Carlos Hyde, Naples (Florida) Naples (6' 1", 230 lbs, 4.55 forty); committed to Ohio State on June 22, 2008
James Jackson, Grand Ledge, Michigan (6' 0", 175 lbs, 4.31 forty); committed to Ohio State on May 12, 2008
Storm Klein, Newark Licking Valley (6' 2", 210 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Ohio State on October 14, 2007
Corey Linsley, Boardman High School (6' 4", 285 lbs); committed to Ohio State on April 28, 2008
Sam Longo, Bellbrook, Ohio (6' 5", 250 lbs, 4.94 forty); committed to Ohio State on July 7, 2008
Jack Mewhort, Toledo St. John's (6' 6", 283 lbs); committed to Ohio State on December 28, 2007
Jonathan Newsome, Cleveland Glenville (6' 3", 215 lbs); committed to Ohio State on June 24, 2008
John Simon, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (6' 4", 265 lbs, 4.7 forty); committed to Ohio State on December 26, 2007
Jordan Whiting, Louisville (Kentucky) Trinity (6' 1", 226 lbs, 4.61 forty); committed to Ohio State on September 1, 2007
Jamie Wood, Pickerington Central (6' 1", 185 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Ohio State on February 24, 2008
Prospects of Note Who Are Going Elsewhere
Justin Turner, Massillon Washington (6' 2", 185 lbs); committed to Michigan on March 29, 2008
Fitzgerald Toussaint, Youngstown Liberty (5' 10", 185 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Michigan on April 18, 2008
Vladimir Emilien, Lauderhill (Florida) Plantation (6' 2", 188 lbs); committed to Michigan on November 24, 2008
Darrell Givens, Indian Head (Maryland) Lackey (5' 11", 178 lbs, 4.46 forty); committed to Penn State on May 10, 2008
Eric Shrive, Scranton (Pennsylvania) West (6' 7", 280 lbs); committed to Penn State on May 15, 2008
Patrick White, Pickerington Central (6' 1", 175 lbs); committed to Michigan State on June 8, 2008
Steve Hull, Cincinnati Sycamore (6' 2", 175 lbs); committed to Illinois on June 29, 2008
Bud Golden, Cincinnati Sycamore (6' 1", 200 lbs); committed to Illinois on August 7, 2008
Kraig Appleton, East St. Louis, Illinois (6' 3", 190 lbs, 4.50 forty); soft verbal to Illinois on August 11, 2008
Craig Drummond, Chicago Morgan Park (6' 5", 265 lbs); committed to Illinois on October 31, 2008
Cornelius "Tank" Carradine, Cincinnati Taft (6' 4", 220 lbs); committed to Illinois on November 19, 2008
Ra'Shede Hageman, Minneapolis Washburn (6' 5", 233 lbs); commited to Minnesota on November 9, 2008
Will Studlien, Sunbury Big Walnut ( ); committed to Northwestern on
Tyler Scott, Warren Howland (6' 3", 210 lbs); committed to Northwestern on November 13, 2008
Chris Watt, Glen Ellyn (Illinois) Glenbard West (6' 4", 270 lbs); committed to Notre Dame on July 13, 2008
E.J. Banks, McKees Rocks (Pennsylvania) Montour (6' 1", 180 lbs); committed to Notre Dame on August 8, 2008
Shaquelle Evans, Inglewood, California (6' 2", 190 lbs, 4.45 forty); committed to Notre Dame on November 7, 2008
Mike Marrow, Toledo Central Catholic (6' 2", 235 lbs, 4.7 forty); committed to Alabama on June 20, 2008
Russell Sheppard, Houston Cypress Ridge (6' 2", 183 lbs, 4.4 forty); committed to LSU on March 3, 2008
D.J. Hunter, Middletown High (6' 0", 196 lbs, 4.4 forty); committed to Tennessee on July 9, 2008
Morgan Newton, Carmel, Indiana (6' 4", 205 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Kentucky on August 21, 2008
Ryan Cheek, Lancaster, Ohio (6' 1", 235 lbs, 4.51 forty); committed to North Carolina State on May 23, 2008
John Prior, Portsmouth, Ohio (6' 6", 280 lbs); committed to Florida State on July 21, 2008
Brandon McGee, Lauderhill (Florida) Plantation (6' 0", 169 lbs, 4.38 forty); committed to Miami on August 11, 2008
Chris Snook, Medina Highlands (6' 2", 212 lbs, 4.6 forty); committed to West Virginia on April 22, 2008
Ricardo Dixon, Hallandale, Florida (5' 10", 160 lbs, 4.42 forty); committed to South Florida on June 21, 2008
James Green, Tallahassee Leon (6' 2", 184 lbs, 4.61 forty); committed to South Florida on June 21, 2008
Victor Marc, Hallandale, Florida (5' 11", 208 lbs, 4.59 forty); committed to South Florida on June 21, 2008
Tyron Ezell, Homestead (Pennsylvania) Steel Valley (6' 4", 248 lbs, 4.75 forty); committed to Pitt on August 9, 2008
Ricky Harris, Westerville South (6' 2", 305 lbs); committed to Cincinnati on June 25, 2008
