The Buckeyes' Top Prospects for the Class of 2009
Spring Game Edition
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.
9. Brandon McGee, Lauderhill (Florida) Plantation (6' 0", 169 lbs, 4.38 forty); Ohio State (offered) leads? McGee is one of the top pure athletes in the class of 2009, as he possesses a lethal combination of blazing speed (10.49 in the 100m dash) and superb lateral agility. McGee plays quarterback in high school, but he will certainly switch positions the moment that he steps foot on a college campus: As far as positions go, defensive back is the most likely possibility; as far as colleges, it's the usual suspects - the Big Three, the SEC, Southern Cal, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Ohio State. Brandon is another Floridian who will make the trek north to Columbus this weekend to see the Buckeyes' Spring Game. Ohio State is in good shape with McGee, and may be his leader (although Brandon has been somewhat cagey when discussing his favorites). Although it's usually a bit difficult to get an accurate "read" on Florida kids this early in the process, it appears that Emilien, Berry, and McGee are all very high on Ohio State, and that the Buckeyes have a legitimate chance of signing each of them (and possibly all of them).
10. Jordan Hall, Jeannette (Pennsylvania) High School (5' 9", 185 lbs, 4.5 forty); Ohio State (offered) leads. For the moment, Jordan Hall is known primarily as a high school teammate of superstar quarterback Terrelle Pryor, but now that Pryor has finally signed with Ohio State, Hall will be "The Man" in Jeannette's high-powered offense. As a junior last season, Hall compiled 891 yards rushing, 704 yards receiving, and 32 total touchdowns, which are excellent numbers considering that Pryor was clearly the focal point of the offensive attack. Jordan claims offers from Michigan, Penn State, Pitt, and Notre Dame, but ideally he would like to follow his former signal caller to Ohio State, who sent him a written offer last month. Jordan is expected to be in town for the Buckeyes' Spring Game, and a commitment could follow soon after.
11. D.J. Hunter, Middletown High (6' 0", 196 lbs, 4.4 forty); Ohio State (offered) leads Indiana (offered). Hunter is a versatile defensive back prospect who plays strong safety in high school (108 tackles as a junior) but he clearly has enough speed and athleticism to play cornerback at the next level. D.J. has offers from over 20 schools, including most of the Big Ten, but his two current favorites are Ohio State and Indiana, with the early advantage going to the Buckeyes.
Big Speed
1. Storm Klein, Newark Licking Valley (6' 2", 210 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Ohio State on October 14, 2007. Runs like the wind, quick as lightning, hits like thunder ... we could only be talking about Storm Klein, who is a serious contender for the number one prospect in the state of Ohio for the class of 2009. During his first two seasons of high school football, Klein rushed for over 3,000 yards and 42 touchdowns as a tailback. Even with those eye-popping offensive numbers, Storm actually projects as a linebacker in college. Klein received an early offer from Ohio State, and committed to the Buckeyes shortly thereafter.
2. Jordan Whiting, Louisville (Kentucky) Trinity (6' 1", 226 lbs, 4.61 forty); committed to Ohio State on September 1, 2007. After leading his high school to a state championship last season, Whiting established himself as one of the top middle linebacker prospects in the entire country. As an ardent fan of the Buckeyes and A.J. Hawk, it was no surprise that Jordan became Ohio State's first verbal commitment for the class of 2009. When a kid like Jordan commits so early, it is often easy to forget just how good he is, so please remember that the Buckeyes landed a consensus "Top 100" prospect in the country (#48 Rivals, #85 Scout) before the 2007 season even kicked off! Whiting is also a star wrestler and power lifter (360 bench max, 510 squat max, 260 power clean, 610 dead lift). Despite some published rumors to the contrary, Jordan is a solid verbal to Ohio State.
3. Dorian Bell, Pittsburgh Gateway (6' 2", 220 lbs, 4.5 forty); Ohio State (offered) leads. Bell is a teammate of 2009 wide receiver prospect Corey Brown, as well as 2008 Pitt signees Shayne Hale and Cameron Saddler. As one of the leaders of Gateway's defense, Dorian racked up 96 tackles, 5 sacks, and 3 interceptions as a junior; although he could see some action inside, Bell will most likely be an outside linebacker in college. Bell currently has offers from over 30 schools, including several major programs, but Ohio State is at the top of his list. Dorian is planning to attend the Buckeyes' Spring Game, and if we had to pick one prospect who might commit over the weekend, this would be the guy.
4. Adam Homan, Coldwater, Ohio (6' 2", 230 lbs); committed to Ohio State on December 29, 2007. Adam is the younger brother of current Buckeye linebacker Ross Homan (class of 2006). Like his older sibling, Adam is a productive linebacker prospect who amassed 265 tackles over the past two seasons combined, but in college he might end up making a position switch to either fullback or defensive line. Of course, Adam grew up following the Buckeyes, and he issued his verbal commitment to Ohio State shortly after receiving his official offer. Adam is also an excellent student who sports a 3.9 GPA.
5. Jonathan Newsome, Cleveland Glenville (6' 3", 215 lbs); Ohio State (offered) leads. Newsome is a rangy, explosive, hard-hitting, high-motor linebacker/defensive end prospect who reminds us quite a bit of former Tarblooder and current Buckeye Curtis Terry. As a junior in 2007, Jonathan recorded 72 tackles and 13 sacks for one of the top high school programs in the state. Newsome is scheduled to attend Ohio State's Spring Game along with classmates offensive lineman Marcus Hall (see below), linebacker Travis Freeman, and defensive back Mike Edwards.
6. Carlos Hyde, Naples (Florida) Naples (6' 1", 230 lbs, 4.55 forty); Ohio State (offered) in top 3 (Florida State, Miami, both offered). Last season, Hyde rushed for 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging over seven yards per carry in the process. At 230 pounds, Carlos is primarily a "big back" who runs well between the tackles, but he also possesses fine agility for a player his size. Although Carlos currently lives in Naples with his grandmother, he grew up in Cincinnati and his parents still reside there; at the present time, he seems to be torn between moving back home to play for his childhood favorite and staying in the Sunshine State.
7. Jamiel "Petey" Smith, Seffner (Florida) Armwood (6' 0", 230 lbs, 4.5 forty); Ohio State (offered) trails Auburn (offered). Linebacker Petey Smith is one of the top overall prospects in the state of Florida, and he claims offers from just about every major football program in the country. As a junior last season, Smith logged 80 tackles and 3 sacks for a solid high school program that consistently produces Division I talent. Petey is a destructive hitter who gets downhill fast with bad intentions, which are nice qualities for a linebacker to possess. Smith's older brother, Eric, is a 2008 fullback signee for Auburn, so the Tigers have the inside edge here; while some other southern schools like Florida State, Miami, and Clemson may get a serious look, Ohio State will remain a longshot unless things change dramatically.
8. Will Studlien, Sunbury Big Walnut (6' 2", 220 lbs, 4.66 forty, 4.23 shuttle); Ohio State (not offered) leads. After racking up over 350 tackles during the last two seasons, Studlien became recognized as one of the top prospects in the state of Ohio. Although he currently plays middle linebacker, some observers think that he might be more suited to playing outside where he can better utilize his speed and quickness. When asked about his "dream school", Studlien replied: "The Ohio State University, and I don't have a second choice at this time." However, Will also doesn't have a Buckeye offer at this time, so he is taking a close look at Illinois, Michigan State, and Northwestern. Will is also an excellent rugby player for the Westerville Worms.
Power
1. John Simon, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (6' 4", 265 lbs, 4.7 forty); committed to Ohio State on December 26, 2007. A defensive lineman with an NFL-ready body as a teenager, John Simon is another serious contender for the top prospect honors in the Buckeye State for the class of 2009. John attends the same high school as 2008 prospects Dan McCarthy (Notre Dame), Mike Zordich (Penn State), Brandon Beachum (Penn State), and Taylor Hill (Michigan); but unlike his four older teammates, Simon opted to stay in state and pledged to the Buckeyes. John also gets the job done in the class room, where he carries a 3.7 GPA.
2. Melvin Fellows, Garfield Heights (6' 5", 265 lbs); Ohio State (offered) leads Illinois (soft verbal). With his excellent mix of size, speed, athleticism, and motor, Melvin Fellows is the prototype defensive end prospect. Over the past two seasons, Melvin recorded a total of 168 tackles and 19 sacks, and at age 16 he is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. Melvin received a very early offer from Illinois and accepted it almost immediately; but Ohio State has always been Melvin's dream school, and when the Buckeyes offered, his verbal to the Illini became very soft very quickly. Ohio State and Illinois are both holding their Spring Games this Saturday, and Melvin will be in Columbus despite some reports that have him travelling to Champaign instead. Although Illinois fans are still holding out hope that Fellows sticks with his initial commitment, the odds are that he will end up switching to Ohio State ... and sooner rather than later.
3. Jack Mewhort, Toledo St. John's (6' 6", 283 lbs); committed to Ohio State on December 28, 2007. With a long, lean frame (six-foot-six and still growing), excellent wingspan, and solid technique and footwork, Mewhort is one of the top offensive line prospects in the Midwest. Although he is a three-year starter at center in high school, he projects as a guard at the next level, where his ability to pull will be used to full advantage. Like so many kids who have grown up in Ohio during the Tressel era, Jack is a lifelong Buckeye fan, and it had always been his dream to play for Ohio State.
4. Marcus Hall, Cleveland Glenville (6' 5", 285 lbs); Ohio State (offered) leads. Marcus Hall is yet another in the long line of stars to emerge from Ted Ginn, Sr.'s Cleveland Glenville program. At this point, Marcus projects as an offensive lineman in college, but he could also play on the other side of the line as well. As expected, this Tarblooder favors Ohio State, and now that he has been offered by Tressel & Co., Hall should eventually become a Buckeye. In the mean time, Southern Cal, Illinois, and a few other programs will get a look. Marcus will attend Ohio State's Spring Game along with several other Glenville prospects.
5. Chris Watt, Glen Ellyn (Illinois) Glenbard West (6' 4", 270 lbs); Ohio State (offered) in the mix (Notre Dame, Illinois, Northwestern, Michigan, all offered). Watt is one of the top overall prospects in the state of Illinois for the class of 2009. As a junior, Chris recorded over 100 pancake blocks, including at least one against five-star defensive lineman Craig Drummond (Chicago Morgan Park). Because he lacks ideal height for a tackle, Watt projects as an interior lineman at the college level. Chris is a close friend of 2008 Buckeye signee Garrett Goebel, and his older brother Kevin was a 2007 signee with Northwestern. Some early reports had Chris favoring Ohio State, but he has recently been sighted hanging out in South Bend. Expect an early decision to a Midwest school, with the Irish and the Buckeyes being the leading contenders. In addition to excelling on the gridiron, Chris sports a 4.3 grade point average.
6. Justin Boren, University of Michigan (6' 4", 305 lbs); Ohio State (walk-on candidate) leads. If you were following recruiting back in 2005, then you certainly remember the story of Justin Boren, the highly-rated offensive line prospect from Pickerington Central. Although he grew up in the heart of Buckeye Country, Justin came from a very "Blue" family - his father (Mike) played linebacker for the Wolverines from 1980 to 1983, and his mother (Hope) was a star sprinter on the Michigan track team. Because of his family's ties to the U of M, everyone assumed that Justin would also end up in Ann Arbor ... and of course he did, but not without first giving Ohio State some very serious consideration. After signing with Michigan as part of their class of 2006, Justin became only the fourth true freshman in the Wolverines' history to start a game at an offensive line position, and he became a full-time starter in 2007 (eight games at center, five at left guard). However, things soon began to turn sour "up north": First, the Wolverines folded at the end of 2006, ruining a perfect season with losses to Ohio State (again) and in the Rose Bowl (again); then the team under-performed in 2007 under lame duck head coach Lloyd Carr, opening the campaign with an unprecedented loss at home to D-1AA Appalachian State and capping the regular season with yet another loss to the Buckeyes; finally, the tradition-bound University of Michigan made an unconventional and controversial selection for Carr's successor, namely former West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, who seemingly came to Ann Arbor with the express purpose of cleaning house (the Big House, that is). In the process of shaping up a program that had become cluttered with unproductive players, Rodriguez also alienated Boren, who was the Wolverines' best returning player for the 2008 season. Coach Rodriguez has always been a "my way or the highway" kind of guy, and in Boren's case the highway will likely be Route 23 south to Columbus. The Buckeye staff would love to add Justin to an offensive line which is very talented but still just a bit thin, but Big Ten transfer rules would prevent Ohio State from giving him a scholarship. If Boren is willing to pay his own way, then look for him to be starting somewhere in the interior of the Buckeye offensive line come 2009; if not, then there are literally dozens of other programs outside of the conference that would be happy to accept an All Big Ten caliber player as a transferee.
7. Zach Boren, Pickerington Central (6' 0", 250 lbs, 4.65 forty); Ohio State (offered) leads. Zach is the younger brother of Justin Boren, whose story is set forth in detail above. Like his older brother, Zach grew up loving everything Blue, and he was apparently very disappointed that Justin even considered Ohio State during his recruitment. But now that Justin has left Michigan in a parting of ways that can hardly be called amicable, Zach has become much more receptive to Ohio State. The Buckeyes recently offered Boren as a fullback, although he could possibly end up on the defensive side of the ball as a linebacker or defensive lineman. Zach also has offers from Cincinnati and several MAC schools, but Ohio State is his clear leader at this point. How things can change in such a short period of time....
8. Pat Muldoon, Cincinnati St. Xavier (6' 4", 250 lbs, 4.81 forty, 4.41 shuttle); Ohio State (offered) leads. Muldoon was one of the many stars for a St. Xavier squad that went 15-0 and won the Division I state championship in 2007. On the season, Pat recorded over 70 tackles and 12 sacks while playing defensive end (his projected position in college). Pat grew up a Buckeye fan in a Buckeye family (two of his uncles played for Ohio State), but he claims that he will look around at some other schools before deciding (he already has over 20 offers). Muldoon is a true student-athlete who carries a 3.8 GPA at school known for both its football program and its academics.
9. Corey Linsley, Boardman High School (6' 4", 285 lbs); Ohio State (offered) leads. It seems like most of the Ohioans in the class of 2009 were Buckeye fans growing up, and offensive line prospect Corey Linsley is no exception. Although Notre Dame and Stanford have both offered, Linsley has been on the verge of committing to Ohio State ever since he received his Buckeye offer early last month. On the field, Corey projects as an interior lineman, probably a guard; in the classroom, he is carrying a 3.5 GPA and has already scored a 25 on the ACT. Linsley claims that he will take some official visits during the season, but we expect him to be a Buckeye verbal by some time this summer.
10. Corey Adams, Scottsdale (Arizona) Saguaro (6' 4", 272 lbs, 4.85 forty); Ohio State (offered) in the mix. Adams is one of the top defensive tackle prospects in the country for the class of 2009. As a sophomore, Corey notched 52 tackles and 11 sacks while leading his high school team to a state championship; then as a junior, he more than doubled his production to 117 tackles and 24 sacks, as Saguaro High went 14-0 and repeated as state champions. Adams admits to being a fan of Ohio State, but the Buckeyes will have to battle every major program in the country to get his signature on NLOID. Southern Cal has offered, and so have the Arizona schools, which means that it will now be even more difficult for the Buckeyes to convince Corey to leave the west coast.
11. Ricky Harris, Westerville South (6' 2", 305 lbs, 5.0 forty); Ohio State (not offered) leads. Harris is one of the top offensive line prospects in the state of Ohio. At 6-foot-2, Ricky projects as an interior lineman, but height is the only quality which he lacks: he has exceptional strength, power, and quickness for a high school lineman, and he is a devastating blocker in the open field. Because he is very athletic for a big man, some teams are looking at Ricky for defensive tackle. Harris is a big fan of the Buckeyes, and Ohio State is his number one school. If the local team doesn't eventually come through with an offer, then Ricky will look to Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, and Miami of Ohio.
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