| 30 December 2010
There will be plenty of time to talk about what remains with the class of 2011. With Signing Day just about a month away it is time to kick-off the class of 2012. I have done some stuff on 2012 players but the amount of tape that is coming in right now is just staggering. I want to back-up and give an overview of the class, then start in by position.
This will be the benchmark class that we will rate all future Ohio classes. The depth is enough to re-load those schools that already have a presence in Ohio and to get a jump start to the ones that don't. I don't recall a class with this much quality depth. We are still evaluating with so much tape coming through the door but I am not going to be surprised to see 40 Big Ten caliber kids here in Ohio. Just in the last few days we have seen a couple of safeties that have rocked the rankings at that position. The other thing about this class that separates it from other recent outstanding classes is the breadth of the class. There are Buckeye caliber recruits at every position but defensive tackle and quarterback. Yes, I said every other position. Even those positions have a possible or two.
The headliner of the class is the defensive ends. I am looking at ten kids that are Big Five caliber. With a year left in high school for this special class is where I get optimism about defensive tackles in the class of 2012. Greg McMullen and Chris Wormley are both players who could grow into three-technique tackles even before they arrive on campus. The running backs are pretty obvious as the other position that is going to draw coaches from the region to the state of Ohio. Despite Ball and Dunn being committed to Ohio State, that does not mean there are no more backs here. It is a very deep class. There are four or five others in the state who will receiver offers from other Big Ten teams, as well as Big East and ACC teams.
The offensive line, wide receiver and safety are three positions that just blew up recently. On the offensive line I see at least four five-star players. There are another four or five that could be four-star kids. The best news is three of the four five-star kids are tackles and the Buckeyes are in good shape with them. Kyle Kalis is still the best line recruit in the state and already committed. The Buckeyes should have one of the best offensive line classes in the country without leaving the state to make an offer. Wide receiver is a position that has not give the Buckeyes many options in the last couple of years. This year there is one national level receiver and we are good speed times from seeing three or four others look like they will see offers from coast to coast. Like I said a little earlier safety is where we have witnessed a great position for this class become the best class I have ever seen in Ohio. I don't think there is one that I can recall that was close. I feel confident saying there are at least four safeties that are Buckeye caliber. The corner class is a good one. There are a couple of players, maybe three that I could see with early offers. We are waiting for some tape of a couple of key players to come in at that position.
Linebacker is not the deepest position but there are several Big Five offer candidates in the state. One of the positions that we are not talking much about is tight end. There are three or four Big Five caliber players at that position too. The most intriguing to me is the quarterbacks. I see a deep class but I don't know if we see a Buckeye caliber prospect. Not yet anyway. It will be interesting to watch and see if a Geovonnie McKnight or a Tyler Eden step up and make themselves candidates for a Buckeye offer despite the current depth and the elite talent in the class of 2013.
I see 16 scholarships right now. There is a good deal of very young talent on the roster so I expect to see that number grow as there will be transfers, but right now that is what the staff has to work with. That is the downside of having such a great class. Without the scholarships to take advantage of it, the Buckeyes are going to see more than the usual amount of players come back to the 'Shoe on the wrong side of the stadium.
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