Inside Linebacker Recruiting: Comparing Ohio State and That Team

Apologies to those who read this article before it went to Blog Heaven.

Ohio State has dominated That Team on the football field during the past decade. How have the Buckeyes fared against them in recruiting since 2012? Over the next couple of weeks I will compare Ohio State's and That Team's recruiting by position during the Urban Meyer era.

Between 2012 and 2015 Ohio State signed four inside linebackers and That Team signed five inside linebackers.

2012-2015 ILB Averages

AVERAGE	CATEGORY	AVERAGE
6-2	HEIGHT	6-4
226	WEIGHT	224
.924	COMP. RATING	.926
4.00	STARS	3.80

The linebackers improved greatly with Luke Fickell's coaching in 2014.

2015 ILB RECRUITS
TEAM	PLAYER	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	COMP. RATING	STARS	LOCATION
	NICK CONNER	6-3	225	.912	********	DUBLIN SCIOTO

Nick Conner was the only inside linebacker signed by either school in 2015.

2014 ILB RECRUITS
TEAM	PLAYER	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	COMP. RATING	STARS	LOCATION
	RAEKWON McMILLAN	6-2	242	.989	*****	GEORGIA
	MICHAEL FERNS	6-3	238	.928	********	SAINT CLAIRSVILLE

Raekwon McMillan is expected to be Ohio State's starting middle linebacker in 2015.

2013 ILB RECRUITS
TEAM	PLAYER	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	COMP. RATING	STARS	LOCATION
	TREY JOHNSON	6-2	218	.949	********	GEORGIA
	BEN GEDEON	6-3	220	.914	********	HUDSON

Trey Johnson's bright career was derailed by injuries.

2012 ILB RECRUITS
PLAYER	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	COMP. RATING	STARS	LOCATION
JOE BOLDEN	6-3	220	.962	********	COLERAIN
JAMES ROSS	6-1	215	.947	********	THAT STATE
KALEB RINGER	6-1	225	.881	*******	CLAYTON, NORTHMONT
LUKE ROBERTS	6-2	220	.844	*******	LANCASTER

Luke Roberts left Ohio State to attend Harvard.

2012-2015 ILB RECRUITS LISTED BY COMPOSITE RATING
YEAR	PLAYER	COMP. RATING
2014	RAEKWON McMILLAN	.989
2012	JOE BOLDEN	.962
2013	TREY JOHNSON	.949
2012	JAMES ROSS	.947
2014	MICHAEL FERNS	.928
2013	BEN GEDEON	.914
2015	NICK CONNER	.912
2012	KALEB RINGER	.881
2012	LUKE ROBERTS	.844