Taking Shape: Ohio State's 2018 Running Back Board Coming Together As Local and National Targets Head to Columbus

Ohio State's running back depth could be a slight concern heading into next season. Mike Weber has proven himself and Demario McCall looked fantastic in limited action as a true freshman, but with the latter expected to take on more of a Curtis Samuel role, Antonio Williams and J.K. Dobbins will need to be ready for action.

While Weber isn't as explosive as Zeke or as powerful as Hyde, there's still a chance that he could throw his hat in the ring for the 2018 NFL Draft. The Buckeyes will obviously know of his intentions before next year's national signing day, and it could help to dictate running back recruiting during the current cycle.

Four-star tailback Brian Snead has been a Buckeye commit since July's Friday Night Lights, but the staff will have to work to keep the Florida schools at bay. At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, Snead is the country's No. 4 prospect at the position. His recruitment could mimic that of Shaun Wade's as we question whether or not the commitment will stick. Thus far, he's been saying and doing all of the right things.

Outside of the Buckeye pledge, there is a number of other RB/ATH targets that the staff is honing in on, and a pair of them are expected to be in Columbus this weekend. 

Starting at the top of the list, the Buckeyes appear to be a longshot for both Zamir White and Lorenzo Lingard. After being mentioned early and often for White, Ohio State and the rest of the country have a lot of ground to make up on the reigning national champion Clemson Tigers. The five-star was in Columbus over the summer, but things have really quieted down since then. 

Lingard – a fellow five-star – named the Buckeyes as his leader after visiting for the Michigan game in November and identified Auburn as No. 2 on the list at the time. The in-state Hurricanes have dominated his recruitment ever since, and Mark Richt secured a commitment from the nation's second-ranked tailback just over a week ago. Lingard is expected to enroll early, and there's a lot of time between now and January, so this is probably still worth monitoring.

Westerville's Jaelen Gill is much more versatile and likely the best athlete of the bunch. He's listed as an all-purpose back by both 247Sports and Rivals, but could play a number of different positions at the next level. The possibility of a baseball career is still there, but most are of the belief that he'll side with the gridiron. He's made the short trip to campus countless times since his freshman year and is also considering schools like Michigan State and Notre Dame.

While he's likely to end up on offense, Gill's recruitment is a little bit complicated since he appears to be in no rush to make a decision. Ohio State is the clear-cut leader, but the staff has to continue to make him feel like a priority all the while targeting other athletes across the country. 

New Jersey's Iverson Clement is visiting Ohio State today, and anyone who pays any attention to him on social media knows of his fondness for the Buckeyes. The four-star is listed as an athlete though he lines up primarily at running back and defensive back for Rancocas Valley High.

Three months after being offered, his pinned tweet is still from the day he received said honor. 

Truly blessed to receive an offer fro The Prestigious Ohio State University. All glory be to God Let's go buckeyes! pic.twitter.com/LMBy4hZvna

— Iverson Clement (@Swaggy__ai) November 22, 2016

Like Gill, Clement could play a number of different positions whether it be tailback, slot receiver, or even defensive back. The Ohio State staff may have a decision to make before the 6-foot, 190-pounder leaves campus. If he's given the green light, the Buckeyes could have their fourth 2018 commitment within the next 24 to 48 hours.

The newest name on the radar might be the hottest prospect in the country right now. We briefly talked about Dayton Dunbar's Tavion Thomas on Thursday, and since that times he's picked up a number of offers including Alabama, Georgia, and Nebraska. Urban Meyer reached out to the three-star tailback this week, and it's safe to say he has officially become a national name. 

Thomas has the size and skill set that the Buckeyes currently lack in the backfield. He does have a bit of an upright running style, but that's not uncommon for someone of his stature. He's only been playing football for two years and transitioned from defensive end to running back during his junior season, so there's definitely a lot of potential to be excited about.

With all of the national attention, Meyer and Alford may need to make a move sooner rather than later. The Spartans and Badgers were thought to be the frontrunners before the recent flurry of offers, and Mark Dantonio has been using the Le'Veon Bell pitch to his advantage. But Ohio State will have Thomas on campus this weekend, and it certainly wouldn't be a surprise if he left town with an offer. 

The thought of a 6-foot-2, 225-pound Ohioan toting the rock in Tuscaloosa is the type of thing nightmares are made of.

Overall, Ohio State may actually have a bit of a conundrum on its hands, and Jaelen Gill could be at the epicenter.

Do you accept a commitment from someone like Clement if it could hurt your chances with Gill? Do you wait around to offer Thomas while all of the other national powers are already hot on the trail? Is it possible to recruit Iverson and Gill purely as athletes and hope to sign Snead and Thomas as true tailbacks? 

It all worked out for the 2013 class, but the case of Ezekiel Elliott, Jalin Marshall, and Dontre Wilson was a lot different. Because most already knew that Marshall would end up at wide receiver, Ohio State was able to sign Elliott as a pure running back and Wilson as more of a slot or H-back.

There are a lot of questions that are yet to be answered, but we should know a little more by the end of the weekend.