Ohio State is already well on its way to another top-ranked recruiting class, and Larry Johnson's defensive line haul will most assuredly be one of the highlights of the Class of 2018. Two of the country's best are already in the fold in five-star tackle Taron Vincent and Georgia's Brenton Cox, the nation's No. 2 strong-side defensive end.
The national approach has obviously worked out quite well under the Meyer regime, and the 2018 defensive line class is shaping up to be yet another prime example.
If you're looking for a bit more of an Ohio flavor, then you may want to brace yourselves because the 2019 crop of in-state defensive linemen is already looking pretty darn special.
| Prospect | Hometown | Measurables | Rating | Nat. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZACH HARRISON, DE | Lewis Center (Olentangy) | 6-foot-6, 240 pounds | ★★★★★ | No. 3 |
| CADE STOVER, DE | Lexington (Lexington) | 6-foot-5, 225 pounds | ★★★★ | No. 43 |
| JOWON BRIGGS, DT | Cincinnati (Walnut Hills) | 6-foot-2, 275 pounds | ★★★★ | No. 70 |
| STEVEN FAUCHEUX, DE | West Chester (Lakota West) | 6-foot-5, 272 pounds | ★★★★ | No. 92 |
Scanning through the 2019 Ohio rankings, it's easy to see why Urban Meyer and Larry Johnson have a lot to be excited about. The four top prospects in the state each projects to play along the defensive line at the next level. Yes, it's still way early in the process and a lot is bound to change before February of 2019, but it's already shaping up to be quite the quartet.
Starting at the top, Lewis Center's Zach Harrison checks in as the No. 3 player in America. The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder has already been doing his due diligence on the recruiting trail. He's recently checked out Michigan, Michigan State, and Penn State amidst multiple trips to Ohio State. The five-star recently received an offer from the Crimson Tide and – even more impressively – he's one of just about a dozen 2019 prospects to have earned an offer from Stanford.
The term "freak" often gets thrown out a bit too much, but it's a fitting label for Harrison. He ran a 4.62 forty a few weeks ago at the The Opening Regionals in Cleveland while bringing home one of the highest SPARQ ratings. For comparison's sake, Buckeye commit Jaelen Gill – who is nearly fully recovered from a fractured fibula suffered in September – clocked in at a solid 4.64 at the event.
Need further proof?
Congrats to @Zacharrison88 on winning the 200m dash in a PR & School Record 22.02! #elite8champ #recordbreaker
— OOHS Pioneers Track (@OOHSTandF) May 6, 2017
The No. 2 prospect in the state is a player we've talked about a lot lately. Lexington defender Cade Stover does just about everything on the field for the Minutemen, and early comparisons are being made to Sam Hubbard.
Like Hubbard did at Cincinnati Moeller, Stover has spent a lot of time at defensive back despite a frame that projects him as more of an edge rusher. 247Sports still lists the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder as an outside linebacker while Scout.com and Rivals.com both have him listed at defensive end.
Stover has been a familiar face in Columbus over the past few months, and many have had him on commitment watch since being offered in late March. The four-star has already developed quite a friendship with the aforementioned Harrison. Oklahoma and Penn State have both offered, but his crystal ball continues to read 100 percent in favor of the Buckeyes.
It's not often that one of the country's premier defensive tackles hails from the state of Ohio, but it's a different case for 2019. Cincinnati's Jowon Briggs (Walnut Hills) is the nation's No. 3 prospect at the position. Outside of Ohio State, the 6-foot-2, 275-pounder already has an impressive offer sheet that includes the likes of Alabama, Michigan, and Notre Dame.
Briggs is still in the early stages of his recruitment and isn't planning on making a decision until his senior year. In the past few months, he's taken visits to Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Michigan State. Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes have had their eyes on the Walnut Hills star for some time now as the staff extended an offer way back in October.
'19 DL Jowon Briggs (@briggsjowon0) is a MONSTER pic.twitter.com/qfutC4Cms6
— Ronny Torres (@RonnyTorresSS) April 12, 2017
Sticking around Southwest Ohio, West Chester's Steven Faucheux is yet another in-state defender who is already garnering national attention. The Lakota West lineman is listed by most sites as a strong-side defensive end, but he's already at 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds, so it would hardly be a surprise to see him as more of an interior guy.
Ohio State has yet to extend an offer, but with schools like Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee already throwing their hats into the ring, a Buckeye offer may not be too far away. Faucheux was most recently in Columbus this past April.
In speaking with Scout.com's Bill Greene, the Cincinnati-area native discussed Alabama's success with a former Lakota West star who now suits up for the Indianapolis Colts:
"Alabama represents the very best in college football and they put a lot of players in the NFL. Not a lot of schools can say that," he added. "I think me being a Lakota West kid and having watched Ryan Kelly become a first round draft pick from there makes it even more impressive to me." Via
The state's No. 4 prospect already has been in contact with Kerry Coombs, who obviously has a number of ties to the Queen City and has been an ace recruiter in the area. Ohio State will likely watch closely throughout the spring and summer as Faucheux inches closer to an offer.
The Buckeyes have yet to land a 2019 prospect, and there really is no timeline in place for when that could happen. However, the four top players in the state are all worth keeping a close eye on. It's no surprise, but all four of them are 100 percent crystal balled to the Buckeyes, so it may just be a matter of time before things get rolling.
Larry Johnson and Urban Meyer have been searching far and wide for America's best defensive linemen. The 2018 class already has commitments from Georgia and Florida's IMG Academy (via Baltimore). The 2017 class featured signees from Las Vegas and Maryland.
They may not have to look quite as far for the Class of 2019.
