Last week we went out on a limb and talked Ohio State offensive predictions for February's signing day. Today we're back to take a look at the defense, peering deep into our crystal ball to try and best decipher what the Buckeyes could end up doing in their 2016 recruiting class, currently ranked No. 5 nationally.
| position | name | hometown | ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| RUNNING BACK | GEORGE HILL | HUBBARD, OHIO | ★★★★ |
| RUNNING BACK | KAREEM WALKER | WAYNE, NEW JERSEY | ★★★★★ |
| RUNNING BACK | DEMARIO MCCALL | NORTH RIDGEVILLE, OHIO | ★★★★ |
| WIDE RECEIVER/TIGHT END | KIERRE HAWKINS | MAPLE HEIGHTS, OHIO | ★★★★ |
| TIGHT END | JAKE HAUSMANN | CINCINNATI, OHIO | ★★★★ |
| OFFENSIVE LINE | TYLER GERALD | PORTSMOUTH, OHIO | ★★★★ |
| DEFENSIVE END | JONATHON COOPER | COLUMBUS, OHIO | ★★★★ |
| DEFENSIVE END | TERRELL HALL | WASHINGTON, D.C | ★★★★ |
The current class – as you can see – has only two defensive players on board, both defensive ends, so you can expect the next few months to be heavy on future silver bullets. Let's try and examine a few names and see who could be the next men up in Scarlet and Gray.
DEFENSIVE END
As noted, the Buckeyes already have landed two of their top targets at defensive end. Gahanna Lincoln's Jonathon Cooper – who committed in November – and Washington, D.C. resident Terrell Hall, who pledged to the Buckeyes in early March. Cooper is the country's 10th-ranked weakside defensive end and Hall, at the same position, is ranked ninth nationally, the two are a formidable duo and – if Ohio State was done recruiting at defensive end – would be a pretty great finish.
But there's Nick Bosa, and the Buckeyes are definitely not going to let the country's 11th-ranked overall player go without a fight. His brother is a star in Columbus, his uncle was a Buckeye and he definitely appears to be leaning towards following that path. He's got Ohio State in his blood and on his mind and it'd be a major upset if another school were able to yank him away from Urban Meyer.
Believing as I do that Bosa ends up a Buckeye, the question then becomes whether or not the Buckeyes can reel in a fourth defensive end, because I still believe that's what they'd like to do. I think that at this point players like Auston Robertson and Josh King, each of whom have been closely linked with the Buckeyes at times, are on the outside looking in unless Bosa were to make a choice sooner than they do. In either case, the likelihood is that no more moves happen at this spot until Bosa's commitment does.
One player that could end up making his way into the fourth spot? Cincinnati's Prince Sammons. I know that I've said repeatedly I consider him an offensive lineman in college but right now I think the general thought is that he's so raw on offense and defense that no matter where he slides into the class, things could change.
- Prediction: Jonathon Cooper, Terrell Hall, Nick Bosa and Prince Sammons
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Although the Buckeyes signed what could be three defensive tackles last year (Josh Alabi, Da'Von Hamilton and Rob Landers) there's no doubt that it's a position they feel could have gone "better" from a recruiting standpoint. While that trio is full of potential and could be excellent players down the line, Ohio State had hoped for a player or two who was more likely to make an immediate impact.
In 2016, there may be no prospect more ready to make an immediate impact than New Jersey defensive tackle Rashan Gary. The country's top prospect was at Ohio State last weekend and the Buckeyes are expecting a spring game return, a vital visit if it were to occur. Right behind Gary on their list is Ellenwood, Georgia's Antwuan Jackson, the country's 8th-ranked defensive tackle. Jackson is expected to visit Columbus this summer and Urban Meyer has been making a push to keep Ohio State at the front of his mind. Those two defensive tackles are the clear-cut front-runners in terms of "that's who we'd like" status, but getting one, or both, is going to be a difficult thing to do.
The second level of guys includes a handful of prospects who could line up at defensive end or defensive tackle, providing a versatility that is attractive to Ohio State's style. Woodbridge,Virginia's Kyree Campbell, IMG Academy's Malik Barrow, Fort Worth, Texas star Mike Williams and Philadelphia's Karamo Dioubate are all names to pay close attention to, as is Evanston, Illinois native Naquan Jones.
There's few in-state defensive tackles that garner much notice, but there's something about Loveland's Jake Saunders I keep being drawn to that tells me he could end up in this class.
- Prediction: Rashan Gary (!!) Malik Barrow and Jake Saunders
LINEBACKER
The Buckeyes missed on Carter Coughlin, the Minnesota-native and Gopher commit, and he may have been their top overall target at linebacker so far. If Coughlin wasn't the top overall player on their board at the position it's St. Clairsville, Ohio's Brendan Ferns is. Ferns, the country's second-ranked inside linebacker and the 73rd-ranked overall player. His brother Michael transferred from Michigan to West Virginia this off-season and the Mountaineers – along with Penn State – who seem to be biggest cause for concern for Ohio State. Ferns has been to Columbus many, many times and at some point in the near future he will return, but that could be after the end of spring football.
Ohio State is not hard-pressed for linebackers in 2016 after landing four quality ones in 2014 and three more in 2015, but they'd like two or three and they've got to be the right ones. One player that's emerged lately as a primary candidate is Washington, D.C. prospect Aaron Hansford. Hansford is a teammate of Ohio State commitment Terrell Hall and was offered by the Buckeyes during a late March visit. More of an outside linebacker à la Darron Lee, Hansford is a very fast-rising prospect and a name to pay close attention to.
Beyond Ferns and Hansford, there's lot of unknowns right now. Tuf Borland, whose father played at Wisconsin, is perhaps the most recognizable name amongst other possibilities. The Illinois native has been to Columbus multiple times on his own dime and continues to talk with Ohio State coaches. The Buckeyes have recently offered Houston linebacker Dontavious Jackson and Nashville's Daniel Bituli was offered in January, but both are long-shots.
The in-state pair of Ethan Tucky and Jango Glackin (now at IMG Academy in Florida) are both elite-level athletes and could earn themselves a Buckeye offer if they show up and impress the coaches at camp this summer.
- Prediction: Brendan Ferns and Aaron Hansford
DEFENSIVE BACKS
If there's one area of this year's recruiting class that is biggest enigma currently, it's the defensive backs. Similar to the linebacker position, the Buckeyes are not in dire straights here, so they've got a chance to be particular about who and what they're looking for. They realize there's a chance that both Vonn Bell and Eli Apple could leave college after this fall, so there's a need for three to four defensive backs, but versatility is once again the key. Chris Ash likes big, physical corners that can run and this past weekend's visit from Chad Clay, a Suwanee, Georgia prospect, could not have gone better. The Buckeyes have been closely associated with Texas standout Jared Mayden II for a while, but it becomes less and less likely he chooses Ohio State during The Opening as he expanded what was once his top five to a now more all-inclusive list. Pittsburgh's Damar Hamlin is another player that has been linked to the Buckeyes, but with a re-emerging Pitt, James Franklin at Penn State and success for Dana Holgerson at West Virginia, it's getting harder and harder to take players from Western Pennsylvania. Players like Tennessee's Joejuan Williams, Coconut Creek, Florida's Trayvon Mullen and Alexandria, Virginia's – by way of Canada – Patrice Rene all remain on the board as well.
I believe that eventually – and I may be on my own here but so be it – that two Ohio defensive backs wind up in this recruiting class. St. Francis De Sales' Austin Andrews has been a personal favorite of mine for a while and the more I see about Garfield Heights' corner and Kentucky commit AJ Rose the more I like him. Being committed to UK means if/when Ohio State does reach out, it will be handled a bit differently than Andrews, who is willing to openly participate in camp settings this summer to earn the Ohio State offer. Lakewood St. Edward defensive back and Pittsburgh commit Tony Butler is another legitimate option that could play corner or safety, but in Ohio State's eyes is – at least initially – a safety.
An offer for Butler would likely mean Ohio State does not offer Illinois' Kenney Lyke, another rangy safety prospect who visited Easter weekend. How those two stack up against one another could ultimately determine who becomes the final piece of that defensive back party. Nacogdoches, Texas star Brandon Jones, my personal favorite in this class, Atlanta's Nigel Warrior and Hermitage, Pennsylvania's Andrew Pryts are all high on Ohio State's list but are not likely candidates at this time.
- Prediction: Chad Clay, Austin Andrews, AJ Rose and Kenney Lyke
