The depth in the Ohio State secondary has been a concern this year; even with Damon Webb making his return. Couple that with things not going exactly as planned with the 2016 recruiting class and there may be just a tad bit of cause for concern.
Alas, the 2017 class is off to a tremendous start and the group of defensive backs could be one of the finest units that the Buckeyes have ever signed.
Ohio State's top-ranked 2017 class already features three defensive backs who are ranked in the nation's top 100. Shaun Wade is the third-ranked cornerback, Westerville's Marcus Williamson checks in at No. 6, and Isaiah Pryor is the nation's second-ranked safety. So who is the country's top-rated safety? Another player who recently named Ohio State as his favorite and has confirmed that he will be in town for the November 21st battle with the Spartans.
Marcus Williamson getting coached up at Friday Night Lights.
Five-star Jeffrey Okudah, the nation's top-ranked safety, is a player whose interest in Ohio State seemed to skyrocket overnight. The Grand Prairie, Texas standout identified the Buckeyes as his leader in early October and will be back in town in less than two weeks. Okudah previously camped at Ohio State in June, so the November 21st return visit will be his second trip to Columbus in the last six months; both trips coming at the family's expense. Baylor is the current crystal ball leader, but things have been trending toward the Buckeyes for a while now. To say that this is one to keep a close eye on may be an understatement.
Moving over to SEC territory, one of the top players in the state of Georgia continues to be enamored with the Buckeyes. Richard LeCounte has been on the coaching staff's radar for over two years now, dating back to 2013 when former teammate Raekwon McMillan was being recruited. While listed as an athlete, Ohio State sees the four-star prospect as a safety at the next level. He has taken multiple visits to Ohio State, and this one will most assuredly come down to the Buckeyes and the in-state Bulldogs. There were rumors swirling about a Friday Night Lights commitment, but nothing officially transpired from that. Regardless, Ohio State continues to be in a great spot.
Great Time At FNL No Commitment though , just enjoying everything
— Richard LeCounte III (@LilEasy_35) July 25, 2015
The top cornerback in the region also appears to have Ohio State right at the top of his list. Lamont Wade was recently in Columbus for the game against Penn State and is considering a return trip for the matchup with Sparty. The Pennsylvania defensive backs have typically been a touch pull for the Buckeyes, but Wade seems more likely to leave the state than some of the previous targets. Last month, Lamont's father spoke with Rivals.com recruiting analyst Ryan Donnelly ($):
"I believe that Ohio State has been standing out. We want to go through the process and next year at this time is when he's really going to announce his decision," said Carlton Wade. "Ohio State always has been high on his list."
Penn State and Pittsburgh are probably the two schools to watch for with Wade, but West Virginia and Michigan are sneaky options as well. Pat Narduzzi's history with defensive backs is obviously pretty impressive, and current Panther commits like 2017 safety Paris Ford are pushing for Wade to join them at Pittsburgh. Should be a fun one to watch, especially as the Buckeye secondary continues to fill up.
In addition to the aforementioned three, there are a handful of other highly-touted targets that Ohio State is looking at. Darnay Holmes seems to be trending toward Stanford but always has great things to say about the Buckeyes. Kerry Coombs has been planting flags all over the state of Michigan, especially at Detroit's Cass Technical High School. Defensive back Jaylen Kelly-Powell is one to watch for 2017, and both the Buckeyes and Wolverines have already extended offers. The Cass Tech standout has visited Columbus twice already this fall, most recently for last weekend's Minnesota game. Another four-star from Detroit—Ambry Thomas—is also on the Buckeyes' radar after multiple visits.
So could the 2017 defensive back class be one of the best units Urban Meyer has ever landed? Perhaps one of the best units to ever sign with the Buckeyes? It's definitely looking that way right now. With one five-star and a pair of four-stars already in the fold, it's reasonable to think the 2017 class could end up with two or three five-star prospects.
With recruits often shying away from classes with loaded position groups, it will be a tricky pull. However, there is going to be a huge need in the Buckeye secondary and the versatility of a player like Isaiah Pryor—who may end up at linebacker—could be some pretty selling points.
Another thing to watch in all of this will be the coaching carousel. Will Mark Richt survive in Georgia? Does Chris Ash move on to a head coaching gig? There's a lot of time between now and February of 2017, and things are bound to change at some of these schools.
Meyer's 2014 and 2015 linebacker classes were both phenomenal; bringing in guys like Raekwon McMillan, Dante Booker, Justin Hilliard, Jerome Baker, and Nick Conner. The potential defensive back group for 2017 could surpass those superb classes. Interestingly enough, the 2017 class of wide receiver signees—though there currently are none committed—should also end up as one of the nation's premier units. What a fun ride it is sure to be.
