Ohio State's recruiting efforts have featured some prominent national battles of late. This past cycle, Urban Meyer beat out Nick Saban's Crimson Tide for a pair of five-stars in Baron Browning and Wyatt Davis. In Big-12 territory, Texas and Oklahoma were in the running for Lone Star State standouts J.K. Dobbins and Jeffrey Okudah before they ultimately landed in Columbus.
The Class of 2018 is shaping up much the same way, and the Trojans of USC have already been a bit of nemesis for Meyer and Co. Five-star safety Jaiden Woodbey (Upland, CA) pledged to the Buckeyes two weeks ago while Las Vegas Bishop Gorman linebacker Palaie Gaoteote made the call for the Trojans this past weekend.
The national battles will of course be fun to follow for the next year, but Ohio State will also be going up against a pair of Big Ten powers.
Jim Harbaugh has the Wolverines out to a solid start for the new cycle. On Tuesday, Michigan legacy Aidan Hutchinson became the third member of their 2018 class which currently checks in at No. 14 nationally. While the trio aren't exactly kids that Ohio State was pursuing, there's plenty that both fanbases will be watching for in the coming months.
After not taking a tight end this past signing day, the position looks to be a priority for the Buckeyes for 2018. It remains to be seen whether they'll bring in one or two, but it's no secret that Jeremy Ruckert is at the top of the wish list right now, and the same can be said for the Wolverines.
The nation's No. 2 tight end has visited Ohio State three times in the last year and was most recently on campus for the Jan. 28 junior day. Michigan remains hot on the trail as well, and Ruckert – along with Wolverine legacy Will Mallory – have emerged as their top targets. The New York standout has yet to set a commitment date but has indicated that a decision is likely to come before the start of his senior season.
We've repeatedly heard the song and dance about Ohio State's "struggles" in landing defensive tackles, but right now Larry Johnson has them out in front for the nation's top player at the position. IMG Academy's Taron Vincent is a Baltimore native and Johnson will look to use his East Coast wizardry to help the Buckeye secure the five-star.
Michigan and Florida State are also chasing, but the Wolverines definitely have a connection that may work in their favor. Biff Poggi served as head coach at the Gilman School – where Vincent previously attended – for 19 years before being named as one of approximately 90 associate head coaches and advisors on the Michigan football staff.
Ohioans such as Jackson Carman, Dallas Gant and Jaelen Gill also hold Wolverine offers, but it would be a major upset to see either one of them end up in Ann Arbor.
Elsewhere around the Big Ten's Eastern Division, the folks in Happy Valley have a lot to be excited about. The Nits are fresh off of a Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl appearance and certainly appear to be on the rise.
James Franklin has Penn State atop the national recruiting rankings, and while it's obviously still early, the early look of its 2018 class is pretty impressive. Ohio State has some catching up to do, but it will have to square off with the Nittany Lions for a number of prospects – including one that's already in the fold for Franklin.
Harrisburg's Micah Parsons has been committed for nearly a year now, but Penn State is fighting to hold onto the five-star. Parsons has been to Columbus three times since November, and while there certainly are some character concerns, the Buckeyes are right in the thick of things for the country's No. 1 weak-side defensive end.
Sticking at defensive end, Cleveland's Tyreke Smith has been a hot name of late. The four-star has been offered by Georgia, LSU, Florida, and Oklahoma just in the last month. Penn State has been involved for a long while and was the crystal ball favorite before the Buckeyes extended an offer in late January.
After signing just one defensive end for the 2017 class, Larry Johnson is expected to bring in at least two next February. Right now, Smith is probably the most likely of the handful that have been offered.
West Chester linebacker Xavier Peters is another hot name on the recruiting front. His case is a bit different since Ohio State has yet to extend an offer. However, we do anticipate that to happen eventually. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder recently was offered by the likes of Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, and UCLA. He's gone back and forth on his favorite, fluctuating between Penn State and Kentucky.
Peters lined up mostly at inside linebacker last season, and most recruiting outlets view him as someone who could potentially play any of of the linebacker spots. Given his frame, he may also be a candidate to grow into a defensive end.
The Buckeyes are likely still trying to pinpoint exactly how many linebackers they plan on taking, but the loss of Gaoteote to USC may very well lead to an offer to the Lakota West star. With other programs – including Penn State – making a run, Ohio State may elect to follow suit in the near future.
Philadelphia's Isheem Young is another name that holds offers from both Big Ten powers. While the country's No. 6 safety has talked about a spring or summer trip to Columbus, Ohio State will need to do a lot of work to put themselves into serious contention.
Penn State has been notorious for going on some major hot and cold streaks, but right now they're one of the hotter teams in America. The Nits have already landed five-star tailback Ricky Slade, a player the Ohio State staff is quite fond of, but it's going to be a tall task for James Franklin to hold off Urban Meyer until February of 2018.
Overall, the Big Ten's best programs are each in enviable positions right now. Even Michigan State is finding some success coming off of their disastrous 3-9 campaign. Mark Dantonio has three commitments, all of which hail from the Buckeye state and are of the four-star variety.
Ohio State should be able to benefit from what's expected to be a larger group of signees, and it's certainly a good year for a strong class within the state. While guys like Jackson Carman and Jaelen Gill are expected to end up in Columbus, we'll all be watching as Meyer continues to put in work on both the national and regional fronts.
