Ohio State Back Atop 2018 Big Ten Recruiting Rankings After Dallas Gant Commitment

Ohio State is proving once again that is is quality over quantity on the recruiting trail.

Four-star outside linebacker Dallas Gant from Toledo St. John's Jesuit High School announced his commitment to Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes on Tuesday afternoon. He not only gives Bill Davis his first commitment as linebackers coach but it also pushed Ohio State past Penn State and back atop the Big Ten recruiting rankings for the class of 2018, according to 247Sports.

The commitment also pushes Ohio State's 2018 class up two spots in the national rankings to second. The Buckeyes trail only Mark Richt and the Miami Hurricanes, who currently have 17 commitments.

However, the Buckeyes easily have the highest average recruit ranking in the country at 96.34 after Gant's decision on Tuesday. USC is second at 95.02.

Gant is Ohio State's 10th commitment in the class, which is three less than James Franklin's Nittany Lions. But the Buckeyes have pledges from a pair of 5-stars — defensive tackle Taron Vincent and quarterback Emory Jones — to go along with eight 4-stars in their class. Penn State's class also boasts two 5-stars commitment but only a handful of 5-stars and six players rated as 3-stars.

National Signing Day is Feb. 8. Meyer and Co. continue to hunt for their first recruiting national championship after Ohio State finished with the second-ranked class in 2017 behind Alabama with 21 commitments.