Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes have now extended scholarship offers to over 150 prospects for the 2018 recruiting class.
While we all know not every "offer" is created equal, one way to measure just how good Ohio State's latest class is may simply involve looking at the offered prospects who are not likely to end up in Columbus.
Few things are definite when it comes to recruiting, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to consider any prospect a lock to sign with a particular school. This is especially true for the programs that are so successful at nabbing players from all over the country. Ohio State's 2018 class already has a national flavor, and with around 10 spots remaining, there's no sign of it slowing down.
Three months ago, there wasn't a whole lot of talk about the likelihood of Brenton Cox, Andrew Chatfield, Sevyn Banks, or Master Teague committing to the Buckeyes. And while there's still a lot of time left until February's national signing day, Ohio State's rapid rise with a number of talented players is making things that much more difficult for a handful of others.
The repercussions are already being felt across the country.
Earlier this week, three-star tailback Tavion Thomas committed to the now Lincoln Riley-led Oklahoma Sooners. Thomas – who hails from Dayton's Dunbar High School – was offered by Ohio State back in February, but after some initial interest, things really never took off. The Buckeyes' tailback focus has primarily been on Zamir White, and when Master Teague entered the picture this summer, it was abundantly clear that Thomas would end up elsewhere.
Cincinnati's Christopher Oats (Winton Woods) was a name that was mentioned alongside Dallas Gant when discussing Ohio State's top linebacker targets. That time now seems like forever ago as the interest between Oats and the Buckeyes seems to have mostly fizzled.
Ohio State already has two linebackers committed in Gant and Teradja Mitchell, and the focus now appears to be on Virginia's Ke'Vaughan Pope and California's Solomon Tuliaupupu. Recent events seem to have Oats trending toward Kentucky or Cincinnati. Luke Fickell had previously been leading the charge for the Buckeyes, and UC wouldn't be a bad landing spot at all.
Georgia's Michael Harris is in a bit of a similar spot, but the four-star was in Columbus last weekend and all hope definitely isn't lost for the one-time Ohio resident. Harris was impressive during last weekend's camp, and while he still waits for the green light, it's always good knowing that schools like Auburn and Georgia are still out there just in case.
Four-star defensive tackle Aeneas Hawkins unveiled his list of top schools back in May. The Buckeyes made the cut for the Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller star alongside the likes of Penn State, Cincinnati, Kentucky, USC, Alabama, and Pittsburgh.
At one point, it looked like Hawkins was a heavy lean to Ohio State. Then it started to look like he was just going to have to wait things out a bit. Now, it would be a surprise if the 6-foot-3, 265-pounder ended up anywhere other than the University of Cincinnati. The Buckeyes still need to add another tackle to the class, but Hawkins is a bit undersized and that may be working against him.
Luke Fickell is probably going to be getting yet another good one. And it may happen sooner rather than later.
IMG Academy four-star cornerback Houston Griffith (@___HG3) looked like one of the best corners in the country today. pic.twitter.com/OFD67TjoSp
— Andrew Lind (@AndrewMLind) June 14, 2017
After the 2017 haul in the defensive backfield, the position isn't at the forefront of the class quite like yesteryear. Still, the Buckeyes already have three defensive backs in the fold and are likely to add another pair before signing day. Greg Schiano and Kerry Coombs will have to fend off several programs – most notably Oklahoma – for Jaiden Woodbey and Josh Proctor. Assuming both stick with the Buckeyes, then that could be it at safety.
The recruitment of IMG Academy's Houston Griffith has been an interesting one to watch. The Chicago native initially appeared to be fairly high on Ohio State's defensive back board but then quickly started trending toward Notre Dame. Griffith made a bit of a surprise trip to Columbus a few weeks back, and at this point it looks like he's doing everything in his power to earn a spot in the 2018 class.
The chase for Anthony Cook and Tyson Campbell is still going strong, and it's sort of crazy to think that Griffith – the No. 54 prospect in America – is likely on the outside looking in.
But such is the way things are trending in the world of Ohio State recruiting, and it's really a great problem to have. The Buckeyes are on pace to end Alabama's reign atop the national recruiting rankings, and the brand is stronger than it's ever been before.
With that will come tough decisions that are bound to send some great prospects – not to mention really good kids that have grown close with the coaching staff – elsewhere for their college careers.
You just can't take them all.
