Ohio State's reputation of being a defensive back factory will only grow stronger tonight when Denzel Ward has his name called early on in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Ward – who was rated as the country's No. 26 corner for the Class of 2015 and considered a three-star prospect by some outlets – will join the likes of Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley, and Eli Apple as recent draftees at the position.
When Ohio State CB Denzel Ward is selected in the 1st round, it would mark 3 straight years a Buckeyes CB went in the first round. Ohio State would be the first school with a CB selected in the first round in 3 straight drafts since... Ohio State from 1999-2001.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) April 25, 2018
The talent remains plentiful in Columbus, and it should come as no surprise that the nation's top defensive backs continue to seek the tutelage of Greg Schiano as well as newcomers Alex Grinch and Taver Johnson.
Ohio State's 2019 recruiting class is well on its way to becoming yet another one of the nation's best. We've already got a solid feel on several position groups, and while it may not be as big of a need as in years past, the defensive back board continues to go through some twists and turns.
The secondary is likely one of the bigger question marks in the class right now. In recent years we've seen players like Jeffrey Okudah, Shaun Wade, and Josh Proctor emerge early on as top targets. This year, however, things are coming together at a slower pace.
We aren't expecting a large haul of 6-7 signees in the secondary for 2019. In fact, three or four may be a more realistic number.
Four-star commit Ronnie Hickman is listed as an athlete and could even grow into an outside linebacker, but we're including him as a safety for now. Last week one of the staff's cornerback targets – four-star Virginia native Sheridan Jones, a former teammate of Teradja Mitchell – pledged to Dabo Swinney and the Tigers.
Thanks to the recent commitments, we offer an updated look at the names to know for one of the more enigmatic position groups in the Class of 2019; starting with the prospects who are looking like the best bets to end up in Ohio State's class.
Jordan Battle • Safety/CB • Fort Lauderdale, FL • ★★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 173
St. Thomas Aquinas has been a darn fine pipeline for the Buckeyes, and right now it's looking like Jordan Battle could be the next Floridian to find his way to Columbus. At 6-foot-1 and 187 pounds, the four-star could likely suit up at either corner or safety, but has stated that he prefers corner.
Right now Ohio State is the clear favorite, but these Florida recruits have been known to be unpredictable at times. Battle was looking to take an official visit this month, but the staff preferred that the date be pushed back a bit. Florida, Miami, Michigan, Georgia, and Texas all have extended offers.
Nick Cross • Safety • Hyattsville, MD • ★★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 122
247 Sports recently updated its in-house player rankings, and DeMatha Catholic's Nick Cross now finds himself as the nation's No. 1 safety and No. 17 overall prospect. Checking in at 6-foot-1 and 208 pounds, Cross is a physical safety but also has the speed to to man up in coverage if needed.
The Buckeyes struck gold at DeMatha with Chase Young's signing in 2017, but they'll have to fight off Notre Dame, Florida, and Penn State for Cross. He's a high academic kid who came away impressed after checking out Ohio State earlier this month.
Marlin "MJ" Devonshire • CB • Aliquippa, PA • ★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 407
We haven't talked too much about M.J. Devonshire, but the Pennsylvania defender is one of the few pure corners that the Ohio State staff has honed in on. The three-star isn't one of the bigger corners like the Buckeyes have frequently targeted of late. He checks in at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, which is more than adequate for the position.
Right now Devonshire's top offers are from the Buckeyes, Spartans, and Mountaineers. West Virginia is the crystal ball favorite, but if Ohio State really pushes then it's tough to imagine them missing out on the country's No. 36 corner. He's been to Columbus multiple times; most recently for a spring practice.
Woodi Washington • CB • Murfreesboro, TN • ★★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 197
The Buckeyes extended an offer to Woodi Washington back in October, and the four-star corner visited campus shortly thereafter. Things haven't exactly taken off since then, but Washington has consistently mentioned Ohio State as a school that remains high on his list. The staff has had some recent success in the state of Tennessee with players like Max Wray and Master Teague.
There's no decision timeline and right now things appear to be wide open. The four-star will need to make it back to campus at some point in the coming months or else the Buckeyes could get left behind on this one.
Julian Barnett • CB • Belleville, MI • ★★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 79
Ohio State offered Julian Barnett back on Dec. 21. One day later he committed to Michigan State. Regardless, there aren't too many cornerbacks on the board at the moment, so the country's No. 10 player at the position is likely someone they'll continue pursuing.
The Buckeyes have obviously had a lot of success in the state of Michigan as they've signed players like Damon Webb, Mike Weber, and Michael Jordan in recent year. Ace recruiter Kerry Coombs has moved onto the NFL, so recruiting the Mitten State may present even more of a challenge.
Daxton Hill • Safety • Tulsa, OK • ★★★★★ • Nat. Rank: No. 33
For a while there it was looking like Ohio State was on track to once nab one of the top defenders in the state of Oklahoma. After some very early pro-Buckeye chatter, things are definitely trending in the wrong direction for the country's No. 2 safety.
Daxton Hill recently made trips to Ann Arbor and Tuscaloosa, and he's on the verge of narrowing things down a bit. Hill's older brother plays for Oklahoma State, but it's the Sooners who are the current crystal ball favorites. Ohio State will need to make a move to get back in on this one.
Again, there's not really a glaring need in the secondary right now. Sevyn Banks, Tyreke Johnson, and Cam Brown are all heading into their first seasons. Shaun Wade unexpectedly redshirted in 2017, and the expectations are still high for the former five-star.
It's typically safe to expect at least three signees in the defensive backfield. The outlook is still a bit cloudy for 2019, but right now the best guess would be the Buckeyes taking four. Let's call it Ronnie Hickman and Nick Cross at safety with Jordan Battle and MJ Devonshire rounding things out at corner.