You can't win them all.
Can Ryan Day recruit at a similar level as Urban Meyer? Will Ohio State be forced to have a more regional approach with Meyer no longer at the helm?
Those were two common – and reasonable – questions that were being asked when Ryan Day officially took over the program back in January of 2019. Day has answered the first question with a resounding "yes." The answer to the second question has been an emphatic "no" as the Buckeyes continue to pluck five-star talent from coast to coast.
Day's first full class finished No. 5 in the country behind the usual powerhouse programs in 2020. This time around, the 2021 class is finishing at No. 2 behind only a record-setting Crimson Tide haul. Ohio State signed 21 players and is still on the hunt for five-star defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau as he's not expected to make a decision until the spring.
Alabama added a whopping 27 new players and apparently can still fit in another one or even two that remain unsigned (must be nice). In terms of the average player rating, it's extremely close with the Tide at 95.00 and Buckeyes at 94.52. A second-year head coach battling Nick Saban for recruiting supremacy really tells you all you need to know about the Ohio State staff's prowess on the trail.
As with all things, it hasn't been a perfect recruiting run for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. The 2020 and 2021 classes have seen some noteworthy misses, but five of those stand out above the rest.
5. Tristan Leigh • Class of 2021 • Offensive Tackle • ★★★★★
Ohio State struck gold in Virginia with five-star running back TreVeyon Henderson, but Greg Studrawa wasn't able to reel in another one of the state's blue-chip prospects in Tristan Leigh. The Buckeyes never were the team to beat in this recruitment as Leigh's leaders seemed to fluctuate between Clemson, Oklahoma, and LSU.
The Sooners were viewed as the favorites late in the game, but Leigh quietly signed with Clemson in December before committing publicly on Jan. 2. He visited Columbus early on prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and Ohio State was firmly in the picture thanks to a strong relationship with Studrawa. The shutdown likely ruined any chance of Leigh ending up in the Big Ten despite a major need at the position.
4. Bijan Robinson • Class of 2020 • Running Back • ★★★★★
Unlike with Tristan Leigh, there absolutely was a time when the Buckeyes were the team to beat for five-star tailback Bijan Robinson. The 2020 cycle was problematic for Tony Alford as Ohio State missed out on Kendall Milton (Georgia) and then let Robinson slip out of their grasp. The Arizona native signed with Texas and looked phenomenal as a true freshman. Robinson rushed for more than 700 yards, averaged over eight per attempt, and scored six touchdowns on the season. The addition of Trey Sermon certainly helped to ease the sting a bit, however.
3. Elias Ricks • Class of 2020 • Cornerback • ★★★★★
The recent focus of #PortalWatch was once one of Ohio State's top overall targets. During the 2020 cycle, the Buckeyes were battling the likes of USC, LSU, and Alabama for the five-star Cali-turned-IMG Academy cornerback. Ohio State was identified as one of his dream schools early on in the process. But shortly after Urban Meyer's retirement, Ricks instead committed to LSU on Christmas Day back in 2018.
Boy Bye@eliasricks with the PICK SIX
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) December 13, 2020
ESPN pic.twitter.com/A5G1EEO7it
Ricks was a starter as a true freshman in LSU's secondary and flashed at times opposite of All-American cornerback Derek Singley Jr. He recorded four interceptions during his first season and absolutely would have seen plenty of action had he ended up in Columbus rather than Baton Rouge. Following an abysmal season for the Tigers, there seems to be some tension between Ricks and LSU. For now, it appears as though he'll be sticking it out with the Bayou Bengals.
2. Clark Phillips III • Class of 2020 • Cornerback • ★★★★
The recruitment of California cornerback Clark Phillips III was an interesting one. Early on, it looked like an Ohio State vs. Notre Dame battle. The Buckeyes bested the Irish when Phillips committed in June of 2019. That pledge lasted for six months until Jeff Hafley's departure likely killed any chance of the four-star signing with Ohio State. Just days after Boston College introduced Hafley as its new head coach, Phillips decommitted and instead signed with Utah.
We all saw the problems Kerry Coombs had in the secondary last season. And while it's unfair to expect a true freshman to contribute all that much, the Buckeyes needed bodies in the defensive backfield and that need continues in 2021. He played early and often for the Utes recording 26 tackles to go along with a pick six. Ricks is a better player, but the Buckeyes actually did have Phillips in the fold at one point. The sting of losing Phillips and Jordan Battle (which happened prior to Day taking over) has taken its toll on the secondary.
1. J.C. Latham • Class of 2021 • Offensive Tackle • ★★★★★
Thayer Munford's return and the ascension of Nicholas Petit-Frere has Ohio State's tackle situation in an excellent spot for 2021. The future is also bright with Paris Johnson Jr. waiting in the wings. Still, the staff missing out on J.C. Latham was the biggest whiff of the latest recruiting cycle. Ohio State was the early favorite for the five-star before Alabama secured his commitment last summer.
Athletic left tackles aren't easy to find, and it's important to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. Unfortunately, the pandemic and some split family allegiances seemed to hurt the Buckeyes' chances for the Milwaukee native. It also eliminated any real chance of Ohio State securing the nation's top 2021 recruiting class. Studrawa and Day instead turned to more of a developmental player when they flipped Louisville commit Zen Michalski. It's now imperative that the Buckeyes add at least two pure tackles in the Class of 2022.
