Better Know a Buckeye: Kevin Feder

The end of the basketball season and start of the Major League Baseball season are two signals that the spring game is near, our first real preview of the upcoming season. Here at Eleven Warriors, we do our own preview of the upcoming season every week through the spring and summer by profiling each member of the incoming recruiting class. The subject of this week's profile is Kevin Feder, an offensive tackle from Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey.

In terms of star ranking, Kevin Feder ranks below the median in our recruiting class. He's a three-star prospect by both 247Sports and 247Sports' Composite indicators, ranked two spots below Joe Burrow (the median prospect). On paper, he might be one of the more intriguing talents coming into the program. He'll enter Ohio State at 6-9 and over 300 pounds and will play for a position coach that has turned the offensive line from the weakest link of the team near the tail end of the Tressel's tenure into the strength of the team in the Meyer era.

I introduce Feder in the feature, first discussing his recruitment and one-time commitment to Miami. I discuss what attracted him to Ohio State and led to his commitment on June 22nd of last year. Then, I discuss strengths and areas for improvement for Feder before he enrolls at Ohio State. I conclude with a discussion of a possible redshirt in 2015 and highlight film for you to observe.

HIS RECRUITMENT

Kevin Feder's name will be mentioned in any discussion about how well Urban Meyer has flipped recruits previously committed elsewhere while he's been coach at Ohio State. Feder was previously a Miami lean through 2013 and committed to Miami in January of 2014.

Feder's "flip" from Miami is somewhat unlike Kyle Dodson's flipped commitment from Wisconsin, or even Mike Weber's flip from Michigan. In most other cases, Meyer is persuading prospects who committed elsewhere but had options before they did. Feder's case is rather unique. Miami—yes, that Miami—was Feder's only offer through the end of his junior season. He earned it after a summer camp in Coral Gables in 2013.

The commitment to Miami had an unintended effect of making Feder a more visible name for programs around the country. Four days after Feder pledged to Miami, in-state Rutgers gave a scholarship offer of its own. Michigan State offered five days later. Syracuse and Tennessee followed suit with offers of their own through the spring.

In particular, Rutgers' offer induced Feder to think about attending Rutgers' spring game. This did not appear to happen, nor did Feder attend Miami's spring game. After the window for spring game visits came and went in mid-April, Feder affirmed to Miami's 247Sports affiliate that he was "definitely sticking" with his pledge to Miami.

Feder's story did not end there. During the spring, Ed Warinner made frequent visits to Don Bosco Prep to watch Feder during workouts. Each time Warinner came to Don Bosco Prep, the more he liked Feder's potential. Warinner tried to convince Feder to take a trip to Ohio State for a summer camp for a variety of reasons. One, a camp would allow Warinner to coach Feder while evaluating him. Two, it would be a platform for Warinner to possibly earn a scholarship offer, perhaps inducing him to rethink his commitment to Miami if other programs like Rutgers and Syracuse were unable to do that.

That Feder was going to take this trip to Columbus did not bode well for Feder's standing with Miami. A prospect like that who is selecting himself into a camp visit is a much more likely candidate to be flipped. However, there were whispers—known to our recruiting gurus at Eleven Warriors—that Feder was looking for a scholarship offer and would accept it if offered. 

The scholarship offer came on June 20th. The commitment came two days later.

HIS COMMITMENT

On June 22nd, 2014, Kevin Feder tweeted his commitment to Ohio State, becoming the ninth prospect in the 2015 recruiting class.

Proud to say I'm now committed to play at THE Ohio State University #BuckeyeNation http://t.co/78zZ0Gfz2X

— Six Nine (@Kevin_feder) June 22, 2014

Flipping Feder from Miami will put Feder in the same category as a host of other prospects previously committed elsewhere but who signed letters of intent with Ohio State during Urban Meyer's tenure. This flip was more a victory for Ed Warinner, who took a keen interest in recruiting Feder and coaching him during the camp. Feder's comments about Warinner were glowing when asked to explain his decision to flip from Miami to Ohio State. He also mentioned that Ohio State was a school for which he aspired to play growing up, which helps us understand why Feder was more receptive to Ohio State than other options like Michigan State and Rutgers after he committed to Miami.

WHERE HE EXCELS

Kevin Feder is a left tackle prospect in a power forward's body. This is interesting, considering Feder played little basketball in his youth. Wrestling is his other sport. The bookends of the offensive line are typically where the tallest and most nimble offensive linemen play. Feder looks the part.

Feder will enroll at 6-9 and over 300 pounds. By comparison, Jack Mewhort is 6-6 and almost 310 pounds now. Feder will tower over much of his peers and should be able to prevent defensive ends from getting outside him. He could add another 30 pounds or so, giving him more strength inside on run-blocking. Feder will cover space on the line and be quick doing it. He won the "Smokehouse" drill at camp. This is an end-of-camp sprint among various position players.

Beyond that? There is not a lot I can say about Feder as an offensive tackle. At least, I lack expertise to be able to parse through film of him playing other positions. He suffered a broken leg into his junior year that cost him a critical year of development. He was playing defensive tackle or tight end most of his career. 

Feder is an exciting and intriguing prospect on his frame and athleticism. That he has such nimble feet and great straight-line speed is a testament to his athleticism. It will give Warinner a great template with which to work. If this were the previous regime, I'd be a bit more skeptical. I think Warinner has demonstrated his coaching prowess at Ohio State to lend optimism to Feder's development.

MUST WORK ON

Athletically, Feder has all the tools to thrive at Ohio State. Mechanically, he has a long way to go.

Put this way, Feder had arguably an "average" camp. He didn't do anything spectacular in a lot of one-on-one drills. His knee-bend was okay. His footwork was pretty good, all things considered. This comment is a testament to his wrestling skills. He struggled a bit with faster defensive ends. He could improve on how he uses his hands, though I say this about every offensive line prospect. He won some and lost some. If this were any other prospect, Ohio State's coaches may not have noticed him in any detail.

However, Feder is 6-9, 300 pounds, and has barely been playing the position. That he looked "okay" in camp under these circumstances means he could be a big-time player for Ohio State.

REDSHIRT?

Most of Ohio State's offensive line returns and the two-deep at offensive line may be established (even if some shuffling within it may follow). My guess is Feder redshirts in 2015.

HIGHLIGHTS

Here is some early 2014 film. Again, notice how little Feder plays offensive line.