General Thoughts
RB07OSU: This class is yet another stellar recruiting class that by and large covered our biggest needs. The elite talent on the offensive side of the ball stands out for sure, and the defensive side is pretty stacked as well. To me, the WR position was the biggest area of need and we put together the best WR class I have ever seen. Needed a good DB class and the Phillips decommit hurt...but we still had a great DB group that I am really excited about. The presumed lack of a game breaker at RB (I say presumed because there is a still a very long shot at getting Gibbs) is disappointing when it looked like a class of Robinson and Knighton. But its a position where I think we could afford to miss on those guys. I am thrilled with this class overall.
LordJeffBuck: It's difficult to criticize the #3 class in the country, but I'm going to do it anyway because we are THE Ohio State and the goal is always to be #1 in everything. The class ranking is largely based on the four stellar WR prospects that signed:
Julian Fleming (#2 overall in 247 Composite);
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (#33 overall);
Gee Scott, Jr. (#62 overall); and
Mookie Cooper (#82 overall). Having four studs at WR is great, except that there's still only one football to throw around so someone's bound to be disappointed sooner or later. The Buckeyes also signed two QB prospects -
C.J. Stroud (#83 overall) and
Jack Miller (#290 overall) - which provides necessary depth, but the loser of that battle will win the Most Likely to Enter the Transfer Portal contest (and both might end up in the CFB Matrix if 2021 QB commitment
Kyle McCord becomes The Next Big Thing in Columbus). On the OL, the Buckeyes signed two studs and four projects, which is about the right mix (so long as the projects who don't pan out can be processed in a timely manner). The Buckeyes also signed four DL, but none is a true DE, much less a pass rush specialist, much less an All American pass rush specialist like we have become accustomed to at Ohio State, so that is a definite position of need in the Class of 2021 (where #2 overall prospect
Jack Sawyer is already in the fold). Linebackers and safeties are solid, but cornerback is thin with only one true CB signee (
Ryan Watts) after Clark Phillips III defected to Utah. And then there's the whole RB situation....
Earliest Impact
RB07OSU: Probably obvious, but my vote is Fleming by a longshot. Incredible talent, very developed in his game, and can block. Add that to a mass exodus of talent at the WR position, and that equals immediate PT for Fleming. Also wouldn't be surprised if JSN or Scott end up being the guy either (or ends up being the best WR of this class eventually). But Fleming might be a starter out of the gate.
LordJeffBuck: I'll go with a WR as well, but a different one:
Jaxon Smith-Njigba. None of the Buckeye signees (with the possible exception of QB C.J. Stroud) has seen his stock rise faster, and if Jaxon keeps up that progression he should be college-ready by the start of training camp. More quick than fast (pedestrian 4.59 forty, but excellent 3.91 shuttle), I'd like to see Jaxon get a shot to replace
K.J. Hill at the slot WR position. Regarding the higher-ranked
Julian Fleming, he's more of a true outside receiver, so he will have to compete for playing time with
Chris Olave and
Garrett Wilson (arguably the two best players on the entire 2020 team not named
Justin Fields).
Most Upside/Star Potential
RB07OSU: Paris Johnson. Seems odd to hear that for an offensive lineman, but he has the tools to be a top-5 pick. Not just the unreal physical tools, but he plays nasty and dominated at a high level. Might have a low floor, but he has an incredibly high ceiling. Honorable mention here is Lathan Ransom, who I think is a 5-star talent...incredible athlete that just lights people up...another candidate for some early PT.
LordJeffBuck: It's hard to be a true "star" when you don't throw, catch, run, or make highlight reels, but
Paris Johnson, Jr. is going to be the best Buckeye player in the Class of 2020. Maybe the best player in the entire CFB Class of 2020. Johnson is already being projected as a high first round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and with his size (6-foot-7, 290 pounds) and athleticism (4.53 shuttle) and demeanor (nasty attitude) he certainly seems like a sure thing. The next
Orlando Pace...?
Surest Thing
RB07OSU: Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I just can't imagine a scenario where JSN he does not tear it up here. I don't think he quite has the ceiling as Fleming, but he is just going to produce here at a bare minimum.
Biggest Reach
RB07OSU: Trey Leroux or Josh Fryar. I say that, but the OL position is tough to call and I trust the staff's judgment at the position. Plus they wanted both of these guys on board early on, so you can't say they were a last option type of prospect. You could throw out Ty Hamilton, but with those genetics and the staff offering him early, I would be hesitant to call him a reach.
LordJeffBuck: Every 3-star prospect is a reach. Yes, I know, that doesn't include Buckeye 3-star prospects, each of whom is going to be the next
A.J. Hawk or
James Laurinaitis or
Malcom Jenkins. But let's be real for a minute: Prospects get three stars because they simply aren't good enough to get four or five stars. Ohio State has nine 3-star prospects in the Class of 2020. They are all reaches. Or sleepers. Or future All Americans. Depends on if the glass is half empty, or half full, or overflowing. You decide.
Sleeper
RB07OSU: I will throw out Jacolbe Cowan. No idea how he is not a top 100 guy, supremely talented and could be a superstar here. Cody Simon and Kourt Williams are 2 guys who aren't ranked super low, but I think they are going to be great players here. I also think Jakob James could turn into a stud on the OL despite a really low ranking.
LordJeffBuck: Can you imagine a Buckeye offensive line with
Dawand Jones (6-foot-8, 360 pounds) and
Trey Leroux (6-foot-8, 355 pounds) as your bookend tackles? Well, a year ago I couldn't either, but today they are both Buckeyes. A sleeper double feature. And if they can't cut it at Ohio State, they'd make one Hell of a WWE tag team.
Biggest Surprise
RB07OSU: Lathan Ransom. Amazing player but without the ties to Columbus, wasn't sure if he would keep his commitment to OSU after the Halfley news...definitely glad he did. Gee Scott is up there too, tough to sign and keep a kid from Seattle.
LordJeffBuck: (1)(A) Landing quarterback
C.J. Stroud late in the process. (1)(B) Keeping quarterback
Jack Miller after Stroud committed.
The One Who Got Away
RB07OSU: Bijan Robinson. Even though he didn't commit here, it was seemingly all but locked up and he is a big time talent. But close on his heels is Clark Phillips, who was committed and is a top talent at a big position of need. Losing Phillips was tough, one of the best cover corners in this class.
LordJeffBuck: Running back
Bijan Robison. Seems like a classic lose-lose situation to me. Who will be the bigger loser? I'm guessing that it won't be Ohio State....
What This Class Lacks
RB07OSU: A top RB. I think Miyan Williams is serviceable, but I just re-watched the 2015 playoffs and Zeke changed those games entirely...having a top-shelf RB can be a big deal even if you have talent everywhere else. I also have some concerns on the OL, but the 2021 class looks to be promising. DB could also be a big issue if we do not hold Martinez down.
LordJeffBuck: Turn back the clock to July 25, 2018, when Ohio State received a commitment from Arizona running back
Darvon Hubbard. Fast forward to February 21, 2019, when Hubbard "decommitted" from Ohio State after receiving negative feedback from new Buckeye head coach Ryan Day. Since that time, the Buckeye staff has targeted and missed on the following running backs (in no particular order): Zachary Evans; Bijan Robinson; Kendall Milton; Jaylan Knighton; Sam Adams II; Blake Corum; Kevontre Bradford; DeaMonte Trayanum; and Lawrence Toafili (and maybe a few other long shot guys who never really entered the mix). The Buckeyes did finally get a running back in the Class of 2020 -
Miyan Williams from Cincinnati Winton Woods - but he was at best their Plan J or K option. Ohio State should never have to go that far down its recruit board to get a prospect, especially at a position where an impact player could win the starting job as a true freshman. Depth chart and recent success (Ezekiel Elliot; J.K. Dobbins) should have been huge factors in favor of the Buckeyes; I'm guessing that negative recruiting ("air raid offense") was an even bigger factor against them.
Top Targets for February
RB07OSU: Cam Martinez by a mile. Incredibly talented kid that we need to keep in the fold and at a big position of need. Not really anything left beyond Martinez that I am aware of. Maybe McGlothern?
LordJeffBuck:
Cameron Martinez is still verbally committed to Ohio State, but he is looking around (primarily at Northwestern, who sees him as their version of Chris Gamble, or something). Running back
Jahmyr Gibbs is currently a Georgia Tech verbal, but he is scheduled to officially visit Ohio State on January 17th (and Florida January 24th, and Georgia Tech January 31st). APB
Michael Drennan II (Dublin Coffman) is still unsigned, but the Buckeye staff has had numerous chances to evaluate and pursue the state's #4 prospect and to date they have chosen not to do so. Walnut Ridge ATH
Qian Magwood has been mentioned from time to time, but he seems more like a MAC level player and he doesn't really fill a position of need for Ohio State. There's always a chance that we see a name arise out of nowhere, like
Enokk Vimahi in last year's class. I'm hoping for a 4-star DE with top-end speed. I'm probably banking that scholarship.
Recruiting Impact of Coaching Changes
RB07OSU: Losing Halfley definitely hurt us on at least Phillips, and maybe still on Martinez. I think we'll get a top guy to replace him, but it better be soon so we don't lose Martinez. Might be a pipe dream, but I would lose my mind if we got Coombs back.
LordJeffBuck: The loss of DB coach Jeff Hafley definitely cost the Buckeyes CB C
lark Phillips III, and it might cost them ATH
Cameron Martinez as well (he will sign somewhere in February). If an 18-year old kid thinks that he's got a better chance for success at Utah than Ohio State, then more power to him. Life comes at you fast.... And life at Ohio State will be just fine with or without Jeff Hafley.
And a word about coaching changes in general, and assistant coaching changes in particular. Some people say that recruiting is all about comfort and relationships, meaning primarily comfort and relationships with position coaches. Here is the Ohio State coaching staff for 2014, the year that the current fifth-year seniors were being recruited to Ohio State:
Head coach: Urban Meyer
Quarterbacks: Tom Herman
Running backs: Stan Drayton
Wide receivers: Zach Smith
Tight ends: Tim Hinton
Offensive line: Ed Warinner
Defensive line: Larry Johnson, Sr.
Linebackers: Luke Fickell
Defensive back: Kerry Coombs
Defensive backs: Chris Ash
It's just five years later, and the only name still on that list is Larry Johnson, Sr. Every other position has changed at least once, and six assistants came and went within that five-year window (Greg Schiano; Bill Davis; Alex Grinch; Taver Johnson; Jeff Hafley; Mike Yurcich). A fifth-year senior like K.J. Hill has seen no less than 25 coaches on the sidelines, plus numerous graduate assistants and quality control coaches. College coaches move around a lot. Good coaches move up, bad coaches move on, and every coach eventually retires. Any recruit who commits to a school because he likes his assistant coach is being ... short-sighted. That's a nice way to put it.
2021 Outlook
RB07OSU: We're already off to an incredible start in 2021. I think we have as good, if not a better, class than 2020. Sawyer, McCord, Harrison, and Christman are elite. Then Carrico and Ballard are very very good. Looking at what we need, it goes in this order for me: (1) RB - Shipley is at the top of my list, but I want at least one of Kiner, Edwards, or Pryor; (2) DE - Off to a killer start on Sawyer, but need a couple more big names; (3) DT - we've got some great players at the position, but need to rebuild here with some upcoming attrition; and (4) OL - Christman is a great start and I like our odds on Donovan Jackson/Spindler/Latham/Burton. Way early but it looks nice and with a run in the playoffs, it could look even better.
LordJeffBuck: Someone stated (and I agreed) that the Class of 2020 was half Alabama, half Michigan, meaning an unusual mixture of 5-star studs (8 players in top 100) and 3-star reaches (9 players #400 or higher). So far the Class of 2021 is all Alabama, with a ridiculous (and unsustainable) recruit average of 97.43 (by way of comparison, Ohio State's best ever recruiting class, the Class of 2017, had a recruit average of 94.59). Five of Ohio State's commitments are in the top 75, and the sixth is #121. The low 4-star and high 3-star recruits will eventually filter into this class, but I would be shocked if Ohio State's Class of 2021 finished outside of the top five, and it could easily be #1 overall.
