Prospects could add surge to 2010 class
Thursday, December 3, 2009
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
If major-college football recruiting is analogous to big-game fishing, then consider Ohio State to have several blue-chip prospects still beeping on the sonar as the season shifts into deep national waters.
For example, there is LaMarcus Joyner of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., whom Rivals.com considers to be the No.1 cornerback prospect in the nation. "Yeah, Ohio State is in it strong. They are in my top three," Joyner said.
And there are linebacker Jordan Hicks of West Chester, Ohio (Lakota West), considered the No.2 overall prospect in the nation by ESPNU; offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson of St. Paul, Minn., Rivals.com's No.1 overall prosect; and Sharrif Floyd of Philadelphia, the No.1 defensive tackle prospect nationally according to Rivals.com.
The Buckeyes are in contention to land all of them, plus several more, including offensive lineman Matt James of Cincinnati (St. Xavier); defensive back Christian Bryant and athlete Latwan Anderson of Cleveland (Glenville); and defensive tackle Johnathon Hankins of Detroit.
"It's a list of eight big-time guys that the Buckeyes have legitimate shots at," said veteran recruiting analyst Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.com and ESPNU. "If they could go even 50 percent on that list, that would be a big-time finish for their 2010 recruiting class."
The Buckeyes have been stuck at 13 commitments for a while in a class that could number 18 to 20 on signing day, depending on a couple of factors. One is whether junior defensive linemen Cameron Heyward and Thaddeus Gibson opt to leave for the NFL. Another is whether one or more players elect to transfer.
Plus, Ohio State still intends to make running back Carlos Hyde a member of the 2010 class. The power back from Naples, Fla., signed with the Buckeyes in February, but he had to get some academic issues in order and spent the fall at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia.
"If they could somehow get five or six of those other guys, they would be too good to turn down," Kurelic said. "And really, it could be a class that just on talent alone would be as good as any class Jim Tressel has signed at Ohio State."