DB Recruiting (Split from Mabin thread)

[goodguy]

Rivals $

5/11

Jordan plans to decide before the season.

This article lists a 5'10" measurement...that is the accurate listing.

Well, is that too short for some people? It isn't for me. I think Everage is 5' something as well. As long as they have the speed and hips, give them a chance. How tall is Youboty? I read he is under 6' as well. Isn't Whitner 5'10"? What about some of the other Buckeye CB's in the NFL, how many of them are 6' or taller? Just a thought.

 

[osugrad21]

Well, is that too short for some people? It isn't for me. I think Everage is 5' something as well. As long as they have the speed and hips, give them a chance. How tall is Youboty? I read he is under 6' as well. Isn't Whitner 5'10"? What about some of the other Buckeye CB's in the NFL, how many of them are 6' or taller? Just a thought.

I'm with you on the height...but neither of us recruit for tOSU. There may some bending in the preference of DB height this year as some depth is needed at CB.

 

[Cornerback6]

I am ok with 5'10'' corners, but I MUCH prefer bigger CBs in the mold of 6'1". It seems that receivers keep getting taller and taller and ever since the days of Plexiglass going over Winfield, I am a huge fan of the taller corner. As for safeties, I prefer them taller, but I don't think a safety being short can be half the casualty that a short corner can be. I personally HATE having a WR/CB mismatch inside the 10. I.E. Brandon Lloyd/Plexiglass Burress on a Winfield/Plummer. It's been a while since we've felt this sting because we have been recruiting taller CBs, but Lloyd shredded us and Burress...well, we know about that.

As far as 5'8"...for me that is dangerous with the size of receivers today. In the redzone...the fade is almost guaranteed to be thrown.



If you look at

 

[goodguy]

I'm with you on the height...but neither of us recruit for tOSU. There may some bending in the preference of DB height this year as some depth is needed at CB.

I'm sure the coaches will do what's is in the teams best interest, I don't worry about who they offer. My whole statement was aimed to show how the idea of OSU recruiting taller CB's (six foot seems to be the line in the sand for tall or short) is not reality. As you know, God doesn't make many guys 6'1" or taller with CB abilities. With each increasing inch in stature there are fewer recruits that can play CB.

 

[scarletngrey11]

I am ok with 5'10'' corners, but I MUCH prefer bigger CBs in the mold of 6'1". It seems that receivers keep getting taller and taller and ever since the days of Plexiglass going over Winfield, I am a huge fan of the taller corner. As for safeties, I prefer them taller, but I don't think a safety being short can be half the casualty that a short corner can be. I personally HATE having a WR/CB mismatch inside the 10. I.E. Brandon Lloyd/Plexiglass Burress on a Winfield/Plummer. It's been a while since we've felt this sting because we have been recruiting taller CBs, but Lloyd shredded us and Burress...well, we know about that.

As far as 5'8"...for me that is dangerous with the size of receivers today. In the redzone...the fade is almost guaranteed to be thrown.



If you look at

I disagree. Safeties are sometimes matched-up against tight ends.

 

[goodguy]

Mabin

I am ok with 5'10'' corners, but I MUCH prefer bigger CBs in the mold of 6'1". It seems that receivers keep getting taller and taller and ever since the days of Plexiglass going over Winfield, I am a huge fan of the taller corner. As for safeties, I prefer them taller, but I don't think a safety being short can be half the casualty that a short corner can be. I personally HATE having a WR/CB mismatch inside the 10. I.E. Brandon Lloyd/Plexiglass Burress on a Winfield/Plummer. It's been a while since we've felt this sting because we have been recruiting taller CBs, but Lloyd shredded us and Burress...well, we know about that.

As far as 5'8"...for me that is dangerous with the size of receivers today. In the redzone...the fade is almost guaranteed to be thrown.
If you look at

Good point. However how many of the current OSU corners are 6'1". Maybe Malcolm Jenkins? I think Gamble was listed as 6'1", but what was his legit height. Hardly any of the current or past CB for OSU are 6' or taller. The trend for taller CB's will continue but we aren't at 6'1" for your average CB yet and won't be for some time. Sorry about the hijack, Back to Mabin.

 

[wadc45]

I disagree. Safeties are sometimes matched-up against tight ends.

I don't...to some disagree. I think a taller free safety is more important than a taller strong safety, especially with the defenses the Buckeyes have run the last year. But we've had plenty of safeties over the last few years who were 6 foot or smaller...Mike Doss (5-11), Gary Berry (6-0), Damon Moore (5-11), Tyler Everett (5-11), Donte Whitner (5-11)...the last big strong safety we had was either Will Allen (6-2) or you could count either Donnie Nickey or Rob Kelly, both who were around 6-2 and both of whom played a season at SS before getting moved to FS (Kelly moved to FS in '96 and Damon Moore started at SS...Nickey moved to FS in '00 so Doss could start at SS).

My point is that having a taller safety is not necessarily that important, at least in the OSU schemes of late. I like the idea of having a taller kid playing free safety, like Nickey, Salley, Mitchell, Kelly, Nick Patterson, Devon Lyons. But smaller guys who can bring the wood playing safety is alright with me, and as many people have said in this thread, smaller corners who have the speed, the instincts and the hips are fine by me. If Mabin really is aroun 5-11, then I think he is fine...Coleman is only listed at 5-11 and we took him last year.

 

[wadc45]

Good point. However how many of the current OSU corners are 6'1". Maybe Malcolm Jenkins? I think Gamble was listed as 6'1", but what was his legit height. Hardly any of the current or past CB for OSU are 6' or taller. The trend for taller CB's will continue but we aren't at 6'1" for your average CB yet and won't be for some time. Sorry about the hijack, Back to Mabin.

Right now Underwood, Washington, Jenkins and Amos are all listed at 6-1 or taller. Antonio Smith, Welch, Roberts and Coleman are all listed at 6-0 or smaller. So it looks like that is the middle ground...half the kids are around 6- or smaller, half are 6-1 or bigger. I think Mabin will be fine...and I sincerely hope he gets an offer from OSU.

 

[goodguy]

Right now Underwood, Washington, Jenkins and Amos are all listed at 6-1 or taller. Antonio Smith, Welch, Roberts and Coleman are all listed at 6-0 or smaller. So it looks like that is the middle ground...half the kids are around 6- or smaller, half are 6-1 or bigger. I think Mabin will be fine...and I sincerely hope he gets an offer from OSU.

I'm not sure some of the players heights you've listed are legit. I've seen Amos up close, he ain't 6'1". If Mabin is a legit 5'10"-5'11", and some the current OSU CB's are listed at 6'1''or bigger but are actually 1-2" less, there ain't that big of a difference between Mabin and some of current buckeye CB. Sorry Sorry, I'm done repeating my point.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

SS are basically guys that are too small to play OLB. They have to help in the run and be able to cover.

Wad gave perfect examples of guys that we have had here that fit that bill. I think Kurt Coleman would be in that position right now, if it wasnt for the depth we have there. JamO is going to be another guy that is going to fit into that postion, b/c he is lucky to be 6'.

 

[wadc45]

I'm not sure some of the players heights you've listed are legit. I've seen Amos up close, he ain't 6'1". If Mabin is a legit 5'10"-5'11", and some the current OSU CB's are listed at 6'1''or bigger but are actually 1-2" less, there ain't that big of a difference between Mabin and some of current buckeye CB. Sorry Sorry, I'm done repeating my point.

of course you're right about that...I was just going by what was listed online.

 

[wadc45]

SS are basically guys that are too small to play OLB. They have to help in the run and be able to cover.

Wad gave perfect examples of guys that we have had here that fit that bill. I think Kurt Coleman would be in that position right now, if it wasnt for the depth we have there. JamO is going to be another guy that is going to fit into that postion, b/c he is lucky to be 6'.

and yet JamariO is listed on Rivals depth chart for 2006 as 6-1...:tongue2:

 

[Cornerback6]

The Perfect Cornerback

Instead of completely hijacking the entire Mabin thread, I thought I would post a behemoth cornerback thread on its own.

On the Mabin thread cornerback heigth is being discussed as an issue of slight concern. If Mabin is 5'10"/5'11", then that is fine, but I MUCH prefer a corner who is at least 6'. The biggest and most obivous reason being mismatch issues. Inside the ten I absolutely cringe when I'm watching a game and some 6'5" receiver lines up over my team's 5'9" corner. The redzone is the scariest part of having short corners for the simple fact that if there is a 6"4/6'5 receiver on the field lined up on your 5-whatever CB, 99% of the time you are going to see the fade. As a Buckeye fan, Plaxico Burress and Brandon Lloyd come to mind when I think of how I strongly dislike having short CBs. Also, it seems that each year receivers continue to get taller with every team having at least two or three 6'4" and up targets.

Now, I realize that we will never have all our CBs above 6', but if you look back into the decade only 2 of our stellar corners that came through tOSU were under 6'. Plummer (5'11") and Winfield (5'9") who was known just as much for his tackling as he was for his coverage skills. If Malcolm Jenkins turns out to be a special player like I think and feel he will, that will make it Youboty, Springs, Clements, Gamble, Jenkins all 6' and above (Plummer is borderline at 5'11).

Something that I think often goes without being said is that it is VERY hard to find many good CB athletes that are taller than 6'1". What happens is that when kids get longer (6'3" and above), they often begin to lose the foot quickness, agility and muscular proportioning that is essential to being a successful CB. 6'6" NBA stars might be quick but they generally have not put on the muscular frame neccessary to survive an NFL beating nor do they have the agility that makes the CB position such a demanding one to play. Even if there were a 6'4" kid with the hips and quickness to play corner, he would be a bigger threat at WR and most likely be tracked into making his career on offense.

So after this monumental rant, I will say that in my humble opinion, the ideal corner is 6'1" 210. The height is necessary for all of the previously mentioned reasons and the weight/muscle for solid tackling and some added durability.

After having said all this, I'm not out here saying you can't be 5'9" and great because look at Winfield, but instead just saying that I like how we (tOSU) usually gun for the bigger CBs these days and that I very much prefer having corners at 6' and up.

Now strong safety and free safety are two entirely different arguments although I like the FS a bit taller and the SS, I don't think it matters so much.

Feel free to contribute or dispute! :)

 

[goodguy]

So after this monumental rant, I will say that in my humble opinion, the ideal corner is 6'1" 210. The height is necessary for all of the previously mentioned reasons and the weight/muscle for solid tackling and some added durability.

After having said all this, I'm not out here saying you can't be 5'9" and great because look at Winfield, but instead just saying that I like how we (tOSU) usually gun for the bigger CBs these days and that I very much prefer having corners at 6' and up.

Now strong safety and free safety are two entirely different arguments although I like the FS a bit taller and the SS, I don't think it matters so much.

Feel free to contribute or dispute! :)

I would agree the ideal CB is a legit 6'1" 210lbs. But who of the OSU CBs has that size. I was over on Bucknuts looking at the 2004 recruiting database and Malcolm Jenkins is listed at 6'0". Some how Malcolm has become the poster child for the perfect CB recruit that is tall and athletic. If I had to guess Malcolm may not even be 6'0". Again of the OSU Cb's, who is a legit 6'1".

 

[Cornerback6]

Right now, Donald Washington is 6'1", Andre Amos is 6'1", Brandon Underwood is listed at 6'2" and by some services (ohiostatebuckeyes.com) Jenkins is listed at 6'1". The majority of our corners are not 6'1" and most won't ever weigh 210...that was just stating an ideal. If we were ever to have a 210lb. corner, he wouldn't be a frosh or soph. It generally takes a good amount of time in S&C for a corner to put on weight like that. Most H.S. corners come in around 185 or so.

Malcolm has become the poster child because he had not only the skills, but the size (which is rare) to play starting corner as a true freshman...something you almost never see.