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Padraig;1398850; said:I STILL think Illinois has a shot.
Welcome, again, Mr. Fellows! :osu:
DaddyBigBucks;1398851; said:OK, tell the truth --
How many of you came to this thread to post those words?
Garfield Heights stop: Melvin Fellows feels relief after signing with Ohio State University
Bob Fortuna, Plain Dealer Reporter, February 04, 2009 9:46 a.m.
Dressed in dark pants, a red vest, white shirt and gray tie, Garfield Heights defensive end Melvin Fellows signed with Ohio State this morning in a small theatre at the high school. - (PD file)
GARFIELD HEIGHTS - The emotional roller coaster Garfield Heights senior Melvin Fellows experienced during the recruiting process was put to rest early this morning.
Dressed in dark pants, a red vest, white shirt and gray tie, Fellows signed a national letter of intent with Ohio State in a small theatre by the school's gymnasium with coaches and family looking on.
Fellows originally gave his non-binding oral commitment to Illinois, only to later change his allegiance to the Buckeyes.
"I enjoyed the recruiting process but I'm glad it's over," said Fellows, ranked as the 29th-best senior by Sporting News. "If I did it over again, I'd probably have taken more time with the process and have taken a look at more schools.
"But this is just a blessing."
Fellows will major in physical therapy.
"I'm relieved it's over but I've made the right decision," said Fellows, who also visited Illinois and Notre Dame. "I'm real excited, real excited because this is a big day for me and my family."
What does Melvin Fellows bring to the table?
Well, potentially, you saw it on tape, potentially he's got what you want - long arms, rangy kid, good speed, he's got passion, good burst, good first step off the ball. When you look for a pass rusher, he's got it all. The thing that's neat, like so many of these guys, he'll wear you out. He's so passionate about getting here and playing and being a part of this, I think that adds up to a good player.
How did you approach it after he first orally committed to Illinois?
I'm not sure what I'm allowed to say about the Illinois thing, but until Signing Day nothing is official. I think for whatever reason, he changed his mind.
Football: Heralded Fellows a growing force on D-line
Gina Ferrentino
Issue date: 2/19/09
Fighting Illini? Nah, I'd rather be a Buckeye.
2009 weakside defensive end recruit Melvin Fellows orally committed to Illinois, but changed his mind last April.
Now, after officially signing with Ohio State on Feb. 4, he joins the ranks of a top-five recruiting class, where he is one of 14 players from Ohio.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Fellows brings dimension to OSU's defense. He is ranked No. 3 nationally at defensive end and is one of 50 five-star athletes in 2009, according to scout.com. Not to mention, recruiting service rivals.com ranks Fellows the No. 29 prospect in the country, at any position.
The attention to Fellows is well-deserved. As a junior at Garfield Heights High School outside of Cleveland, Fellows recorded 92 tackles and seven sacks. Senior year was no different, when he recorded 79 tackles and 10 sacks.
Fellows participated in the Under Armour All-America game and was a member of the Big 33 team, which showcases the best high school football players in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and is often referred to as "the Super Bowl of high school football." He was also a member of the SuperPrep Elite 50, a scout.com compilation of the top 50 high school football players in the country.
Fellows has been compared to Thaddeus Gibson by Adam Jardy, staff writer for Buckeye Sports Bulletin and by his high school coach, Chuck Reisland.
"I think Melvin will fit in well with Ohio State's defensive philosophy because he's a good pass rusher," Reisland said. "Thaddeus Gibson turned into OSU's best pass rusher last year, and he's a lot like him, only bigger."
Jardy agreed, "He has a high motor, a big wing span - he can cause chaos. He's like a young Thaddeus Gibson, a player with a lot of natural ability.
"But Fellows has the frame to put on more weight, which can be a major benefit to him in his time at OSU," Jardy said.
Across the board, scouts agree that Fellows' size will be one of his greatest strengths. He is still slender for his build and has the ability to gain more weight, giving him an advantage on Ohio State's depth chart.
"I don't know how big he will get, but he has gained 20 pounds since the season already," Reisland said. "He has room to grow. He is not even 18-years-old yet."
Melvin appeared on several team?s radars early into his junior season of football. Pittsburgh, Nerdwestern, Wisconsin and Purdue were all in contact with him. South Carolina had made inquiries as well. Of all the school sending early inquiries regarding Melvin, no two stood out more than Notre Dame and Illinois. Notre Dame brought Melvin in for an unofficial visit to watch the Irish play the Middies, which may have been just the most unfortunate timing for Notre Dame. Melvin didn?t get as much mileage out of the loss as I ? and the rest of America ? did. Rather than think critically about the program for the loss, Melvin gave positive remarks about the atmosphere, the campus and the ?quality of a Notre Dame degree? that only Notre Dame alums mention. Illinois was the more important player here. Zook has targeted Ohio ? especially NE Ohio ? for intrusion. His method of attack: be the first BCS offer for some Ohio kids that Ohio State may be more methodical in evaluating. This was the case for Melvin, as the Illini were his first offer. He visited Champaign for their home game against the Badgers and liked what he saw. In fact, he really liked what he saw, it seems.
The white arm to the left of him threw me for a loop for a second.3074326;1486396; said:Last picture = awesome
Garfield Heights' Melvin Fellows back from knee surgery at Big 33, ready for Ohio State
by Doug Lesmerises
Monday June 22, 2009
After knee surgery to repair his left meniscus in April, Garfield Heights defensive end Melvin Fellows was back on the football field at the Big 33 Classic in Pennsylvania on Saturday night.
He thought about not playing in the all-star game matching Ohio's best high school football players against Pennsylvania's best.
"There was a doubt in my mind, but it was important to get the win since we lost for the last three years," Fellows said.
Ohio got that win 38-31, and immediately afterward, Fellows had an icepack on that left knee. But he was also ready for his Ohio State career to start, and he reported to Columbus on Sunday. Despite a lot of depth on the defensive line, Fellows could compete to join the rotation there this fall.
"I think I showed I'm one of the best defensive ends in the nation," Fellows said of his Big 33 week. "I think I'm ready, but it's going to be work."
Fellows said the knee won't hold him back at all.
"My quad is weaker than my other one, so it makes my knee swell up," he said of his recovery. "But I'll let them take control of my body, and I'll be allright."