The Buckeyes' Top Prospects for 2006 - December 19th Edition
Currently, Ohio State has eleven verbal commitments: QB Antonio Henton from Peach County Georgia; RB Chris Wells from Akron Garfield; WR Josh Chichester from Lakota West; OT/TE Jake Ballard from Springboro; OL Connor Smith from Cincinnati Colerain; DT Dexter Larimore from Merrillville Indiana; LB Tyler Moeller from Cincinnati Colerain; LB Ross Homan from Coldwater; DB Kurt Coleman from Clayton Northmont; DB Chimdi Chekwa from Clermont Florida; and DB ATH Grant Schwartz from Dana Hills California. We believe that the Bucks also have a solid lead for Cleveland Glenville stars OL Bryant Browning, DL Robert Rose, and WR Raymond Small. In other words, more than half of the class of 2006 has already been filled (or soon will be), and the remaining two months of the recruiting season will be spent trying to secure verbal commitments from serious prospects such as Maryland DB A.J. Wallace; New York DE McKenzie Matthews; New Jersey DE Jason Adjepong; New Jersey DT Johnnie Troutman; California WR David Ausberry; California LB Mark Johnson; and Florida LB Colin McCarthy.
Quarterbacks
1. Antonio Henton, Fort Valley (Georgia) Peach County (6' 2", 210 lbs, 4.6 forty); committed to Ohio State! Antonio led his team to the Georgia state title. In his two years as a starting quarterback, Antonio amassed over 3,700 yards passing for 48 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions, and also added 900 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns on the ground.
Running Backs
1. Chris "Beanie" Wells, Akron Garfield (6' 1", 228 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Ohio State! Although Wells seemed to be wavering a bit in November (he took an official visit to Southern Cal), he is now firmly committed to the Buckeyes. Beanie took his official visit to Ohio State last weekend, and he did his best to sell uncommitted visiting recruits like Dexter Larimore, Jason Adjepong, and Ryan Hill on the Buckeye program. For his senior season, Wells gained 2,134 yards rushing (9.56 avg) and 27 touchdowns.
2. Kylan Robinson, Tampa Chamberlain (6' 1", 215 lbs, 4.5 forty); OSU (offered) trails Miami (not offered). Kylan is a newly-discovered "sleeper" prospect who rushed for 1,400 yards as a senior, including 402 in one game. Robinson likes Ohio State, but he likes Miami even better, and he would more than likely verbal to the 'Canes if they offer. Kylan will visit Ohio State on January 6th, South Carolina on January 13th, Miami on January 20th, and Florida on January 27th.
3. Aram Olson, Columbia (South Carolina) Irmo (6' 1", 237 lbs, 4.9 forty, 4.25 shuttle; 4.0 GPA); OSU (not offered) in the mix (East Carolina, Auburn, both offered). Ohio State has some interest in Olson, and Olson was impressed with his unofficial visit to Ohio State. Aram is probably a few years away from being a Big Ten player, but the Buckeye staff might just be willing to take a flyer on a kid who is a hard worker both on the field and in the classroom. Olson recently received offers from Auburn and Florida State (visit 1/20), so I guess that we can stop calling him a "sleeper" now. Update 12/16 - Aram just received an official offer from Ohio State. At the invitation of the Buckeye coaching staff, Olson made an unofficial visit to Columbus for the Illinois game, and he simply raved about Ohio State. He is planning to make an official visit to Ohio State some time next month (probably January 6th); he has visits scheduled to East Carolina (January 13th), Florida State (January 20th), and Auburn (January 27th).
Receivers
1. David Ausberry, Lemoore, California (6' 4", 200 lbs, 4.72 forty); OSU (childhood fave, offered) trails Southern Cal (strong leader, offered). On a recent West Coast trip, Coach Tressel made an in-house visit with David, who claims that the Buckeyes are still in his top three (along with Southern Cal and Georgia). Ausberry cancelled his official visit to Southern Cal on the weekend of December 2nd, and will announce his college choice (still likely USC) at the Army All-Star game on January 7th. On the year, David caught 55 passes for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns; rushed for 489 yards and 13 touchdowns; had 4 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries from his safety position; returned 17 kickoffs for 557 yards and one touchdown ( 32.8 avg); and was also his team's punter (40.8 avg).
2. Raymond Small, Cleveland Glenville (6' 0", 190 lbs, 4.4 forty); OSU (offered) leads Southern Cal (offered). Small enjoyed his official visit to Ohio State over the weekend of December 2nd, and it now appears that the Buckeyes lead for his services, despite his earlier "silent verbal" to Southern Cal. However, he will take some more visits and wait until January to announce.
3. Josh Chichester, West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West (6' 8", 210 lbs, 4.7 forty); committed to Ohio State!
4. Wesley Lyons, Pittsburgh Woodland Hills (6' 6", 205 lbs, 4.65 forty); OSU (offered) in top 3 (Boston College, West Virginia, both offered). Wesley still seems torn between Ohio State (sentimental favorite) and either West Virginia or Boston College (better depth charts); he also seems content to wait a while before deciding. We wouldn't be surprised if Wesley signed with any of his three leaders, but feel that Ohio State is currently in third place. For the year, Wesley caught 22 passes for 450 yards and 6 touchdowns.
5. Aaron Berry, Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt (5' 11", 157 lbs, 4.49 forty, 4.18 shuttle); OSU (offered) in top 6 (Minnesota, Michigan State, Pitt, Wisconsin, Virginia). Berry is a teammate of superstar RB LeSean McCoy, defensive tackle Jason Kates, and QB Jeremy Ricker (Maryland verbal), each of whom has been highly recruited. Although Aaron has not yet received as much attention as his more celebrated teammates, he is a fast-rising prospect who is both athletic and productive. As a junior, Aaron caught 40 passes for 999 yards and 11 TD's and nabbed 5 interceptions on defense; and as a senior, he caught 67 passes for 1,278 yards and 21 TD's while snagging 3 interceptions for a team which lost the state championship game by a single point. To date, Berry has visited Minnesota, and he has no other official visits scheduled.
6. Terence Jeffers, Lilburn (Georgia) Berkmar (6' 0", 190 lbs, 4.48 forty, 4.25 shuttle, SPARQ 81.9); Ohio State (not offered) in the mix (UConn, Vanderbilt, both offered). Jeffers is another "sleeper" prospect who has recently attracted the attention of the Buckeye coaching staff. As a senior, Terence had 43 receptions for 803 yards and 8 TD's. Coach Haynes has already made an in-home visit, and coach Tressel is planning to follow that up with a visit of his own some time next week. Update 12/15 - Terence committed to UConn.
Offensive Linemen / Tight Ends
1. Connor Smith, Cincinnati Colerain (6' 5", 280 lbs, 5.1 forty); committed to Ohio State!
2. Jacob Ballard, Springboro, Ohio (6' 7", 255 lbs, 4.8 forty); committed to Ohio State!
3. Bryant Browning, Cleveland Glenville (6' 3", 328 lbs, 5.4 forty); OSU (offered) leads. Browning visited Ohio State last weekend, along with fellow Tarblooders Raymond Small and Robert Rose. All three had a great visit, and should eventually commit to the Buckeyes, probably some time shortly after the new year.
4. Andy Miller, Washington (Pennsylvania) Trinity (6' 6", 249 lbs, 4.9 forty); OSU (offered) in top 5 (Pitt, Indiana, West Virginia, all offered; Penn State). Miller is a brand new Buckeye offeree, and he will make an official visit to Ohio State on the weekend of December 16th; he has already visited Indiana (December 2nd), and will also visit West Virginia (December 9th) and Pitt (January 7th). As a high school senior, Miller played tight end in a run-oriented offense, where he caught 11 passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns; however, similar to the Buckeyes' own Kirk Barton, Andy will likely grow into an offensive tackle at the college level. Miller excels in the classroom, where he carries a 3.99 GPA and has already scored a 1000 on the old SAT. Despite the late offer, the Buckeyes are clearly in the mix for Andy Miller. Update 12/18 - Miller had a decent visit to West Virginia last weekend, and he also enjoyed himself at Ohio State this weekend. He is still scheduled to visit Pitt on January 6th, and he will decide amongst his finalists shortly thereafter.
Defensive Linemen
1. Robert Rose, Cleveland Glenville (6' 5", 238 lbs, 4.6 forty, 4.6 shuttle); OSU (offered) leads. Rose visited Ohio State last weekend, and still seems to favor the Buckeyes. He plans to announce at the Army All Star game.
2. Dexter Larimore, Merrillville, Indiana (6' 3", 265 lbs, 4.8 forty); OSU (offered) in top 2 (Michigan, offered). We feel that Larimore will commit to Ohio State in the near future, possibly as soon as next week. However, Lloyd Carr made a strong final pitch for Dexter's services, and Michigan should still be considered a contender in this battle. Update 12/18 - As expected, Dexter committed to Ohio State!
3. Jason Adjepong, Carteret, New Jersey (6' 3", 248 lbs, 4.69 forty); OSU (offered) in top 4 (Michigan, VPI, Rutgers, all offered). Adjepong enjoyed his official visit to Ohio State, and seems to have developed quite a relationship with Coach Hazell and Coach Tressel, so the Bucks might have a decent chance of getting a commitment out of Jason. He has already visited Michigan, and will visit VPI on the weekend of December 9th and Rutgers on December 16th. Update 12/18 - Jason visited Rutgers this weekend and the Scarlet Knights remain a strong contender for this local product. Too close to call, with all four finalists remaining in the hunt.
4. McKenzie Matthews, Syracuse Christian Brothers (6' 3", 235 lbs, 4.8 forty); OSU (offered) in top 4 (Pitt, Michigan, Miami, all offered). Matthews originally favored Ohio State, and apparently came close to committing to the Buckeyes during his official visit to Columbus, but now he is seriously looking at his other favorites. Last weekend, he took an official visit to Pitt (he made an unofficial visit earlier in the year), and this weekend he is in Ann Arbor for an official visit to Michigan; he also plans to take a trip to Miami before deciding. Although we were once fairly confident that McKenzie would sign with the Buckeyes, we now feel that this is a true four-team race.
5. Johnnie Troutman, Browns Mills (New Jersey) Pemberton Twp (6' 4", 289, 4.9 forty); OSU (offered) trails Penn State, (offered). Johnnie visited Penn State last weekend and states that the Nittany Lions now lead; he also plans to visit Michigan State (12/9), Ohio State (1/6), Maryland (1/14), and Virginia (1/20). Update 12/18 - Due to the weather, Troutman missed his official visit to Michigan State; Penn State still leads, followed by Ohio State and Michigan State.
6. Walter Dublin, Sarasota, Florida (6' 3", 235 lbs, 4.58 forty); OSU (offered) in top 3 (Minnesota, Iowa, both offered). Walter's leaders change frequently, but Ohio State has always been near the top of his list. Dublin is visiting Minnesota this weekend; he has already visited Iowa (October 22nd), and plans to visit Ohio State on January 20th. Grades are an issue.
Linebackers
1. Ross Homan, Coldwater, Ohio (6' 2", 220 lbs, 4.55 forty); committed to Ohio State!
2. A.J. Jones, OSU (offered) in top 5 (Florida, Alabama, LSU, USC, all offered). Jones is not exactly a new name in Buckeye recruiting circles, but until recently we had a strong suspicion that he was listing Ohio State as a leader just to have a name to round out his top five list. While we still feel that OSU is (at best) in fifth place and quite a bit behind co-leaders Florida and Alabama, A.J. has scheduled an official visit to Columbus for the weekend of January 6th. If he has an outstanding visit, then the Bucks might still have an outside shot. Update 12/15 - Jones is a "soft verbal" to Florida, but might still visit Ohio State in January.
3. Mark Johnson, Los Angeles Dorsey (6' 4", 230 lbs, 4.55 forty); OSU (offered) co-leader with LSU (offered). Academics are still the stumbling block with Mark, who seems to want to play for the Buckeyes. He is scheduled to make an official visit to Ohio State during the first full weekend in January. Mark would be an ideal MLB candidate, if he can make his grades.
4. Tyler Moeller, Cincinnati Colerain (6' 1", 205, 4.48 forty); committed to Ohio State!
5. Colin McCarthy, Clearwater (Florida) Central Catholic (6' 1", 210 lbs, 4.53 forty, 4.13 shuttle); OSU (offered) in top 4 (Miami, Nebraska, Georgia Tech, all offered). We feel that Ohio State leads, but that Nebraska (again) will be a major player, as will Miami, whom he visits on December 16th. Coach Tressel will be down for an in-home visit next week, and Colin plans on making another (unofficial) visit to Columbus prior to making his final decision. On the season, Colin recorded nearly 150 tackles (26 for loss), and caught 39 passes for 640 yards and 6 TD's. Update 12/18 - Colin visited Miami this weekend, and came away impressed. His three finalists are Ohio State, Miami, and Georgia Tech, with the Buckeyes being a slight leader. He is scheduled to decide some time in mid-January.
Defensive Backs
1. A.J. Wallace, Pomfret (Maryland) McDonough (6' 1", 195 lbs, 4.4 forty); OSU (offered) in top 6 (Florida State, Penn State, Nebraska, Southern Cal, Miami, all offered). Although the Buckeyes held an early lead, this race is now too close to call - Nebraska, Penn State, and Florida State are all solid contenders, and Miami and Southern Cal may also be in the mix. Coach Tressel made an in-home visit to AJ this week.... Update 12/19 - Speculation is high that Penn State leads for Wallace's services, and that he might even be a silent verbal to the Lions.
2. Kurt Coleman, Clayton (Ohio) Northmont (5' 11", 190 lbs, 4.44 forty); committed to Ohio State!
3. Grant Schwartz, Dana Point (California) Dana Hills (6' 0", 201 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Ohio State!
4. Ryan Hill, Tallahassee Rickards (6' 0", 178 lbs, 4.53 forty); Miami (offered) leads OSU (offered). Ryan visited Ohio State last weekend. Although he really enjoyed his visit (despite the wintry weather), we still feel that Miami is the team to beat. Ryan will make an official visit to Coral Gables on January 20th; he is also planning to visit Alabama (January 13th) and Clemson (January 27th). Update 12/12 - All the talk about Ryan enjoying his visit to Columbus, not minding the cold weather, seriously considering the Buckeyes, etc. was just that - talk. As expected, Hill committed to Miami.
5. Ricky Gary, Pahokee, Florida (5' 8", 165, 4.4 forty); Ohio State (offered) chasing Pitt (soft verbal). Although Ricky has already verballed to Pitt, he still wants to take an official visit to Ohio State on January 6th. Last season, Ricky had 42 tackles and 4 interceptions.
6. Marcus Udell, Tallahassee Godby (5' 11", 178, 4.5 forty, 4.03 shuttle); OSU (offered) in top 6 (Maryland, Florida, Iowa, Clemson, all offered; Florida State). Marcus is a rather recent Buckeye offeree who is scheduled to visit Columbus on January 6th. He will also visit Maryland (12/16), Clemson (1/13), Florida (1/20), and Iowa (1/27). His favorite school is hometown Florida State, but the Seminoles have not shown much interest in him.
7. Ashton Henderson, Tallahassee Lincoln (6' 0", 180 lbs, 4.43 forty); OSU (offered) in the mix. Ashton is another new name for Buckeye fans. After a fine senior season at one of Florida's best programs (the same school that produced former Buckeye QB recruit Joe Bauserman and current Florida State WR Fred Rouse), Henderson has received a lot of attention from coaching staffs around the country. He plans to visit Ohio State in January, either on the 6th or the 20th.
8. Chimdi Chekwa, Clermont (Florida) East Ridge (6' 0", 165 lbs, 4.67 forty); OSU (offered) in top 5 (South Carolina, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, all offered). Chimdi is a teammate of Notre Dame verbal WR Richard Jackson. As a senior, Chimdi recorded 40 tackles, 7 interceptions, and 4 fumble recoveries. He is fully qualified with a 3.2 GPA and a 23 on the ACT. He made a mid-week visit to Ohio State last week (December 14th), before visiting Maryland last weekend; he is scheduled to visit Wake Forest (January 6th), and he might also visit Georgia Tech before selecting a school. Update 12/22 - Before even finishing his official visits, Chimdi committed to Ohio State!
9. Aaron Gant, Orchard Lake (Michigan) St. Mary's (6' 0", 200 lbs, 4.5 forty); OSU (offered) in top 3 (Michgan, Washington, both offered). After a break-out senior season for one of the top programs in the state of Michigan, Aaron was recently offered by the Buckeyes. He will visit Ohio State on the weekend of January 13th, after visiting Iowa (December 16th) and Washington (January 6th); Michigan will also get an official visit. Aaron will most likely be a safety in college, although he could also play outside linebacker or running back.
10. Elijah "Scoot" Fields, Duquesne, Pennsylvania (6' 1", 198 lbs, 4.55 forty); OSU (offered?) in top 4 (Pitt, West Virginia, both offered; Penn State, not offered). Fields had a tremendous season, racking up Fields over 1,000 yards receiving, 10 interceptions as a safety, and 27 total touchdowns while leading his team to the state championship game this weekend. Scoot claims that he recently received an offer from Ohio State; if true, look for the Buckeyes to be near the top of his list.
Committed Elsewhere
Justin Boren, OL, Pickerington (Ohio) North (6' 3", 319 lbs, 5.2 forty); committed to Michigan.
Steve Brown, ATH, Columbus (Indiana) East (6' 1", 200 lbs, 4.39 forty); committed to Michigan.
Cobrani "Cobra" Mixon, LB, Cincinnati Colerain (6' 2", 220 lbs, 4.6 forty); committed to Michigan.
Carlos Brown, RB, Heard County, Georgia (6' 0", 195 lbs, 4.57 forty); committed to Michigan.
Tom McEowen, DL, Feasterville (Pennsylvania) Neshaminy (6' 4", 279 lbs, 5.1 forty); committed to Penn State.
Aaron Maybin, DL, Ellicott City (Maryland) Mt. Hebron (6' 3", 220 lbs, 4.64 forty); committed to Penn State.
Navorro Bowman, Suitland (Maryland) Suitland (6' 0", 218 lbs, 4.7 forty); committed to Penn State.
Bani Gbadyu, Gaithersburg (Maryland) Quince Orchard (6' 1", 205 lbs, 4.52 forty); committed to Penn State.
Isiah "Juice" Williams, Chicago Vocational (6' 1", 210 lbs, 4.77 forty, 4.19 shuttle); committed to Illinois.
Chris James, WR, Chicago Morgan Park (6' 0", 169 lbs, 4.55 forty); committed to Illinois.
Ryan Palmer, Canton Glen Oak (6' 7", 280 lbs, 5.1 forty); committed to Illinois.
Jake Miller, Zoarville (Ohio) Tuscarawas Valley (6' 6", 321 lbs, 5.3 forty); committed to Illinois.
Joe Morgan, Canton McKinley (6' 2", 175 lbs, 4.4 forty); committed to Illinois.
A.J. Edds, Greenwood, Indiana (6' 4", 215 lbs, 4.7 forty); committed to Iowa.
Dominique Douglas, Detroit Murray-Wright (6' 0", 174 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Iowa.
Jovani Chappel, DB, Trotwood (Ohio) Madison (5' 8", 169 lbs, 4.53 forty); committed to Purdue.
Kyle Sheehan, Fairmont, Minnesota (6' 5", 260 lbs, 4.8 forty); committed to Purdue.
Royce Adams, Cleveland Glenville (5' 11", 165 lbs, 4.68 forty); committed to Purdue.
Kevin Green, Jr., LB, North Chicago, Illinois (6' 2", 213 lbs, 4.55 forty); committed to Purdue.
Bill Nagy, Hudson, Ohio (6' 4", 285 lbs, 4.85 forty, 4.5 shuttle); committed to Wisconsin.
Adam Weber, QB, Shoreview (Minnesota) Mounds View (6' 3", 205 lbs, 4.65 forty); committed to Minnesota.
Tommy Becker, Plymouth (Minnesota) Wayzata (6' 2", 230 lbs, 4.77 forty); committed to Minnesota.
Raeshon McNeil, DB, Mocksville (North Carolina) Davie County (6' 0", 175 lbs, 4.40 forty); committed to Notre Dame.
Demetrius Jones, Chicago Morgan Park (6' 3", 192 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to Notre Dame.
Darrin Walls, Pittsburgh Woodland Hills (6' 1", 175 lbs, 4.4 forty); committed to Notre Dame.
Konrad Reuland, Mission Viejo, California (6' 6", 235 lbs, 4.75 forty); committed to Notre Dame.
Nate Byham, TE, Franklin, Pennsylvania (6' 4", 220 lbs, 4.65 forty); committed to Pitt.
Dorin Dickerson, ATH, Imperial (Pennsylvania) West Allegheny (6' 3", 205 lbs, 4.51 forty); committed to Pitt.
Jason Pinkston, DL, Pittsburgh Baldwin (6' 5", 273 lbs, 4.9 forty); committed to Pitt.
Greg Webster, LB, Pittsburgh Woodland Hills (6' 2", 225 lbs, 4.7 forty); committed to Pitt.
Joe Thomas, Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edwards (6' 5", 310 lbs, 5.1 forty); committed to Pitt.
Chris Fox, Westwood (Massachusetts) Xaverian Brothers (5' 11", 191 lbs, 4.47 forty); committed to Boston College.
Steven Wesley, Bartow, Florida (6' 2", 235 lbs, 4.8 forty); committed to Miami.
Terron Sanders, DL, Bradenton (Florida) Southeast (6' 2", 298 lbs, 5.1 forty); committed to Florida.
Jamar Hornsby, Jacksonville Sandalwood (6' 4", 195 lbs, 4.45 forty); committed to Florida.
Bryan Thomas, Zephyrhills, Florida (6' 0", 186 lbs, 4.39 forty); committed to Florida.
Tim Tebow, QB, Jacksonville (Florida) Nease (6' 3", 225 lbs, 4.6 forty); committed to Florida.
Damon McDaniel, WR, Virginia Beach Landstown (6' 0", 192 lbs, 4.51 forty); committed to Florida.
Brandon Warren, ATH, Alcoa, Tennessee (6' 3", 230 lbs, 4.6 forty); committed to Florida State.
D'Vontrey Richardson, ATH, Leesburg (Georgia) Lee County (6' 1", 205, 4.45); committed to Florida State.
Akeem Hebron, Damascus (Maryland) Good Counsel (6' 2", 193 lbs, 4.45 forty); committed to Georgia.
Asher Allen, Tucker, Georgia (5' 10", 187 lbs, 4.39 forty); committed to Georgia.
Chris Slaughter, Fort Valley (Georgia) Peach County (6' 3", 170 lbs, 4.55 forty); committed to Auburn.
Lee Tilley, OL, Springfield (Ohio) South (6' 7", 300 lbs, 5.0 forty); committed to Auburn.
Antwine Perez, Camden (New Jersey) Woodrow Wilson (6' 2", 197 lbs, 4.53 forty); committed to Southern Cal.
Chane Moline, FB, Mission Viejo, California (6' 1", 235 lbs, 4.7 forty); committed to UCLA.
Troy Pascley, WR, Alliance (6' 2", 180 lbs, 4.39 forty); committed to Louisville.
Micah Johnson, DL, Ft. Campbell (Kentucky) West Potomac (6' 2", 267, 4.7 forty); committed to Kentucky.
Jamil Paris, Vero Beach (Florida) Sebastian River (6' 5", 213 lbs, 4.54 forty); committed to Kentucky.
Michael Hartline, QB, Canton Glen Oak (6' 5", 175 lbs, 4.8 forty); committed to Kentucky.
Joe Torchia, North Arlington (New Jersey) Queen of Peace (6' 3", 231 lbs, 4.8 forty); committed to Virginia.
Keith Payne, RB, Vienna (Virginia) Oakton (6' 2", 220, 4.4 forty); committed to Virginia.
Clark Crum, OL, Dublin Scioto (6' 7", 255 lbs, 5.15 forty); committed to Virginia Tech.
Aaron Brown, Cincinnati Princeton (6' 6", 270 lbs, 5.1 forty); committed to Virginia Tech.
Robert Williams, DB, Cincinnati Withrow (5' 11", 179 lbs, 4.5 forty); committed to West Virginia.
Brian Whitmore, Chesapeake (Virginia) Oscar F. Smith (6' 3", 240 lbs, 4.65 forty); committed to Maryland.
Drew Gloster, DL, Damascus (Maryland) Good Counsel (6' 4", 215 lbs, 4.57 forty); committed to Maryland.
Kris Luchsinger, Columbus Bishop Watterson (6' 4", 225 lbs, 4.6 forty); committed to Ohio.
Darius Smith, DL, Euclid, Ohio (6' 3", 195 lbs, 4.6 forty); committed to Bowling Green.
Peris Edwards, Toledo Rogers (6' 1", 175 lbs, 4.43 forty); committed to Miami of Ohio.
Bob Gulley, Berea, Ohio (6' 4", 274 lbs, 5.2 forty); committed to Miami of Ohio.
Martin Channels, Huber Heights Wayne (6' 1", 300 lbs, 5.15 forty); committed to Miami of Ohio.
Jacob Ramsey, Columbus Independence (6' 0", 205, 4.5 forty); committed to Cincinnati.
Chris Meenan, Wooster, Ohio (6' 8", 315 lbs); committed to Toledo.
Taylor Price, ATH, Hilliard Darby (6' 2", 195 lbs, 4.25 forty); committed to Akron.
Sean Hakes, QB, Fort Worth Nolan Catholic (6' 4", 195 lbs, 4.7 forty); committed to Akron.
Looking Elsewhere
Arvell Nelson, QB, Cleveland Glenville (6' 5", 180 lbs, 4.75 forty); Iowa leads Michigan State, Tennessee, Wisconsin.
Nate Davis, QB, Bellaire (6' 3", 215 lbs, 4.85 forty); Toledo, Cincinnati, Ball State.
Josh Adams, RB, Cary, North Carolina (5' 11", 171 lbs, 4.58 forty); North Carolina; NC State; Clemson; Tennessee; Georgia; LSU; Maryland; Virginia.
Norman Whitley, RB, Rockingham (North Carolina) Richmond County (5' 8", 176 lbs, 4.46 forty; East Carolina leads.
Xylon Purkiss, FB, Ravenna, Ohio (5' 10", 255 lbs, 4.85 forty); no offers.
Devven Sutton, FB, Elizabeth City (North Carolina) Northeastern (6' 0", 239 lbs, 4.60 forty, 4.20 shuttle); Virginia Tech leads.
Vidal Hazelton, WR, Staten Island (New York) Moore Catholic (6' 3", 192 lbs, 4.5 forty); Florida, Georgia, Miami, Southern Cal, VPI.
Andrey Baskin, WR, Camden (New Jersey) Woodrow Wilson (6' 4", 192 lbs, 4.45 forty); Syracuse leads.
Crawford Kilpatrick, WR, Suwanee (Georgia) North Gwinnett (6' 5", 197, 4.52 forty); Duke only offer.
Jeff Cumberland, WR, Columbus Brookhaven (6' 6", 220 lbs, 4.55 forty); possible JUCO.
Markeith Summers, WR, Olive Branch, Mississippi (6' 4", 190 lbs, 4.5 forty); Alabama, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss.
Ray Fisher, WR, Cleveland Glenville (5' 10", 170 lbs, 4.4 forty); Indiana, Illinois, Maryland.
J.B. Walton, OL, Indian Head (Maryland) Lackey (6' 3", 270 lbs, 5.1 forty); Nebraska, Penn State.
Mark Jackson, OL, Columbus Brookhaven (6' 6", 300 lbs, 5.4 forty); Minnesota, Michigan State.
Chris Hanna, OL, Pittsburgh Gateway (6' 4", 292 lbs, 5.0 forty); Illinois; Rutgers, Kent State.
Phillip Taylor, DL, Clinton (Maryland) Gwynn Park (6' 3", 346 lbs, 5.1 forty); Maryland, Penn State, VPI, Florida, Tennessee.
Alex Dekle, DL, Statesboro, Georgia (6' 2", 273 lbs, 4.82 forty); possible JUCO.
Lamar Mapp, DL, Springfield (Ohio) South (6' 3", 234 lbs, 4.65 forty); Akron, Cincinnati, Ohio, Toledo.
Jeremiha Hunter, LB, Manheim (Pennsylvania) Central (6' 2", 210 lbs, 4.5 forty); UConn; Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Penn State, Iowa.
Thaddeus Gibson, LB, Euclid, Ohio (6' 3", 208 lbs, 4.4 forty); possible JUCO.
Marcus Ball, DB, Stone Mountain (Georgia) Stephenson (6' 0", 200 lbs, 4.49 forty); Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami, Tennessee, VPI.
Reshad Jones, DB, Atlanta Booker T. Washington (6' 2", 177 lbs, 4.5 forty); Miami, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan.
Mister Alexander, DB, Aldine (Texas) Eisenhower (6' 3", 200 lbs); waiting on Florida State.
Cody Blevins, DB, Miamisburg, Ohio (6' 2", 200 lbs, 4.6 forty); no offers.
Chris Duvalt, DB, Lakeland (Florida) Lake Gibson (5' 10", 159 lbs, 4.38 forty); South Florida leads.
Devin Parrish, ATH, Miramar (Florida) Parkway Academy (6' 0", 155 lbs, 4.46 forty); waiting for offers.
Currently, Ohio State has eleven verbal commitments: QB Antonio Henton from Peach County Georgia; RB Chris Wells from Akron Garfield; WR Josh Chichester from Lakota West; OT/TE Jake Ballard from Springboro; OL Connor Smith from Cincinnati Colerain; DT Dexter Larimore from Merrillville Indiana; LB Tyler Moeller from Cincinnati Colerain; LB Ross Homan from Coldwater; DB Kurt Coleman from Clayton Northmont; DB Chimdi Chekwa from Clermont Florida; and DB ATH Grant Schwartz from Dana Hills California. We believe that the Bucks also have a solid lead for Cleveland Glenville stars OL Bryant Browning, DL Robert Rose, and WR Raymond Small. In other words, more than half of the class of 2006 has already been filled (or soon will be), and the remaining two months of the recruiting season will be spent trying to secure verbal commitments from serious prospects such as Maryland DB A.J. Wallace; New York DE McKenzie Matthews; New Jersey DE Jason Adjepong; New Jersey DT Johnnie Troutman; California WR David Ausberry; California LB Mark Johnson; and Florida LB Colin McCarthy.
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
2. Kylan Robinson, Tampa Chamberlain (6' 1", 215 lbs, 4.5 forty); OSU (offered) trails Miami (not offered). Kylan is a newly-discovered "sleeper" prospect who rushed for 1,400 yards as a senior, including 402 in one game. Robinson likes Ohio State, but he likes Miami even better, and he would more than likely verbal to the 'Canes if they offer. Kylan will visit Ohio State on January 6th, South Carolina on January 13th, Miami on January 20th, and Florida on January 27th.
3. Aram Olson, Columbia (South Carolina) Irmo (6' 1", 237 lbs, 4.9 forty, 4.25 shuttle; 4.0 GPA); OSU (not offered) in the mix (East Carolina, Auburn, both offered). Ohio State has some interest in Olson, and Olson was impressed with his unofficial visit to Ohio State. Aram is probably a few years away from being a Big Ten player, but the Buckeye staff might just be willing to take a flyer on a kid who is a hard worker both on the field and in the classroom. Olson recently received offers from Auburn and Florida State (visit 1/20), so I guess that we can stop calling him a "sleeper" now. Update 12/16 - Aram just received an official offer from Ohio State. At the invitation of the Buckeye coaching staff, Olson made an unofficial visit to Columbus for the Illinois game, and he simply raved about Ohio State. He is planning to make an official visit to Ohio State some time next month (probably January 6th); he has visits scheduled to East Carolina (January 13th), Florida State (January 20th), and Auburn (January 27th).
Receivers
1. David Ausberry, Lemoore, California (6' 4", 200 lbs, 4.72 forty); OSU (childhood fave, offered) trails Southern Cal (strong leader, offered). On a recent West Coast trip, Coach Tressel made an in-house visit with David, who claims that the Buckeyes are still in his top three (along with Southern Cal and Georgia). Ausberry cancelled his official visit to Southern Cal on the weekend of December 2nd, and will announce his college choice (still likely USC) at the Army All-Star game on January 7th. On the year, David caught 55 passes for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns; rushed for 489 yards and 13 touchdowns; had 4 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries from his safety position; returned 17 kickoffs for 557 yards and one touchdown ( 32.8 avg); and was also his team's punter (40.8 avg).
2. Raymond Small, Cleveland Glenville (6' 0", 190 lbs, 4.4 forty); OSU (offered) leads Southern Cal (offered). Small enjoyed his official visit to Ohio State over the weekend of December 2nd, and it now appears that the Buckeyes lead for his services, despite his earlier "silent verbal" to Southern Cal. However, he will take some more visits and wait until January to announce.
4. Wesley Lyons, Pittsburgh Woodland Hills (6' 6", 205 lbs, 4.65 forty); OSU (offered) in top 3 (Boston College, West Virginia, both offered). Wesley still seems torn between Ohio State (sentimental favorite) and either West Virginia or Boston College (better depth charts); he also seems content to wait a while before deciding. We wouldn't be surprised if Wesley signed with any of his three leaders, but feel that Ohio State is currently in third place. For the year, Wesley caught 22 passes for 450 yards and 6 touchdowns.
5. Aaron Berry, Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt (5' 11", 157 lbs, 4.49 forty, 4.18 shuttle); OSU (offered) in top 6 (Minnesota, Michigan State, Pitt, Wisconsin, Virginia). Berry is a teammate of superstar RB LeSean McCoy, defensive tackle Jason Kates, and QB Jeremy Ricker (Maryland verbal), each of whom has been highly recruited. Although Aaron has not yet received as much attention as his more celebrated teammates, he is a fast-rising prospect who is both athletic and productive. As a junior, Aaron caught 40 passes for 999 yards and 11 TD's and nabbed 5 interceptions on defense; and as a senior, he caught 67 passes for 1,278 yards and 21 TD's while snagging 3 interceptions for a team which lost the state championship game by a single point. To date, Berry has visited Minnesota, and he has no other official visits scheduled.
Offensive Linemen / Tight Ends
3. Bryant Browning, Cleveland Glenville (6' 3", 328 lbs, 5.4 forty); OSU (offered) leads. Browning visited Ohio State last weekend, along with fellow Tarblooders Raymond Small and Robert Rose. All three had a great visit, and should eventually commit to the Buckeyes, probably some time shortly after the new year.
4. Andy Miller, Washington (Pennsylvania) Trinity (6' 6", 249 lbs, 4.9 forty); OSU (offered) in top 5 (Pitt, Indiana, West Virginia, all offered; Penn State). Miller is a brand new Buckeye offeree, and he will make an official visit to Ohio State on the weekend of December 16th; he has already visited Indiana (December 2nd), and will also visit West Virginia (December 9th) and Pitt (January 7th). As a high school senior, Miller played tight end in a run-oriented offense, where he caught 11 passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns; however, similar to the Buckeyes' own Kirk Barton, Andy will likely grow into an offensive tackle at the college level. Miller excels in the classroom, where he carries a 3.99 GPA and has already scored a 1000 on the old SAT. Despite the late offer, the Buckeyes are clearly in the mix for Andy Miller. Update 12/18 - Miller had a decent visit to West Virginia last weekend, and he also enjoyed himself at Ohio State this weekend. He is still scheduled to visit Pitt on January 6th, and he will decide amongst his finalists shortly thereafter.
Defensive Linemen
1. Robert Rose, Cleveland Glenville (6' 5", 238 lbs, 4.6 forty, 4.6 shuttle); OSU (offered) leads. Rose visited Ohio State last weekend, and still seems to favor the Buckeyes. He plans to announce at the Army All Star game.
3. Jason Adjepong, Carteret, New Jersey (6' 3", 248 lbs, 4.69 forty); OSU (offered) in top 4 (Michigan, VPI, Rutgers, all offered). Adjepong enjoyed his official visit to Ohio State, and seems to have developed quite a relationship with Coach Hazell and Coach Tressel, so the Bucks might have a decent chance of getting a commitment out of Jason. He has already visited Michigan, and will visit VPI on the weekend of December 9th and Rutgers on December 16th. Update 12/18 - Jason visited Rutgers this weekend and the Scarlet Knights remain a strong contender for this local product. Too close to call, with all four finalists remaining in the hunt.
4. McKenzie Matthews, Syracuse Christian Brothers (6' 3", 235 lbs, 4.8 forty); OSU (offered) in top 4 (Pitt, Michigan, Miami, all offered). Matthews originally favored Ohio State, and apparently came close to committing to the Buckeyes during his official visit to Columbus, but now he is seriously looking at his other favorites. Last weekend, he took an official visit to Pitt (he made an unofficial visit earlier in the year), and this weekend he is in Ann Arbor for an official visit to Michigan; he also plans to take a trip to Miami before deciding. Although we were once fairly confident that McKenzie would sign with the Buckeyes, we now feel that this is a true four-team race.
5. Johnnie Troutman, Browns Mills (New Jersey) Pemberton Twp (6' 4", 289, 4.9 forty); OSU (offered) trails Penn State, (offered). Johnnie visited Penn State last weekend and states that the Nittany Lions now lead; he also plans to visit Michigan State (12/9), Ohio State (1/6), Maryland (1/14), and Virginia (1/20). Update 12/18 - Due to the weather, Troutman missed his official visit to Michigan State; Penn State still leads, followed by Ohio State and Michigan State.
6. Walter Dublin, Sarasota, Florida (6' 3", 235 lbs, 4.58 forty); OSU (offered) in top 3 (Minnesota, Iowa, both offered). Walter's leaders change frequently, but Ohio State has always been near the top of his list. Dublin is visiting Minnesota this weekend; he has already visited Iowa (October 22nd), and plans to visit Ohio State on January 20th. Grades are an issue.
Linebackers
3. Mark Johnson, Los Angeles Dorsey (6' 4", 230 lbs, 4.55 forty); OSU (offered) co-leader with LSU (offered). Academics are still the stumbling block with Mark, who seems to want to play for the Buckeyes. He is scheduled to make an official visit to Ohio State during the first full weekend in January. Mark would be an ideal MLB candidate, if he can make his grades.
5. Colin McCarthy, Clearwater (Florida) Central Catholic (6' 1", 210 lbs, 4.53 forty, 4.13 shuttle); OSU (offered) in top 4 (Miami, Nebraska, Georgia Tech, all offered). We feel that Ohio State leads, but that Nebraska (again) will be a major player, as will Miami, whom he visits on December 16th. Coach Tressel will be down for an in-home visit next week, and Colin plans on making another (unofficial) visit to Columbus prior to making his final decision. On the season, Colin recorded nearly 150 tackles (26 for loss), and caught 39 passes for 640 yards and 6 TD's. Update 12/18 - Colin visited Miami this weekend, and came away impressed. His three finalists are Ohio State, Miami, and Georgia Tech, with the Buckeyes being a slight leader. He is scheduled to decide some time in mid-January.
Defensive Backs
1. A.J. Wallace, Pomfret (Maryland) McDonough (6' 1", 195 lbs, 4.4 forty); OSU (offered) in top 6 (Florida State, Penn State, Nebraska, Southern Cal, Miami, all offered). Although the Buckeyes held an early lead, this race is now too close to call - Nebraska, Penn State, and Florida State are all solid contenders, and Miami and Southern Cal may also be in the mix. Coach Tressel made an in-home visit to AJ this week.... Update 12/19 - Speculation is high that Penn State leads for Wallace's services, and that he might even be a silent verbal to the Lions.
6. Marcus Udell, Tallahassee Godby (5' 11", 178, 4.5 forty, 4.03 shuttle); OSU (offered) in top 6 (Maryland, Florida, Iowa, Clemson, all offered; Florida State). Marcus is a rather recent Buckeye offeree who is scheduled to visit Columbus on January 6th. He will also visit Maryland (12/16), Clemson (1/13), Florida (1/20), and Iowa (1/27). His favorite school is hometown Florida State, but the Seminoles have not shown much interest in him.
7. Ashton Henderson, Tallahassee Lincoln (6' 0", 180 lbs, 4.43 forty); OSU (offered) in the mix. Ashton is another new name for Buckeye fans. After a fine senior season at one of Florida's best programs (the same school that produced former Buckeye QB recruit Joe Bauserman and current Florida State WR Fred Rouse), Henderson has received a lot of attention from coaching staffs around the country. He plans to visit Ohio State in January, either on the 6th or the 20th.
9. Aaron Gant, Orchard Lake (Michigan) St. Mary's (6' 0", 200 lbs, 4.5 forty); OSU (offered) in top 3 (Michgan, Washington, both offered). After a break-out senior season for one of the top programs in the state of Michigan, Aaron was recently offered by the Buckeyes. He will visit Ohio State on the weekend of January 13th, after visiting Iowa (December 16th) and Washington (January 6th); Michigan will also get an official visit. Aaron will most likely be a safety in college, although he could also play outside linebacker or running back.
10. Elijah "Scoot" Fields, Duquesne, Pennsylvania (6' 1", 198 lbs, 4.55 forty); OSU (offered?) in top 4 (Pitt, West Virginia, both offered; Penn State, not offered). Fields had a tremendous season, racking up Fields over 1,000 yards receiving, 10 interceptions as a safety, and 27 total touchdowns while leading his team to the state championship game this weekend. Scoot claims that he recently received an offer from Ohio State; if true, look for the Buckeyes to be near the top of his list.
Committed Elsewhere
Looking Elsewhere
Arvell Nelson, QB, Cleveland Glenville (6' 5", 180 lbs, 4.75 forty); Iowa leads Michigan State, Tennessee, Wisconsin.
Nate Davis, QB, Bellaire (6' 3", 215 lbs, 4.85 forty); Toledo, Cincinnati, Ball State.
Josh Adams, RB, Cary, North Carolina (5' 11", 171 lbs, 4.58 forty); North Carolina; NC State; Clemson; Tennessee; Georgia; LSU; Maryland; Virginia.
Norman Whitley, RB, Rockingham (North Carolina) Richmond County (5' 8", 176 lbs, 4.46 forty; East Carolina leads.
Xylon Purkiss, FB, Ravenna, Ohio (5' 10", 255 lbs, 4.85 forty); no offers.
Devven Sutton, FB, Elizabeth City (North Carolina) Northeastern (6' 0", 239 lbs, 4.60 forty, 4.20 shuttle); Virginia Tech leads.
Vidal Hazelton, WR, Staten Island (New York) Moore Catholic (6' 3", 192 lbs, 4.5 forty); Florida, Georgia, Miami, Southern Cal, VPI.
Andrey Baskin, WR, Camden (New Jersey) Woodrow Wilson (6' 4", 192 lbs, 4.45 forty); Syracuse leads.
Crawford Kilpatrick, WR, Suwanee (Georgia) North Gwinnett (6' 5", 197, 4.52 forty); Duke only offer.
Jeff Cumberland, WR, Columbus Brookhaven (6' 6", 220 lbs, 4.55 forty); possible JUCO.
Markeith Summers, WR, Olive Branch, Mississippi (6' 4", 190 lbs, 4.5 forty); Alabama, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss.
Ray Fisher, WR, Cleveland Glenville (5' 10", 170 lbs, 4.4 forty); Indiana, Illinois, Maryland.
J.B. Walton, OL, Indian Head (Maryland) Lackey (6' 3", 270 lbs, 5.1 forty); Nebraska, Penn State.
Mark Jackson, OL, Columbus Brookhaven (6' 6", 300 lbs, 5.4 forty); Minnesota, Michigan State.
Chris Hanna, OL, Pittsburgh Gateway (6' 4", 292 lbs, 5.0 forty); Illinois; Rutgers, Kent State.
Phillip Taylor, DL, Clinton (Maryland) Gwynn Park (6' 3", 346 lbs, 5.1 forty); Maryland, Penn State, VPI, Florida, Tennessee.
Alex Dekle, DL, Statesboro, Georgia (6' 2", 273 lbs, 4.82 forty); possible JUCO.
Lamar Mapp, DL, Springfield (Ohio) South (6' 3", 234 lbs, 4.65 forty); Akron, Cincinnati, Ohio, Toledo.
Jeremiha Hunter, LB, Manheim (Pennsylvania) Central (6' 2", 210 lbs, 4.5 forty); UConn; Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Penn State, Iowa.
Thaddeus Gibson, LB, Euclid, Ohio (6' 3", 208 lbs, 4.4 forty); possible JUCO.
Marcus Ball, DB, Stone Mountain (Georgia) Stephenson (6' 0", 200 lbs, 4.49 forty); Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami, Tennessee, VPI.
Reshad Jones, DB, Atlanta Booker T. Washington (6' 2", 177 lbs, 4.5 forty); Miami, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan.
Mister Alexander, DB, Aldine (Texas) Eisenhower (6' 3", 200 lbs); waiting on Florida State.
Cody Blevins, DB, Miamisburg, Ohio (6' 2", 200 lbs, 4.6 forty); no offers.
Chris Duvalt, DB, Lakeland (Florida) Lake Gibson (5' 10", 159 lbs, 4.38 forty); South Florida leads.
Devin Parrish, ATH, Miramar (Florida) Parkway Academy (6' 0", 155 lbs, 4.46 forty); waiting for offers.
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