I originally posted this article in January of 2006. Now that almost half of the fifty players on this list have left college for a variety of reasons, I decided that it was time to update "the ones who got away", to see how they fared with their respective college choices. Even casual fans of recruiting will remember some of the names on this list - Fred Davis, Dwayne Jarrett, Willie Williams, Xavier Lee - but many more will have been forgotten ... and rightly so in some cases.
Quarterback
Xavier Lee (Florida State) - Xavier Lee has been in the news recently, and it has not been for his accomplishments on the field. The X-Man is upset that he isn't the Noles' starting quarterback, and he is contemplating a transfer to nearby University of South Florida. Xavier had a chance to sign with Ohio State and become the heir apparent to Troy Smith, but instead he opted to attend Florida State, where everyone except Lee knew that he would sit for four years behind fellow 2004 QB signee Drew Weatherford. Oh, well.... In case you are interested, Lee's career numbers at FSU are thus: 27 out of 57 (47.4%), 466 yards, 3 TD's, 1 Int; 14 rushes for 36 yards and 2 TD's ... and he has looked even worse than the numbers would indicate. Maybe life will be better at USF.... Update July, 2008: Well, the X-Man did not transfer, but stuck with Florida State ... at least for two more seasons. After his red-shirt junior campaign, which saw Lee play in just four games due to a combination of suspension, ineligibility, and just plain ineptitude, Xavier decided that it would be a good idea to ply his wares in the NFL, so he made himself available for the 2008 draft. Problem is, no one seemed to care, and this former high school superstar quarterback was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent ... as a tight end. The Ravens quickly soured on that experiment, and cut Lee on June 29, 2008. Lee's career totals at FSU: 155/302 (.513) for 2,323 yards, 15 touchdows, 11 interceptions, and 17 sacks. Two stars.
Robert Reid (Oklahoma State) - Reid's unusual experience at Oklahoma State is a reflection of a team in a free-fall. As a red-shirt freshman, Reid initially lost the quarterback job to returning starter Donovan Woods - so far, so good. But then, Cowboy head coach Mike Gundy moved Reid to wide receiver, where he caught 5 passes for 24 yards in the first two games of the 2005 season. By game three, however, Reid had assumed the starting QB role, and former starter Woods, in true Pop Warner league fashion, had been moved to safety. Reid put up some truly mediocre numbers (52 out of 108 (48.1%) for 602 yards, 2 TD's, 4 Ints) before getting hurt about halfway through the season. After returning to his starting position a few weeks later, Reid was eventually benched in favor of sophomore Al Pena, a transfer from Georgia Tech who didn't exactly set the Big 12 on fire (89 out of 179 (49.7%) for 1,102 yards, 8 TD's, 13 Ints). All of the above was in the midst of a dismal 4-7 season, in which three of the Cowboys' wins came over non-conference cupcakes Montana State, Florida Atlantic, and Arkansas State. Did Mr. Reid select the wrong OSU? Update July 2008: Bobby Reid's career was going along just fine ... he started all 13 games in 2006, completing 148 of 267 passes (55.4%) for 2266 yards and 24 touchdowns versus only 11 interceptions, while adding 500 yards and 5 touchdowns rushing ... and then it happened. After being benched early in the 2007 season - partly as the result of an injury - Reid was the subject of a malicious attack piece, in which some low-life hack reporterette from The Daily Oklahoman, widely regarded as the absolute bottom of the barrel when it comes to print journalism, implied that he was a soft mama's boy. In response to the article, Cowboys' head coach Mike Gundy defended Reid by blasting said low-life hack reporterette in a post-game press conference. So, Reid was totally thrilled that Gundy had his back, right? Well, maybe not so much.... In an interview with ESPN's Tom Friend in April of 2008, Reid claimed that his head coach's public tirade "basically ended my life" because it wasn't genuine and it only served to cover up Gundy's true feelings for his former franchise starting quarterback. Well, in any event, if there weren't any problems before the poison pen article, then there certainly were plenty thereafter - Reid assumed a more-or-less permanent seat on the bench (he threw only 14 passes after the incident), briefly quit the team during the season, and finally transferred to lowly Texas Southern in January of 2008. Right now, it's almost impossible to rate this kid, with a fine 2006 campaign sandwiched between disastrous seasons in 2005 and 2007 ... and after it, can Reid rebound in 2008 and possibly make the NFL take notice? Two stars for now, but I could still see this rating going either way before the next update.
Anthony Morelli (Penn State) - In August of 2003, five-star quarterback Anthony Morelli committed to Pitt. However, in December of that year, Morelli realized that Panther head coach Walt Harris was on the hot seat, and that the school might just be stupid enough to fire him and replace him with someone far, far worse. So Anthony, being a bright young man, decided to re-open his recruitment, focusing primarily on Penn State and Ohio State. By Signing Day, Morelli had settled on the Nittany Lions, thereby avoiding the train wreck that followed Dave Wannstedt to Pitt. Through his first two seasons, Morelli has seen only mop-up duty, having completed 18 passes in 33 attempts for 200 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception; however, he should be the Lions starting QB in 2006. The question for Buckeye fans is this: Would Anthony have helped Ohio State? With Troy Smith due back in 2006 as the clear starter, Morelli would have been battling Boeckman and Schoenhoft for the starting spot in 2007 (and any time that the Germans are battling the Italians, I'll lay my money on the Germans). Morelli would have provided nice depth in Columbus, but I think that the Buckeye offense is in good hands without him, for 2007 and beyond. Update July 2008: To the extent that he will be remembered at all, Anthony Morelli will be remembered as a competent, uninspiring, immobile quarterback with a big arm who couldn't beat the big boys of the Big Ten, due in large part to his own poor decisions under pressure. After two seasons of mop-up duty, Morelli became the Nittany Lions full-time starter in 2006 and 2007, during which time he amassed some pretty fair stats (442/788, .561, 5,075 yards, 30 touchdowns, 18 interceptions, 39 sacks), achieved a pretty fair winning percentage (18 wins, 8 losses, .692 pct), and impressed absolutely no one with his skills under center. Anthony used up his eligibility after the 2007 season, but was not selected in the 2008 NFL draft; he subsequently signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent. A five-star prospect with three-star results: a recurring theme for Penn State (Derrick Williams, Justin King, A.J. Wallace).
Running Back
Bobby Washington (Miami) - Coming out of Dade County in 2004, Bobby Washington and Charlie Jones (see below) were two of the top running back prospects in the entire country. Both had the swollen egos that often accompany stardom (even when it is only achieved at the high school level), and both decided to attend The U, where each claimed that he would be The Man and that his teammate/opponent would be "nothing". Unfortunately, before that epic intra-squad showdown could occur, Washington failed to gain admission to Miami (academic issues), and re-signed with North Carolina State. As a true freshman, Washington had 151 yards rushing, 34 yards receiving, and no touchdowns for the Wolfpack; as a sophomore, he had only 34 yards rushing and 14 yards receiving for a rather mediocre N.C. State team. Obviously, this lack of success is the fault of the Wolfpack coaching staff, and Bobby is threatening to transfer to another school (he wanted Miami, but it looks like Michigan State will have to do). Yet another blue chip bust who is still relying on his Rivals100 ranking to claim stardom. Update July 2008: After failing to gain admission to Miami and busting out at North Carolina State, Bobby Washington went the Division 1-AA route and transferred to Eastern Kentucky. Washington actually had a fairly decent career for the Colonels, as his two-year totals would indicate: 288 rushes for 1,559 yards (5.4 average) and 15 touchdowns; 44 receptions for 416 yards and 4 touchdowns. Still, being a big shot on a "championship subdivision" team is hardly what one would expect from a former super big time prospect who had offers from every major program in the country. Two stars.
Charlie Jones (Miami) - Jones was the second half of the Dade County tailback tandem who signed with the Miami Hurricanes in 2004. Unlike Bobby Washington, however, Jones cleared admissions at The U. After a year on special teams, Charlie has emerged somewhat as a sophomore, having rushed for 457 yards (4.0 average) and 5 touchdowns as the back-up to Tyrone Moss. Despite the lofty high school ranking, Jones isn't in the same league as Antonio Pittman, the back whom the Buckeyes "settled for" after the super blue chippers all chose the "sexy" programs. And despite being from Florida, Jones doesn't even have Pittman's speed. Update July 2008: Unlike most of the Miami signees on this list, Charlie Jones isn't really a punk, although he did earn a one-game suspension for his participation in the notorious FIU brawl a couple of seasons back. Charlie's problem was simply lack of talent, as evidenced by his three-year career totals for the Hurricanes: 190 carries for 713 yards (3.75 average) and 10 touchdowns. After the 2006 season ended, Jones transferred to Memphis, and he will finish up his college eligibility for the Tigers this fall. Still a little bit of time to improve upon a two star career ... but at least Charlie had sense enough to earn his degree, as he graduated from Memphis in May of 2008 with a bachelor of science in education.
Andrew Johnson (Miami) - Even though the Hurricanes already had commitments from 5-star tailbacks Bobby Washington and Charlie Jones, Andrew Johnson decided to sign with The U. Well, there eventually was some good news for Johnson: When Washington failed to pass admissions, Andrew moved up to fourth-string tailback, where he remains after his sophomore season. But that's not the best part of Johnson's recruiting story. In the summer of 2003, Johnson, who was from Pittsburgh, committed to Pitt. Then, things started to get a little bit weird. In celebration of himself and his upcoming coronation as the savior of the Panther football program, Andrew threw a lavish party at a local restuarant, and as the star of his own show, he arrived attired in a pink suit. Yep, you got it, pink. (If you'd like to see AJ in his pink suit, then click here.) Well, by December, Johnson had determined that Pitt just wasn't great enough for him, so he began looking around. His first stop was Ohio State, but since the Buckeyes weren't in the market for a fourth-string tailback, the staff offered Andrew a chance to play defensive back. "No thanks", said Andrew, "I'll try The U." In the mean time, Johnson began posting on message boards and calling into sports talk shows, running smack against Pitt and Panther fans (and it was some pretty lame smack, if I remember correctly). Well, Andrew showed them in the end: to date, he has already rushed for 138 yards in two full seasons for the 'Canes. Update July 2008: Following his breakthrough season in 2006 (5 rushes, 34 yards), Johnson transferred to the University of Akron, where he will be a senior in 2008 after sitting out the 2007 campaign. Johnson, Dennis Kennedy (see below), and a cast of thousands will battle for the Zips starting tailback position this fall, now that last year's starter, Bryan Williams, has been switched over to strong safety. The definition of a bust: one star. By the way, does anyone really feel sorry for this kid?
Darius Walker (Notre Dame) - Despite the best efforts of the Buckeye faithful to convince Darius to attend Ohio State, he nevertheless decided to spurn his Buckeye offer in favor of Notre Dame. As a true freshman, Walker had a fine season, compiling 786 yards and 7 touchdowns on 185 carries (4.2 average); and he followed it up with an even better sophomore year in which he rushed for 1,106 yards and 6 TD's on 237 carries (4.7 average) during the regular season. At 5' 10", 208 pounds, Walker is similar in build to the Bucks' own Antonio Pittman, and their on-the-field production has been similar as well. Although Walker would be a nice addition to most any team, the Buckeyes got an equally good player in Pittman, and appear to be set for the future at tailback with Maurice and Chris Wells. Update July 2008: If you look at just the numbers, then Darius Walker had a very productive three-year career at Notre Dame: 3,249 yards rushing (4th-best in school history), 816 yards receiving, and 26 total touchdowns. However, Walker averaged only 4.7 yards per carry, and he was never the home run threat that the Fighting Irish had expected when they signed him out of high school; in addtion, Walker was surrounded by a great supporting cast (Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, Maurice Stovall), and Notre Dame's high-powered passing attack often opened up the running game for his benefit. Darius left Notre Dame after only three seasons and entered the 2007 NFL draft ... but he was not selected, which caused the Walker family to allege that Golden Domer head coach Charlie Weis had sabotaged Darius in discussions with NFL scouts and front office personnel. But in reality, Walker was simply too small (5' 10", 208 lbs) and too slow (4.7 forty) to attract any serious interest from the pros. The Houston Texans signed Darius as a "street" free agent before the 2007 season, and in four games he racked up 264 yards rushing, 81 yards receiving, and a touchdown. 3.5 stars
Gartrell Shavers (Colorado State) - Remember Gartrell Shavers? You know, the guy with the dreadlocks that put Mo Wells's to shame? Remember how he "committed" to Ohio State without having the benefit of a Buckeye offer? Well, if you recall, Shavers led Dade County in rushing as a senior (yes, the same Dade County that produced 5-star tailbacks Bobby Washington and Charlie Jones), but he had some academic issues which prevented him from attending Ohio State (and most other major programs for that matter). In any event, after his abortive effort to unilaterally commit to the Buckeyes, Shavers headed out west and signed with Colorado State. After suffering an injury and red-shirting in 2004, Shavers is now seeing limited duty as a back-up fullback for the Rams. And for what it's worth, Shavers is now known as "Gartrell Johnson III". Update July 2008: In 2007, Gartrell was one of the few bright spots on a really bad Colorado State team that finished the season with just three wins, as he amassed 957 yards rushing (5.3 average), 103 yards receiving, and 8 total touchdowns en route to being named an all conference honorable mention selection. Johnson returns as a fifth-year senior in 2008, and he is once again expected to lead the Rams' offense. For those of you who are wondering, Gartrell is still sporting his famous dreadlocks. A kid who could have folded after suffering through academic difficulties and injuries early in his career, Johnson is now considered to be one of the inspirational leaders of the Colorado State squad. 2.5 stars ... and hoping that Gartrell can take his game to the next level in 2008.
Brock Bolen (Illinois) - The 234-pound Bolen spurned an offer from Ohio State, which wanted him to play fullback, in favor of Illinois, which promised him a chance to play tailback. As a true freshman for the Illini, Brock lined up at ... you guessed it ... fullback, where he got 11 carries for 51 yards in very limited action. Disappointed that the Illini staff wasn't structuring their offense to maximize his potential, Bolen promptly transferred to Louisville, where he must envision himself as the heir-apparent to superstar tailback Michael Bush (who ironically turned down Ohio State's offer to play running back because Lousiville promised to let him play quarterback). So the world turns.... Update July 2008: After sitting out the 2005 season as a result of his transfer from Illinois, Bolen has put up some respectable numbers as a reserve running back for the Louisville Cardinals: 752 yards rushing, 164 yards receiving, and 12 total touchdowns for the past two seasons combined. In 2008, Brock has the inside track to earn the starting role, but three talented youngsters will push him for playing time. The jury is still out, but early indications are two stars, with one final chance to live up to the hype.
Dennis Kennedy (Ohio State) - Well, it's kinda hard to say that Dennis Kennedy "got away" when he actually signed a Letter of Intent with Ohio State. However, Kennedy had some academic issues (which were partially the result of some personal issues, including the untimely death of his father), and he was unable to gain admission into the Ohio State University. Instead of taking a "grey shirt" year and re-applying to OSU, Kennedy instead signed with the University of Akron. After taking a red shirt year, Kennedy saw some significant action in 2005, rushing for 118 yards and 1 touchdown, and catching 12 passes for 152 yards and 1 touchdown. However, at Ohio State, Dennis would likely be no better than fourth-string tailback behind Pittman, Mo Wells, and Haw (with 5-star RB Beanie Wells on the way). It is nice to see Kennedy having a chance to succeed with the Zips, and he is probably better off in the MAC than the Big Ten. Update July 2008: After leading the Zips in rushing in 2006 (914 yards, 9 TD's), Kennedy fell off the map in 2007 (156 yards, no TD's). Dennis will be back for his senior season in 2008, so he'll have one more opportunity to salvage his up-and-down career. Two stars.
Receivers
Dwayne Jarrett (Southern Cal) - Of all of the kids on this list, Dwayne Jarrett was the closest to signing with Ohio State, and in retrospect he was the Buckeyes' biggest loss. Dwayne committed to Ohio State just hours before Signing Day, and then faxed his LOI to Southern Cal early the next morning. Did he make the right choice? Well, it's hard to argue with the results: 55 receptions for 849 yards and 13 TD's in the Trojans' 2004 national championship season, and 91 receptions for 1,274 yards and 16 TD's (and All American honors) in 2005. One more year of production like that and Dwyane will be a rich man in the NFL and a future inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame. Truly the one who got away.... Update July 2008: As a junior in 2006, Jarrett had another fine season, hauling in 70 passes for 1,015 yards and 12 touchdowns, and upping his career totals to 216 receptions (USC record) for 3,138 yards and 41 touchdowns (PAC-10 record). Dwayne left for the NFL after his junior season, and was a second round selection of the Carolina Panthers in the 2007 draft. The only true superstar on this list - five stars.
Fred Davis (Southern Cal) - On a cold, dark night in January of 2004, a five-star talent stepped off of a plane at LAX ready to take The City of Angels by storm. Was he a young actor with a boatload of charisma and a movie star smile? The Next Big Thing on the music scene? A member of the socialite glitterati? No, he was wide receiver Fred Davis of Toledo, Ohio, otherwise known as Pete Carroll's Number One Guy. Ah, remember the bravado which issued from young Mr. Davis back then: "A good season for me would be breaking Mike's (freshman) record. I'd be happy with that. It's not impossible. I think it could happen." (BTW, "Mike" refers to Mike Williams, who set NCAA freshman records for receptions (81), yards (1,265) and touchdowns (14) in 2002 for Southern Cal.) And how about this gem: "I went to Ohio State games and I really thought they were boring. I kind of fell asleep. Their offense makes you fall asleep. They're near my hometown, so they'll probably take care of me if I went there, but what's the reason to play there? To block?" (Scott Wolf, Los Angeles Times, 03/04/04) Well, somewhere along the way, Fred forgot to back up his words with production on the field. Before his freshman season, Davis was switched to tight end (where, presumably, he had to do a little blocking), and in limited action he caught 4 passes for 30 yards and 0 TD's (just a bit short of Mike Williams's freshman numbers). Fred took the move so well that he ended up getting suspended for the Trojans' national championship game, and then tried to transfer to ... you guessed it ... Ohio State. However, Fred stuck with the program at Southern Cal, and he showed marked improvement in 2005, catching 11 passes for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. And, we hear that he really loves to block.... Update July 2008: For his career at Southern California, Fred Davis made 117 receptions for 1,408 yards and 13 touchdowns, which were only slightly better than Mike Williams's freshman totals (see above). To be fair, Davis did finally have a decent year as a senior (62 receptions, 881 yards, 8 touchdowns, All American recognition), or else he would have gone down in college football history as a first class bust. Still, when one considers the overwhelming amount of hype lavished on Davis (much of it self-generated), his career was a definite disappointment. Davis did manage to parlay his one-year wonderdom into a second-round selection in the 2008 NFL draft, and so the Washington Redskins are stuck with this prima donna now. 3.5 stars.
Brandon Barrett (West Virginia) - Barrett had to sit out his freshman year because he was not academically qualified. As a sophomore, he caught no passes as a reserve wide out for the Mountaineers ... but he did manage to get busted for DUI and possession of marijuana. I thought that the Buckeyes made a good "pass" at the time, and nothing that has happened in the past two years has changed my mind. Update July 2008: Believe it or not, former West Virginia warden Rich Rodriguez actually dropped this guy ... but then again, a kid has to at least show up once in a while to be a member of the Mountaineers' rogues gallery. Barrett is believed to be out of football altogether ... which means that he probably wasn't all that talented to begin with, as some programs will take just about anybody who can contribute on the field. Zero stars.
DaJuan Morgan (North Carolina State) - Coming out of Suncoast High School in Riviera Beach, Florida, DaJuan originally committed to the Buckeyes. However, he (allegedly) failed to pass Ohio State's stringent admission requirments, and on NLOID he signed with North Carolina State. Morgan red-shirted in 2004, then switched from receiver to defensive back for the 2005 season. On the year, he had one interception as a reserve safety. Update July 2008: DaJuan ended up having a nice career at North Carolina State - in 38 games (12 starts), he recorded 225 tackles, 5.5 TFL's, and 6 interceptions. After earning All ACC second team honors in 2007, Morgan left early for the the NFL, and he was a third round selection of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2008 draft. A solid player who most likely would have at least contributed in Columbus - 3.5 stars.
Miles Williams (Michigan State) - Like DaJuan Morgan, Miles Williams also committed to the Buckeyes before learning that he would be unable to pass admissions at Ohio State. Williams eventually signed with Michigan State, where during his freshman year he was charged with felony robbery and subsequently dismissed from the team. The latest news had him walking on for the Youngstown State Penguins. Update July 2008: Current whereabouts unknown - believed to be out of football. Zero stars.
Eddie Royal (Virginia Tech) - Royal had some serious interest in the Buckeyes, but academics were an issue in his recruitment. As a true freshman in 2004, Eddie led the Hokies in receiving (28 receptions, 470 yards, 3 TD's), and was named a Freshman All-American for his work on special teams (28.8 yards per KO return; 11.0 yards per punt return). In 2005, Eddie's numbers were about the same (25 receptions, 314 yards, 2 TD's; 79 yards rushing, 1 TD), and he is still one of VPI's primary options in the passing game. At Ohio State, Royal would have provided depth, but that is exactly what the Buckeyes don't need at wide receiver. A good player, but not better than what we already have. Update July 2008: Royal blossomed during his final two seasons at Virginia Tech, and he left the school as the Hokies' career leader with 4,686 all-purpose yards (1,778 receiving, 1,386 kick off returns, 1,296 punt returns, and 226 rushing); he also scored 16 total touchdowns. While Eddie's career receiving numbers (119 receptions, 1,778 yards, 12 TD's) might constitute a good season for a Texas Tech wide out, VPI's offense has not exactly been high octane over the past few years. Based primarily on his potential as a receiver (he ran a 4.39 forty at the Indianapolis combine) and his proven ability as a return man, the Denver Broncos selected Royal in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. A "lite" version of Teddy Ginn. Four stars.
Offensive Line
Jeff Byers (Southern Cal) - Coming out of Loveland High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, Jeff Byers was the top offensive line prospect in the entire country. Although he seemed to like Ohio State quite a bit, Jeff eventually signed with Southern Cal as part of the Trojans amazing 2004 recruiting class. After starting four games as a true freshman and being named to some freshman All-American teams, Byers hurt his hip. The injury required two surgeries and side-lined Byers for the entire 2005 season. He should be back in 2006, and likely better than ever. Possibly a future All-American (if he can recover from his injury). Update July 2008: Byers suffered another season-ending injury after the first game of the 2006 campaign, but after two full years on the sidelines, he rebounded to have a decent junior season in 2007 as the Trojans starting left guard. Jeff has already graduated from Southern Cal, and he is in the second year of their MBA program. A hard luck 2.5 stars, who still has room for significant improvement.
Leon Hart (Auburn) - After his official visit to Ohio State in December of 2003, Leon Hart came ever so close to issuing a verbal commitment to the Buckeyes. A few days later, however, he was solidly in the Auburn camp, and that is where he ended up signing. As a War Eagle, Hart has spent his first two seasons as a prime reserve along the offensive line, and he might move into a starting role next season. The jury's still out on Leon, but I'd like to see him in the scarlet and grey, if for no other reason than to provide some depth. Update July 2008: After three years as a reserve, Hart was expected to be starter in 2007, but he lost much of his senior season to injury. After the season, Leon was neither drafted nor signed as a free agent by any NFL team. Was this a case of a kid being overrated coming out of high school ... or under-developed at the college level? A rather charitable two stars for sticking with the program for four years, making some contributions, and keeping out of trouble (unlike so many others on this list).
Brett Gallimore (Michigan) - Gallimore was a Rivals100 selection, and one of the top offensive linemen in the country. After red-shirting in 2004, Gallimore saw action in only one game in 2005, and he is currently buried on the Wolverines' depth chart. In other words, he's pretty much in the same boat as Buckeye signees Ben Person, Kyle Mitchum, and Jon Skinner, who were also members of the class of 2004. Because offensive linemen often take a couple of years to develop, it remains to be seen whether Ohio State "missed" on Gallimore, or on their own signees, or both. Update July 2008: In four years, Gallimore has seen action in two games - that's an average of half a game a year, for all of you kinesiology majors out there. Before the 2007 season, Brett switched from OL to DL ... but that didn't really help, and he isn't expected to contribute anything during his senior campaign, either. Half a star for staying in school and keeping off of the police blotter.
Chauncey Incarnato (Notre Dame) - There were many people (including some paid "experts") who were literally demanding that the Ohio State staff offer this kid, and predicting doom, gloom, and the utter destruction of Buckeye football if they didn't.
This despite the fact that Incarnato seemed to go out of his way to antagonize the staff, and then pouted when he didn't get an offer in June (in fact, he never got a Buckeye offer). Well, Chauncey proved the gloom-and-doomers right when he became a Domer. Or did he? After taking a red-shirt year at Notre Dame, Incarnato became disenchanted with the program and transferred to Indiana. He sat out the 2005 season, and will have three years of eligibility remaining at IU (assuming that he decides to stay there). Is anyone still upset that we didn't sign him? Update July 2008: Chauncey did not appear in any games for the Indiana Hoosiers in 2006 and then ... surprise, surprise ... he transferred once agin, this time to UMass. After sitting out the 2007 season to comply with NCAA regulations, Chauncey will be ready to go in 2008 ... or so the theory goes. Four years of college, and not a down of action to show for it. Half a star for being a good citizen.
Gerald Cadogan (Penn State) - The other from the class of 2004. Although Cadogan didn't seem to resonate as strongly with the doom-and-gloom crowd, certain people were thrashing the Ohio State staff for rejecting yet another future OL superstar from the Buckeye State. Gerald is now at Penn State, where he is in the two-deep at offensive tackle as a red-shirt freshman. He'll be okay, but so will the four prospects whom the Bucks inked in 2004. No loss. Update July 2008: Gerald has slowly worked his way up the depth chart, and in 2007 he started twelve games along Penn State's offensive line. He's also a top student. Might have helped, might not have ... three stars.
Brandon Braxton (Oklahoma) - Somehow, the crowd wasn't clamoring for Brandon Braxton like they were for Chauncey Incarnato and Gerald Cadogan, even though Braxton was ranked the 53rd best player in the country by Rivals. Maybe that was because Brandon had some serious academic issues (which caused him to enroll late at Oklahoma) ... or maybe it was because he sometimes played like neither his heart nor his head was into the game. As a freshman in 2005, Braxton had some success early, then got benched for underperformance. Brandon may develop into a consistent player some day, but I for one don't miss him. Update July 2008: In 2006, Brandon started seven games at right tackle before going down with a season-ending broken leg. He returned to action in 2007, earning seven more starts at right tackle ... but sitting out other games completely. A spotty career that has never really taken off for a variety of reasons ... 2.5 stars.
Jacky Claude (Florida State) - Jacky Claude wanted to be a Buckeye in the worst way (think Ronnie Wilson, only a year earlier). Jacky, who went to Miami Edison, had at least three of his high school teammates also bleeding the scarelt and grey. Jacky and his pals even drove up from south Florida to attend the Buckeyes' summer camp, and then Jacky and LB Brouce Mompremier (see below) made an unofficial visit to see a game in The Shoe that fall. Unfortunately, a low ACT score on Jacky's part, and a minor recruiting indiscretion on the Ohio State's part (allegedly), prevented Jacky from ever becoming a Buckeye. Instead, he signed with his second choice, Florida State, and as a true sophomore, he was the Seminoles' starting left guard. Of all of the "misses" amongst the offensive linemen, this was one of the biggest. Update July 2008: Over his last three seasons at Florida State, Jacky Claude made 37 starts ... but that isn't necessarily saying much, as the Seminoles' offensive line was a definite team weakness. Claude was one of the 36 players implicated in FSU's huge academic cheating scandal, and he was suspended for the 2007 Music City Bowl, thus ending his career on a down note. Jacky was not selected in the 2008 NFL draft, nor was he signed as a street free agent (although he did get a try out at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' mini-camp this past May). A tarnished three stars.
Dumaka Atkins (Florida State) - Atkins, from Sarasota Booker, had Ohio State amongst his final five, but decided to stay close to home and attend Florida State. As a red-shirt freshman, he was the back-up center for the 'Noles, and he is expected to move into a starting role next season. It remains to be seen whether Atkins will be significantly better than the OL prospects whom the Buckeyes signed in 2004 (Kyle Mitcum, Jon Skinner, Ben Person, Steve Rehring); my guess is that Dumaka will be a fine player, but so will our boys. Update July 2008: Atkins saw action in ten games as a reserve offensive lineman in 2006, missed all of 2007 with a knee injury, was switched to defensive tackle for 2008 spring practices ... and then disappeared from the Seminoles' active roster. Dumaka graduated in December of 2007, so maybe he's already thinking about life after football. 1.5 stars.
Jeremy Zuttah (Rutgers) - Coming out of JP Stevens High in Edison, New Jersey, Jeremy Zuttah selected home-town Rutgers over Ohio State, Iowa, Maryland, and Pitt. As a true freshman, Zuttah started five games at various positions along the line, and as a sophomore, he was the Scarlet Knights' starting left guard. It is hard to say whether Jeremy would have achieved such early success at Ohio State, which presumably has a deeper and more talented offensive line, but he would have been a welcome (if not exactly necessary) addition to the Buckeyes' class of 2004. Update July 2008: After moving to right tackle for his last two seasons, Jeremy really developed into a talented offensive lineman. During that time, Zuttah did not allow a sack in 698 pass plays, and he also recorded 196 knockdown blocks. In both 2006 and 2007, Jeremy was named first team All Big East, and he was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. A solid four stars.
Carlos Feliciano (Maryland) - Carlos was generally recruited as an offensive lineman, but he is now playing nose tackle for the Terrapin defense. In two seasons, he has amassed only 11 tackles (no sacks) in a reserve role. In contrast, Ohio State signed defensive tackles Nader Abdallah and Alex Barrow in the class of 2004, neither of whom has seen any significant action. Call it a wash at this point. Update July 2008: Feliciano was another player who showed marked development during his final two seasons of college football. Carlos appeared in every game in 2006 and 2007, earning twenty starts. Primarily a run stuffer, Feliciano racked up 73 tackles, 5 TFL's and 1 sack for his career. In April of 2008, he was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent. 2.5 stars.
Mark Dile (South Florida) - Mark was one of the three Miami Edison prospects (along with DL Richard Clebert and LB Brouce Mompremier) who wanted to follow Jacky Claude north to Columbus (of the four, only Claude had a Buckeye offer). When Claude stayed down in Florida (Florida State, to be exact), so did the rest of the crew, with the remaining three eventually signing with the University of South Florida. After a red-shirt year in 2004, Dile was listed as the Bulls' 2nd-string offensive tackle in 2005. Still a project. Update July 2008: Dile is the Bulls' returning starter at left tackle, so I guess it's safe to remove the "project" tag from him. Mark had 80 pancake blocks in 2007, and graded out at 73%. South Florida has become a solid program largely because of their ability to develop "sleeper" prospects like Mark Dile, Richard Clebert, and Brouce Mompremier (see below). Three stars.
Chris Rutledge (Miami) - Rutledge was a major sleeper coming out of high school. Ohio State was the first college to "discover" Rutledge, but he soon got the attention of the home town Hurricanes, and when they offered, the battle was over. Chris red-shirted his first year, and in 2005 he was listed as the 'Canes' third-string right tackle. Everyone knew that Chris would be a project, but to date, no one can say whether he'll pan out. Update July 2008: Chris has earned only nine career starts in three seasons ... and it looks like he will once again be a reserve in 2008. 1.5 stars.
Jabari Ferguson (Temple) - If Chris Rutledge was a project, then Jabari Ferguson was a major project. In their quest to find quality offensive linemen, the Buckeye staff looked high and low and far and wide, and Ferguson was one of the sleepers who briefly piqued their interest. However, the staff passed on Jabari, and he eventually signed with his best offer - Temple. After a red-shirt year, Ferguson became a back-up tackle for an 0-11 team in 2005. While he might emerge some day, it now appears that the Bucks did the right thing in passing on a kid who was very far from being a sure thing. Update July 2008: In three seasons, Jabari has seen action in 30 games, with just 9 starts ... and remember, that is for the lowly Temple Owls. Ferguson returns for his senior campaign in 2008, but don't expect a break-out performance. 1.5 stars, with a chance to reach respectability with a strong finish.
Izzy Bauta (Duke) - Izzy Bauta emerged from out the blue, and then promptly went right back there - to the Blue Devils that is. When Bauta's name first appeared on Ohio State's radar, most Buckeye fans thought it that it must have been some kind of mistake, or a cruel joke, for no other school of any note was recruiting this little known lineman from Brooklyn Poly. When rumors of a Buckeye verbal began to circulate, some of us even got a little bit worried, especially when stud in-state linemen like Chauncey Incarnato and Gerald Cadogan hadn't even been offered. Well, things turned out all right for Buckeye fans after all, as Izzy followed his older brother Lavdrim (also an offensive lineman) to Duke. However, after signing with the Devils, Izzy decided that big school football wasn't really for him, and he transferred to 1-AA Villanova, where he seems to be progressing nicely. Update July 2008: Bauta has become a starting offensive lineman for Villanova. Not bad, but still not worth more than two stars.
Defensive Line
Olu Hall (Virginia) - Leading up to NLOID 2004, Hall's final two teams were Virginia and Ohio State. At the eleventh hour, he opted for his home state school and signed with the Cavaliers. However, Olu had some academic issues, and he was forced to take a year at Hargrave Military Academy before re-signing with UVa the next year. As a true freshman in 2005, Hall saw very limited action at outside linebacker (94 plays), and he assisted on only one tackle. It's still early for Hall, but to date he's hardly made a four-star impact at the college level. Update July 2008: After being declared academically ineligible for both the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Olu Hall left Virginia for the greener pastures (and easier classrooms) of Kansas State. Wildcat fans are expecting big things from Olu in 2008 ... if he can ever see the field. Zero stars.
Clint Sintim (Virginia) - Another Virginia kid who elected to stay home. Ohio State was never really a serious contender for Sintim, whose finalists were Virginia and Virginia Tech. After a red-shirt year, Sintim had a fine season in 2005, logging 46 tackles (5th-best on the Cavaliers defense), 7 TFL's, and 3 sacks from his outside linebacker position. A good player who would certainly have seen some playing time at Ohio State in a reserve role. One to watch for the future.... Update July 2008: After three seasons as a starting linebacker for Virginia, Sintim has amassed 168 tackles, 28 TFL's, and 16 sacks. A big senior season could push Clint even further up the charts, but right now he still warrants 3.5 stars.
Willie Young (North Carolina State) - Like Olu Hall, Willie Young came close to selecting Ohio State, but in the end he decided to stay down south (more or less) and signed with North Carolina State. Also like Hall, Young failed to pass the clearinghouse and had to take a year at Hargrave, where the two players were teammates. Young red-shirted in 2005, so the jury is obviously still out on him. Update July 2008: After a very slow start (prep school in 2004, redshirt in 2005), Willie has developed into a nice player. As a freshman in 2006, Young had 60 tackles and 3 TFL's, but he really emerged during his sophomore campaign, when he had 48 tackles, 16 TFL's, 6 sacks, 24 quarterback pressures, and 6 pass deflections. The issue with Willie has never been his talent on the field, but rather whether he could make the adjustment to "college life" (i.e., going to classes, studying, remaining eligible). So far, so good in that regard ... and he's a budding star on the gridiron. Three stars after two seasons, which means that Willie could still make a big move upward.
Derrick Harvey (Florida) - According to Rivals, Derrick Harvey was the 8th best player in the country for the class of 2004. To date, the red-shirt freshman has not quite lived up to his billing, as he has recorded only 5 tackles and 1 sack in reserve duty for the Gators. Of course, he is still young and could burst onto the scene as early as next year, but 5-star players are supposed to have an immediate impact at the college level (like Ted Ginn, Adrian Peterson, Chad Henne, Dan Connor, Dwayne Jarrett, etc.). Another case of where what we got is as good as what we didn't. Update July 2008: In 2004, Derrick Harvey was rated as the eighth-best player in the country coming out of high school ... and in 2008, he was the eighth player selected in the NFL draft coming out of college. Funny how these things work out sometimes. In 36 games at the University of Florida (18 starts), Harvey logged 90 tackles, 31 TFL's, and 20.5 sacks, which are some pretty decent numbers ... but then again, Ohio State got almost identical production out of three-star prospect Vernon Gholston (87 tackles, 30.5 TFL's, 22.5 sacks, 1 interception in 34 games). As a high school recruit, Harvey was known as a one-dimensional player, and he never really lost that tag at Florida ... but being a sack artist is a pretty good "one dimension" to have. A five-star prospect who almost fully lived up to his massive hype: 4.5 stars.
Tim Jamison (Michigan) - When the recruiting gurus at Rivals.com learned that Jamison had committed to Michigan, he skyrocketed from the 20th best player in the state of Illinois to the 40th best player in the entire nation! And you wonder why Michigan always has such highly-ranked recruiting classes....
Anyway, as a red-shirt freshman in 2005, Jamison recorded only 9 tackles and 2 sacks in mop-up duty for the Wolverines. There is nothing to indicate that Jamison would have seen more action or been more successful with the Buckeyes. Tim might develop down the road, but I'll take what we've got (and what we've got is already good enough to beat Michigan!). Update July 2008: Jamison was a highly-ranked prospect who has enjoyed middle-of-the-road success at Michigan. After three seasons of mop-up duty (including an injury-shortened 2004 campaign), Tim emerged as a functional player in 2007, recording 52 tackles and 5.5 sacks and upping his career totals to 79 tackles and 14.5 sacks. By the way, Jamison and his fellow fifth-year seniors are trying to become the first group of Wolverines to lose to Ohio State five times during their careers - good luck on bringing those platinum sombreros back to Ann Arbor! 2.5 stars, with some upward mobility.
Rhyan Anderson (Miami) - Even though his mother really wanted him to attend Ohio State, Rhyan decided to head south from Wisconsin and try his luck at The U. Despite the fact that Rivals ranked him the 51st-best overall prospect in the entire country, Anderson red-shirted in 2004, and he failed to crack the Hurricanes' two-deep in 2005 (although he did manage to record four tackles and one sack on the season). Is Anderson a bust, or is he simply buried behind several talented veterans on the Hurricanes' roster? Time will tell.... Update July 2008: Well, time has told ... Rhyan Anderson is officially a bust. After appearing in just one game for the Miami Hurricanes in 2006, Rhyan transferred to New Mexico State. As the Aggies starting defensive end last season, Anderson managed to record only 12 tackles, 2 TFL's, and 1 sack in 13 games. He'll be back for his senior campaign in 2008 ... but don't expect much from this former "can't miss" prospect. One star.
Mike Massey (Michigan) - Massey is one of the many stars produced by Cleveland St. Ignatius during the past two decades. As some of you already know, one of Mike's older brothers (Jim) was an offensive lineman for Ohio State, and another (Pat) was a defensive lineman for Michigan. Of course, this family split made a college selection very difficult for the youngest Massey brother (for a while, he considered going to Boston College in order to make everyone equally unhappy). Becuase Pat still played for Michigan, and Jim had long since finished his career with Ohio State, Mike decided that he couldn't pass up the opportunity to be teammates with his younger older brother (if you can catch my drift) and he signed with the Wolverines. After taking a red shirt season, Massey was switched to tight end, where he caught 6 passes for 33 yards and 1 touchdown as a third-stringer in 2005. It remains to be seen whether Massey develops into a pass-catching threat for the Wolverines' offense, but to date, I'm not overly concerned about "losing" him to that team up north. Update July 2008: In three seasons at Michigan, Massey has played 27 games at tight end, earning just 7 starts. His career numbers: 20 receptions for 161 yards and 2 TD's. Massey will be a fifth-year senior in 2008, but there is no indication that he will be able to shed the "bust" label that he has acquired. Two stars, barely.
Nick Smith (Michigan State) - Smith graduated from Canton Glen Oak, which is a very pro-Buckeye high school. Nick really wanted to attend the Ohio State University, but some academic difficulties prevented that from happening. Like so many other borderline students, Nick headed north to East Lansing, where he has had some minor success for the Spartans. As a true freshman, Nick logged 4 tackles, and he added 7 more as a sophomore. However, he is poised to earn a starting spot at defensive tackle next season. Could he have helped the Buckeyes? Maybe, but the Bucks did just fine in signing DT's Nader Abdallah and Alex Barrow. Update July 2008: After appearing in just one game for the Spartans in 2006, Nick Smith did not play in 2007, and he appears to be out of football. Half a star.
Frank Morton (Tulane) - Like running back Gartrell Shavers (see above), Frank Morton was another prospect who tried to verbal to Ohio State before receiving a Buckeye offer. Morton became enamoured with the Buckeyes after attending Ohio State's summer camp, and then spent much of the next six months trying to convince the Buckeye staff to accept his commitment. Well, it never happened, and Frank ended up signing with Tulane, where he has recorded 50 tackles and 5 TFL's over the past two seasons as a member of the Green Wave's DL rotation. Not bad production, but one wonders whether Morton would have seen the field yet at Ohio State. Update July 2008: Morton finished his career at Tulane in 2007, and he left the Green Wave with 96 tackles, 14 TFL's, and 5.5 sacks. Marginal production for a marginal program ... but he actually had a lot better career than some of the super-hyped five-star prospects on this list. 2.5 stars.
C.J. Hunnicutt (South Florida) - I told you that you wouldn't remember some of these guys.... Actually, C.J. made a late official visit to Ohio State, and claimed to have a Buckeye offer (but we're a bit sceptical). In any event, Hunnicutt signed with the Bulls and appeared to have a promising future as a linebacker / rush end until he was kicked off of the team for theft in September of 2004. But C.J.'s story gets better, in a good way. The charges against him were dropped and he was allowed to return to the team, but C.J. Hunnicutt decided to follow in the footsteps of his namesake B.J. Hunnicut and join the Army so that he could get some discipline and direction in his life (actually, both of C.J.'s parents served in the military). We have no word on whether Hunnicutt has any plans to return to football after his stint in the Army, but he should be a better man for having served his country. Update July 2008: No news - Hunnicutt appears to be out of football for good. A reluctant zero stars for a kid who seems to have turned his life around off of the gridiron.
Richard Clebert (South Florida) - Clebert was yet another Miami Edison player who had a brief infatuation with Ohio State. When the Bucks did not offer, Richard stayed closer to home and signed with the South Florida Bulls. As a true freshman, Clebert had 4 tackles, 2 TFL's, and 1 sack; as a sophomore, his numbers were similar, with 14 tackles, 2.5 TFL's, and .5 sacks. Clebert could earn a starting job in 2006, but he would likely have been a career back-up for the Buckeyes. Update July 2008: Clebert was South Florida's starting nose tackle in 2006 and 2007, and he posted career numbers of 74 tackles, 15.5 TFL's, and 4.5 sacks. Despite being exceedingly strong (43 bench reps, 543-pound bench max), Richard lacked ideal size for the pro game (6' 0", 309 lbs), so the NFL teams took a pass. However, Clebert recently signed a two-year deal with the Winnepeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. A solid contributor for an up-and-coming program who rates 2.5 stars.
Linebacker
James Bryant (Miami) - Yet another prospect who spurned Ohio State for The U. As a high school senior, Bryant talked a good game, and he headed south from Reading, Pennsylvania, to The U ready to be the next Ray Lewis. Well, when Bryant arrived in Coral Gables, Coach Coker took one look at him and thought that he'd make an excellent back-up fullback instead. Now finishing up his sophomore campaign, Bryant has one rush for eight yards, and two receptions for 44 yards - for his career. Thanks, James, but we've already got a back-up fullback in Columbus. Update July 2008: On Signing Day, Miami's class of 2004 looked like one for the ages ... but would any other BCS program trade their class for Miami's now? James Bryant was yet another blue chip prospect with a megawatt ego who played the recruiting game to the max and then committed to Da U at the last minute. Bryant was supposed to be the next great MLB for the Hurricanes, but after three seasons as a back-up fullback (and not a very good one at that), James transferred to Louisville, a program that apparently likes to make reclamation projects out of other teams' cast offs. According to Louisville's official site, Bryant "is a big hitter both on defense and as a blocker on offense" ... which means that the Cardinals coaching staff has no idea where to hide this stiff. Bryant will be best remembered as being the instigator of the infamous FIU brawl in October of 2006 ... classy kid, typical 'Cane. Take a bow, James - you've earned your one star rating.
Javier Estopinan (Florida) - It came right down to the wire for Estopinan, whose finalists were Ohio State and Florida. Even though Javier had spent a lot of time in Columbus as a youngster, he decided to stay closer to home and signed with the Gators. Javier was recruited as a linebacker, but he bulked up to about 280 pounds and moved down to defensive tackle. As a true freshman in 2004, Estopinan had only 2 tackles in limited action (36 plays, 25 of which came against Eastern Michigan), and in 2005 he did not play at all due to an early-season injury. Update July 2008: Javier Estopinan just can't seem to stay healthy - after missing all of 2005 with a leg injury, both his 2006 and 2007 seasons were also cut short by injuries. In all, Javier has played just 18 games (9 starts) in three years. Estopinan still has one more chance to make his career respectable, but right now he's got to be labeled a bust - 1.5 stars.
Rodrick Johnson (Oklahoma State) - In 2004, the Buckeyes lost not one, but two recruits to Oklahoma State. The more notable was quarterback Robert Reid (see above), but Rodrick Johnson also had a Buckeye offer and decided in favor of the Cowboys. After seeing very limited action as a true freshman (8 tackles), Johnson was the third-leading tackler for the Cowboys last season (74 tackles, 5 TFL's, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recoveries). While Johnson is a competent player, he certainly would not have seen much action for the Buckeyes this season, but he would most definitely have been in the mix for the 2006 campaign. Another player who would have provided some needed depth, but so far, not a major "miss". Update July 2008: After a solid junior campaign in 2006 (69 tackles, 8 TFL's, 2 sacks), Johnson's numbers really tailed off as a senior (30 tackles, 2.5 TFL's, 1 interception in 13 games after a move to defensive end). Rodrick was not selected in the 2008 NFL draft, but he did sign a free agent contract with the New York Jets. A solid but unspectacular three star career (181 tackles, 15.5 TFL's, 3 sacks, 1 interception).
Chris Zellner (Miami) - Zellner was an excellent high school athlete who was somewhat of an unknown quantity as a football player. In addition, at 6' 2", 227 pounds, with 4.6 speed, he didn't seem to fit well into any one position - too small for DE or TE, and a step slow for WR, FS, or even OLB. Chris began his Hurricane career as a defensive end, but switched to tight end during his second year in the program. As a red-shirt freshman, Zellner caught just one pass for nine yards and a touchdown as the 'Canes' third-string tight end. While Zellner still has three years left to develop, it appears that the Buckeyes haven't missed out on much to date. Update July 2008: Over the past two seasons, Zellner has caught 21 passes for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns as a reserve tight end. However, he's supposed to be a pretty good blocker, so that's got to be worth something ... like maybe two stars.
Willie Williams (Miami) - Coming out of Miami Carol City, Williams was one of the few five-star, super blue chip prospects in the entire country. The problem was that his list of football accolades wasn't as long as his rap sheet. As a teenager, Williams somehow managed to get arrested ten times (including once for felony burglary), and that was before he was served with three more criminal complaints during a recruiting trip to the University of Florida where he (allegedly) molested a woman, punched out a total stranger, and set off a fire extinguisher in his hotel. Naturally, Willie selected mIamI. In 2004, Williams took a red shirt after he hurt his knee and broke his finger; as a reserve in 2005, he racked up 26 tackles and a blocked punt (but no more arrests, so far as we know). Would I want this kid in Columbus? Are you kidding me? Sometimes the best player signings are the ones you don't make. Update July 2008: Okay, raise your hand if you thought that Willie Williams would last for four years at Da U ... no one ... oh wait a minute, I see someone in the back of the auditorium raising her hand ... is that you, Madame Shalala? Well, it took WW a couple of years, but he finally went down the path that we all expected him to choose ... and at full speed with the pedal to the metal. After failing to show for the Hurricanes' 2006 summer conditioning program, Williams asked for his release from Miami, and Da U quickly obliged. Willie then tried to find another school stupid enough to admit an injury-prone, underachieving felon, and after being rejected by (amongst others) Tennessee, West Virginia, Troy, Pearl River Community College, and the College of the Sequoias (yes, you read that right, junior colleges were turning this kid away), he finally ended up at West Los Angeles College. After securing an early release from West LA for good conduct on the gridiron (60 tackles and 9 sacks in four games), Williams was back on the D-I market. In a desperate race to out-thug rival West Virginia, the Louisville Cardinals accepted Williams with open arms in January of 2007 ... but by September, he had already been kicked off of the team and out of the school for possession of marijuana and tampering with evidence (the latter crime a felony). But just to prove that there's a sucker born every minute, the Glenville State Pioneers (no relation to the Glenville Tarblooders, thank you) took in this wayward Willie. Rating? Are you kidding me? Zero stars ... with a bullet.
Kyle Williams (Iowa) - As a senior at Bolingbrook High School, Bonecrusher (as he liked to be called) was a five-star prospect. Although he initially verballed to Iowa in October, he wavered on his commitment and took some official visits before finally settling on the Hawkeyes. However, Kyle failed to pass the NCAA clearinghouse, so he was ineligible for 2004. Williams sat out that year, and then signed with Purdue for the class of 2005. As a true freshman that season, Bonecrusher had 28 tackles in 7 games. Update July 2008: If Willie Williams's journey has been convoluted, then Kyle Williams's been positively twisted ... in the "sick" sense of the word. In three separate incidents between November of 2005 and February of 2006, Williams attacked and/or battered and/or attempted to rape three different women in two states ... and you wonder why this guy calls himself "the Bonecrusher". Kyle will be eligible to return to action in another 45 years or so ... in the mean time, he can try out for the next remake of The Longest Yard. If I could give a negative rating I would, but for the moment zero stars will have to suffice.
Brouce Mompremier (South Florida) - Another of Jacky Claude's Miami Edison friends, Brouce even made an unofficial visit to Columbus to watch a Buckeye game in The 'Shoe. Mompremier was a hard-nosed player who was a bit small and a step slow for the Buckeyes, and he ended up signing with South Florida along with high school teammates Mark Dile and Richard Clebert (see above). Brouce red-shirted in 2004, then left school briefly, and now is a second-string inside linebacker for the Bulls. He had only 5 tackles during the 2005 season. Update July 2008: After recording only 10 tackles during his first two years combined, Brouce earned the starting WLB spot for the Bulls in 2007 and responded with a breakout season: 83 tackles (third on team), 6 TFL's, and an interception. Mompremier was an under-the-radar guy coming out of high school, and his career is peaking at the right time. Three stars, with room to move.
Defensive Back
Anthony Reddick (Miami) - Even though Ohio State signed four defensive backs in 2004, the Buckeye staff really wanted safety Anthony Reddick as well. And for good reason, as Reddick was rapidly emerging as one of the stars of the excellent Hurricane defense until he tore his ACL in the 2005 season opener against Florida State, thereby ending his sophomore campaign before it even got started. In 2004, Anthony was named to several freshman All American teams after amassing 73 tackles, 3 TFL's, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, and 2 blocked punts. If Anthony can fully recover from his injury, then he could be a future All American, possibly as early as next season. Although Ohio State always seems to have plenty of safeties (and plenty of good ones), Reddick would certainly have earned significant playing time with the Buckeyes. Update July 2008: In 2006, Reddick played in only six games with no starts, and he recorded just one tackle on the season. In addition, Anthony was one of the prime culprits in the FIU brawl, and he was suspended for four games for using his helmet as a weapon to beat on an opposing player in the melee. During 2007 spring practice, Reddick tore his ACL again, and he missed the entire season. Although Anthony is still on the Hurricanes' roster, it looks like injuries and bad decisions have permanently derailed a once-promising career. Based primarily on a stellar freshman campaign, 1.5 stars ... although this one could still end up going either way in the final analysis.
SirDarean Adams (Michigan State) - Adams was a Buckeye lean for quite a while, but when his academic underachievement prevented him from getting a firm offer from Ohio State, he signed with the Spartans. As a true freshman, Adams had some difficulty in the class room, but managed to see action in all 12 of MSU's games, logging 2 tackles and a blocked field goal as a special teams performer. As a sophomore, Adams has seemingly straightened out his academics, while also blossoming on the gridiron, where he logged 60 tackles (4th best on team), 5 TFL's, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 3 interceptions (team leader) from his "bandit" position (a hybrid of safety and linebacker). An athlete of SirDarean's caliber could help almost any team, but it is highly unlikely that Adams would have started over either of Ohio State's safeties, not to mention the Buckeye linebackers. Still, I'd like to have him in scarlet and grey, and see whether he could beat out JamO and BMitch for the starting free safety spot in 2006. Update July 2008: After a solid sophomore season, Adams regressed somewhat over his final two campaigns ... and he earned the reputation for being a "soft" player. SirDarean's career totals: 155 tackles, 16 TFL's, 3 sacks, and 7 interceptions in 41 games (29 starts). Off of the field, Adams got mixed up in a felony larceny matter (charges dropped), and he was suspended for the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl for an unrelated violation of team rules. Adams was not selected in the 2008 NFL draft, and he has not signed a free agent contract to date. A rather ho-hum two-and-a-half star effort for a kid who left high school with superior athleticism and a huge upside.
Players Who Performed At or Above Expectations
Dwayne Jarrett, WR, Southern Cal (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 5*)
Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 4.5*)
Jeremy Zuttah, OL, Rutgers (Rivals 3*, Scout 4*, LJB 4*)
Eddie Royal, WR, Virginia Tech (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 4*)
Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3.5*)
Darius Walker, RB, Notre Dame (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3.5*)
DaJuan Morgan, WR/DB, North Carolina State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3.5*)
Willie Young, DE, Hargrave, North Carolina State (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Jacky Claude, OL, Florida State (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Rodrick Johnson, LB/DE Oklahoma State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Gerald Cadogan, OL, Penn State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Brouce Mompremier, LB, South Florida (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Mark Dile, OL, South Florida (Rivals 2*, Scout 2*, LJB 3*)
Richard Clebert, DT, South Florida (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 2.5*)
Frank Morton, DT, Tulane (Rivals 3*, Scout 2*, LJB 2.5*)
Gartrell (Shavers) Johnson III, RB, Colorado State (Rivals 1*, Scout 2*, LJB 2.5*)
Izzy Bauta, OL, Duke, Villanova (Rivals 3*, Scout 2*, LJB 2*)
Dennis Kennedy, RB, Ohio State, Akron (Rivals 2*, Scout 2*, LJB 2*)
Jabari Ferguson, OL, Temple (Rivals 2*, Scout 2*, LJB 1.5*)
Players Who Performed Below Expectations
Fred Davis, TE, Southern Cal (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 3.5*)
Anthony Morelli, QB, Penn State (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 3*)
Tim Jamison, DE, Michigan (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 2.5*)
Jeff Byers, OL, Southern Cal (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 2.5*)
Brandon Braxton, OL, Oklahoma (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 2.5*)
SirDarean Adams, LB, Michigan State (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 2.5*)
Carlos Feliciano, DT, Maryland (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 2.5*)
Xavier Lee, QB, Florida State (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 2*)
Leon Hart, OL, Auburn (Rivals 4*, Scout 5*, LJB 2*)
Charlie Jones, RB, Miami, Memphis (Rivals 4*, Scout 5*, LJB 2*)
Bobby Washington, RB, Miami, North Carolina State, Eastern Kentucky (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 2*)
Robert Reid, QB, Oklahoma State, Texas Southern (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 2*)
Mike Massey, TE, Michigan (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 2*)
Brock Bolen, RB, Illinois, Louisville (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 2*)
Chris Zellner, TE, Miami (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 2*)
Javier Estopinan, DT, Florida (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 1.5*)
Chris Rutledge, OL, Miami (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 1.5*)
Anthony Reddick, DB, Miami (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 1.5*)
Dumaka Atkins, OL/DL, Florida State (Rivals 4*, Scout 2*, LJB 1.5*)
Players Who Performed Far Below Expectations
Andrew Johnson, RB, Miami, Akron (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 1*)
Rhyan Anderson, DL, Miami, New Mexico State (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 1*)
James Bryant, FB/LB, Miami, Louisville (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 1*)
Brett Gallimore, OL/DL, Michigan (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 0.5*)
Chauncey Incarnato, OL, Notre Dame, Indiana, UMass (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 0.5*)
Nick Smith, DL, Michigan State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 0.5*)
C.J. Hunnicutt, DL, South Florida (Rivals 2*, Scout 2*, LJB 0*)
Brandon Barrett, WR, West Virginia (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 0*)
Olu Hall, DE, Hargrave, Virginia, Kansas State (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 0*)
Miles Williams, WR, Michigan State, Youngstown State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 0*)
Willie Williams, LB, Miami, West LA, Louisville, Glenville State (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 0*)
Kyle Williams, LB, Iowa, Purdue (Rivals 5*, Scout 4*, LJB 0*)
Conclusions
The Real Loser? So, who was the real loser as the result of Ohio State's failure to sign "the ones who got away"? Well, it was the Miami Hurricanes, of course. In 2004, The U signed nine players who had strongly considered Ohio State - Bobby Washington, Charlie Jones, Andrew Johnson, Chris Rutledge, Chris Zellner, Rhyan Anderson, James Bryant, Willie Williams, and Anthony Reddick. Of those nine, six transferred to other schools after busting out for the Hurricanes, and the remaining three - Rutledge, Zellner, and Reddick - have had little or no success in Coral Gables. At the time, many Ohio State fans were frantic over the "losses" of players like Johnson, Bryant, Anderson, and Reddick ... but would you want any of those guys now?
A Bad Year for Williamses. The three Williamses on this list - Willie, Miles, and Kyle - each had serious legal issues in college (at least one felony charge), and two are no longer in football. Kyle is in jail for the next several decades, and Miles's current whereabouts are unknown; only the enormously talented Willie is still clinging to a career, albeit with a mediocre Division II program.
Those Who Succeeded.... Nineteen of the fifty prospects performed (or are performing) at or above expectations. However, of those nineteen, only two received four or more stars from both Rivals and Scout - Derrick Harvey and Dwayne Jarrett - and only four others received four stars from just one of the recruiting services - Jeremy Zuttah, Eddie Royal, Willie Young, and Jacky Claude. In other words, the vast majority of the players who met expectations at the college level did so because they were two- and three-star prospects who weren't expected to do much in the first place.
...And Those Who Didn't. Seven of the biggests busts - Andrew Johnson, Rhyan Anderson, James Bryant, Willie Williams, Kyle Williams, Brett Gallimore, and Olu Hall - each received at least four stars from both Rivals and Scout, with Willie Williams earning five stars from the premier recruiting services. Four of the seven signed with Miami, and none is currently with that program.
Decisions, Decisions.... Eighteen of the players on the list left their original schools prematurely, due to transfer, suspension, or ineligibility. Two more players - Xavier Lee and Darius Walker - left early for the NFL, with no reasonable hope of being drafted, in order to get out of their programs more or less gracefully. Thus, it could be said that only 60% of the players on this list made decent college selections in February of 2004 ... and several of those who stuck with their original schools - Leon Hart, Brett Gallimore, Mike Massey, and Brandon Braxton, to name a few - haven't exactly had stellar careers on the gridiron. Would a different college have made a real difference ... or were most of the "flops" simply kids who were overrated to begin with?
The Quarterbacks. The Buckeyes seriously pursued the three quarterbacks on this list, and finished in second place for each of them. Anthony Morelli made a wise choice in selecting Penn State over Ohio State, as he would have been a five-year bench warmer in Columbus. However, Xavier Lee and Robert Reid might have been different stories. In 2007, each of the "dual threat" quarterbacks would have had a chance to step into the same offensive scheme that earned Troy Smith the Heisman Trophy in 2006; instead, the Buckeye staff had to modify their system somewhat to fit the talents of drop back passer Todd Boeckman. Although Boeckman obviously did a fine job last season, could Lee or Reid have given the Buckeye offense the extra dimension that would have taken them over the top, like Tim Tebow for Florida in 2006 or Ryan Perrilloux for LSU in 2007? An interesting "what if"....
The Big Misses. Derrick Harvey is obviously a great talent, but he was always a long shot to attend Ohio State. Eddie Royal was another kid who had just passing interest in the Buckeyes ... and he would have had a difficult time beating out our own Teddy Ginn for reps at either wide receiver or return man. Fred Davis had one good year ... and he was head case from time to time. Willie Young almost selected Ohio State ... and he appears to have a very bright future ahead of him ... but North Carolina State is certainly a better fit academically. Which leaves us with just two real misses out of the fifty player list - Dwayne Jarrett and Jeremy Zuttah. Ironically, both were from the state of New Jersey, and one selected Rutgers because he wanted to stay close to home, and the other selected Southern Cal because he wanted the bright lights and the big city; Ohio State was runner-up in each case. Jarrett had a tremendous college career, and he should be a college hall of famer someday; and Zuttah was a rock-solid player who anchored the Scarlet Knights' offensive line for two seasons. Although Ohio State has certainly not been lacking in talent recently, could Jarrett and Zuttah have pushed the Buckeyes over the top in 2006 and 2007?
How the Buckeyes Fared. The Buckeyes' class of 2004 initially looked like one for the ages, but over time the class has been disappointing. Of course, Teddy Ginn, Vernon Gholston, and Antonio Pittman were bona fide stars, but too many of the signees were busts. Here is a link to the BPRT's review of Ohio State's recruiting class of 2004 - LINK
Quarterback
Xavier Lee (Florida State) - Xavier Lee has been in the news recently, and it has not been for his accomplishments on the field. The X-Man is upset that he isn't the Noles' starting quarterback, and he is contemplating a transfer to nearby University of South Florida. Xavier had a chance to sign with Ohio State and become the heir apparent to Troy Smith, but instead he opted to attend Florida State, where everyone except Lee knew that he would sit for four years behind fellow 2004 QB signee Drew Weatherford. Oh, well.... In case you are interested, Lee's career numbers at FSU are thus: 27 out of 57 (47.4%), 466 yards, 3 TD's, 1 Int; 14 rushes for 36 yards and 2 TD's ... and he has looked even worse than the numbers would indicate. Maybe life will be better at USF.... Update July, 2008: Well, the X-Man did not transfer, but stuck with Florida State ... at least for two more seasons. After his red-shirt junior campaign, which saw Lee play in just four games due to a combination of suspension, ineligibility, and just plain ineptitude, Xavier decided that it would be a good idea to ply his wares in the NFL, so he made himself available for the 2008 draft. Problem is, no one seemed to care, and this former high school superstar quarterback was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent ... as a tight end. The Ravens quickly soured on that experiment, and cut Lee on June 29, 2008. Lee's career totals at FSU: 155/302 (.513) for 2,323 yards, 15 touchdows, 11 interceptions, and 17 sacks. Two stars.
Robert Reid (Oklahoma State) - Reid's unusual experience at Oklahoma State is a reflection of a team in a free-fall. As a red-shirt freshman, Reid initially lost the quarterback job to returning starter Donovan Woods - so far, so good. But then, Cowboy head coach Mike Gundy moved Reid to wide receiver, where he caught 5 passes for 24 yards in the first two games of the 2005 season. By game three, however, Reid had assumed the starting QB role, and former starter Woods, in true Pop Warner league fashion, had been moved to safety. Reid put up some truly mediocre numbers (52 out of 108 (48.1%) for 602 yards, 2 TD's, 4 Ints) before getting hurt about halfway through the season. After returning to his starting position a few weeks later, Reid was eventually benched in favor of sophomore Al Pena, a transfer from Georgia Tech who didn't exactly set the Big 12 on fire (89 out of 179 (49.7%) for 1,102 yards, 8 TD's, 13 Ints). All of the above was in the midst of a dismal 4-7 season, in which three of the Cowboys' wins came over non-conference cupcakes Montana State, Florida Atlantic, and Arkansas State. Did Mr. Reid select the wrong OSU? Update July 2008: Bobby Reid's career was going along just fine ... he started all 13 games in 2006, completing 148 of 267 passes (55.4%) for 2266 yards and 24 touchdowns versus only 11 interceptions, while adding 500 yards and 5 touchdowns rushing ... and then it happened. After being benched early in the 2007 season - partly as the result of an injury - Reid was the subject of a malicious attack piece, in which some low-life hack reporterette from The Daily Oklahoman, widely regarded as the absolute bottom of the barrel when it comes to print journalism, implied that he was a soft mama's boy. In response to the article, Cowboys' head coach Mike Gundy defended Reid by blasting said low-life hack reporterette in a post-game press conference. So, Reid was totally thrilled that Gundy had his back, right? Well, maybe not so much.... In an interview with ESPN's Tom Friend in April of 2008, Reid claimed that his head coach's public tirade "basically ended my life" because it wasn't genuine and it only served to cover up Gundy's true feelings for his former franchise starting quarterback. Well, in any event, if there weren't any problems before the poison pen article, then there certainly were plenty thereafter - Reid assumed a more-or-less permanent seat on the bench (he threw only 14 passes after the incident), briefly quit the team during the season, and finally transferred to lowly Texas Southern in January of 2008. Right now, it's almost impossible to rate this kid, with a fine 2006 campaign sandwiched between disastrous seasons in 2005 and 2007 ... and after it, can Reid rebound in 2008 and possibly make the NFL take notice? Two stars for now, but I could still see this rating going either way before the next update.
Anthony Morelli (Penn State) - In August of 2003, five-star quarterback Anthony Morelli committed to Pitt. However, in December of that year, Morelli realized that Panther head coach Walt Harris was on the hot seat, and that the school might just be stupid enough to fire him and replace him with someone far, far worse. So Anthony, being a bright young man, decided to re-open his recruitment, focusing primarily on Penn State and Ohio State. By Signing Day, Morelli had settled on the Nittany Lions, thereby avoiding the train wreck that followed Dave Wannstedt to Pitt. Through his first two seasons, Morelli has seen only mop-up duty, having completed 18 passes in 33 attempts for 200 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception; however, he should be the Lions starting QB in 2006. The question for Buckeye fans is this: Would Anthony have helped Ohio State? With Troy Smith due back in 2006 as the clear starter, Morelli would have been battling Boeckman and Schoenhoft for the starting spot in 2007 (and any time that the Germans are battling the Italians, I'll lay my money on the Germans). Morelli would have provided nice depth in Columbus, but I think that the Buckeye offense is in good hands without him, for 2007 and beyond. Update July 2008: To the extent that he will be remembered at all, Anthony Morelli will be remembered as a competent, uninspiring, immobile quarterback with a big arm who couldn't beat the big boys of the Big Ten, due in large part to his own poor decisions under pressure. After two seasons of mop-up duty, Morelli became the Nittany Lions full-time starter in 2006 and 2007, during which time he amassed some pretty fair stats (442/788, .561, 5,075 yards, 30 touchdowns, 18 interceptions, 39 sacks), achieved a pretty fair winning percentage (18 wins, 8 losses, .692 pct), and impressed absolutely no one with his skills under center. Anthony used up his eligibility after the 2007 season, but was not selected in the 2008 NFL draft; he subsequently signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent. A five-star prospect with three-star results: a recurring theme for Penn State (Derrick Williams, Justin King, A.J. Wallace).
Running Back
Bobby Washington (Miami) - Coming out of Dade County in 2004, Bobby Washington and Charlie Jones (see below) were two of the top running back prospects in the entire country. Both had the swollen egos that often accompany stardom (even when it is only achieved at the high school level), and both decided to attend The U, where each claimed that he would be The Man and that his teammate/opponent would be "nothing". Unfortunately, before that epic intra-squad showdown could occur, Washington failed to gain admission to Miami (academic issues), and re-signed with North Carolina State. As a true freshman, Washington had 151 yards rushing, 34 yards receiving, and no touchdowns for the Wolfpack; as a sophomore, he had only 34 yards rushing and 14 yards receiving for a rather mediocre N.C. State team. Obviously, this lack of success is the fault of the Wolfpack coaching staff, and Bobby is threatening to transfer to another school (he wanted Miami, but it looks like Michigan State will have to do). Yet another blue chip bust who is still relying on his Rivals100 ranking to claim stardom. Update July 2008: After failing to gain admission to Miami and busting out at North Carolina State, Bobby Washington went the Division 1-AA route and transferred to Eastern Kentucky. Washington actually had a fairly decent career for the Colonels, as his two-year totals would indicate: 288 rushes for 1,559 yards (5.4 average) and 15 touchdowns; 44 receptions for 416 yards and 4 touchdowns. Still, being a big shot on a "championship subdivision" team is hardly what one would expect from a former super big time prospect who had offers from every major program in the country. Two stars.
Charlie Jones (Miami) - Jones was the second half of the Dade County tailback tandem who signed with the Miami Hurricanes in 2004. Unlike Bobby Washington, however, Jones cleared admissions at The U. After a year on special teams, Charlie has emerged somewhat as a sophomore, having rushed for 457 yards (4.0 average) and 5 touchdowns as the back-up to Tyrone Moss. Despite the lofty high school ranking, Jones isn't in the same league as Antonio Pittman, the back whom the Buckeyes "settled for" after the super blue chippers all chose the "sexy" programs. And despite being from Florida, Jones doesn't even have Pittman's speed. Update July 2008: Unlike most of the Miami signees on this list, Charlie Jones isn't really a punk, although he did earn a one-game suspension for his participation in the notorious FIU brawl a couple of seasons back. Charlie's problem was simply lack of talent, as evidenced by his three-year career totals for the Hurricanes: 190 carries for 713 yards (3.75 average) and 10 touchdowns. After the 2006 season ended, Jones transferred to Memphis, and he will finish up his college eligibility for the Tigers this fall. Still a little bit of time to improve upon a two star career ... but at least Charlie had sense enough to earn his degree, as he graduated from Memphis in May of 2008 with a bachelor of science in education.
Andrew Johnson (Miami) - Even though the Hurricanes already had commitments from 5-star tailbacks Bobby Washington and Charlie Jones, Andrew Johnson decided to sign with The U. Well, there eventually was some good news for Johnson: When Washington failed to pass admissions, Andrew moved up to fourth-string tailback, where he remains after his sophomore season. But that's not the best part of Johnson's recruiting story. In the summer of 2003, Johnson, who was from Pittsburgh, committed to Pitt. Then, things started to get a little bit weird. In celebration of himself and his upcoming coronation as the savior of the Panther football program, Andrew threw a lavish party at a local restuarant, and as the star of his own show, he arrived attired in a pink suit. Yep, you got it, pink. (If you'd like to see AJ in his pink suit, then click here.) Well, by December, Johnson had determined that Pitt just wasn't great enough for him, so he began looking around. His first stop was Ohio State, but since the Buckeyes weren't in the market for a fourth-string tailback, the staff offered Andrew a chance to play defensive back. "No thanks", said Andrew, "I'll try The U." In the mean time, Johnson began posting on message boards and calling into sports talk shows, running smack against Pitt and Panther fans (and it was some pretty lame smack, if I remember correctly). Well, Andrew showed them in the end: to date, he has already rushed for 138 yards in two full seasons for the 'Canes. Update July 2008: Following his breakthrough season in 2006 (5 rushes, 34 yards), Johnson transferred to the University of Akron, where he will be a senior in 2008 after sitting out the 2007 campaign. Johnson, Dennis Kennedy (see below), and a cast of thousands will battle for the Zips starting tailback position this fall, now that last year's starter, Bryan Williams, has been switched over to strong safety. The definition of a bust: one star. By the way, does anyone really feel sorry for this kid?
Darius Walker (Notre Dame) - Despite the best efforts of the Buckeye faithful to convince Darius to attend Ohio State, he nevertheless decided to spurn his Buckeye offer in favor of Notre Dame. As a true freshman, Walker had a fine season, compiling 786 yards and 7 touchdowns on 185 carries (4.2 average); and he followed it up with an even better sophomore year in which he rushed for 1,106 yards and 6 TD's on 237 carries (4.7 average) during the regular season. At 5' 10", 208 pounds, Walker is similar in build to the Bucks' own Antonio Pittman, and their on-the-field production has been similar as well. Although Walker would be a nice addition to most any team, the Buckeyes got an equally good player in Pittman, and appear to be set for the future at tailback with Maurice and Chris Wells. Update July 2008: If you look at just the numbers, then Darius Walker had a very productive three-year career at Notre Dame: 3,249 yards rushing (4th-best in school history), 816 yards receiving, and 26 total touchdowns. However, Walker averaged only 4.7 yards per carry, and he was never the home run threat that the Fighting Irish had expected when they signed him out of high school; in addtion, Walker was surrounded by a great supporting cast (Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, Maurice Stovall), and Notre Dame's high-powered passing attack often opened up the running game for his benefit. Darius left Notre Dame after only three seasons and entered the 2007 NFL draft ... but he was not selected, which caused the Walker family to allege that Golden Domer head coach Charlie Weis had sabotaged Darius in discussions with NFL scouts and front office personnel. But in reality, Walker was simply too small (5' 10", 208 lbs) and too slow (4.7 forty) to attract any serious interest from the pros. The Houston Texans signed Darius as a "street" free agent before the 2007 season, and in four games he racked up 264 yards rushing, 81 yards receiving, and a touchdown. 3.5 stars
Gartrell Shavers (Colorado State) - Remember Gartrell Shavers? You know, the guy with the dreadlocks that put Mo Wells's to shame? Remember how he "committed" to Ohio State without having the benefit of a Buckeye offer? Well, if you recall, Shavers led Dade County in rushing as a senior (yes, the same Dade County that produced 5-star tailbacks Bobby Washington and Charlie Jones), but he had some academic issues which prevented him from attending Ohio State (and most other major programs for that matter). In any event, after his abortive effort to unilaterally commit to the Buckeyes, Shavers headed out west and signed with Colorado State. After suffering an injury and red-shirting in 2004, Shavers is now seeing limited duty as a back-up fullback for the Rams. And for what it's worth, Shavers is now known as "Gartrell Johnson III". Update July 2008: In 2007, Gartrell was one of the few bright spots on a really bad Colorado State team that finished the season with just three wins, as he amassed 957 yards rushing (5.3 average), 103 yards receiving, and 8 total touchdowns en route to being named an all conference honorable mention selection. Johnson returns as a fifth-year senior in 2008, and he is once again expected to lead the Rams' offense. For those of you who are wondering, Gartrell is still sporting his famous dreadlocks. A kid who could have folded after suffering through academic difficulties and injuries early in his career, Johnson is now considered to be one of the inspirational leaders of the Colorado State squad. 2.5 stars ... and hoping that Gartrell can take his game to the next level in 2008.
Brock Bolen (Illinois) - The 234-pound Bolen spurned an offer from Ohio State, which wanted him to play fullback, in favor of Illinois, which promised him a chance to play tailback. As a true freshman for the Illini, Brock lined up at ... you guessed it ... fullback, where he got 11 carries for 51 yards in very limited action. Disappointed that the Illini staff wasn't structuring their offense to maximize his potential, Bolen promptly transferred to Louisville, where he must envision himself as the heir-apparent to superstar tailback Michael Bush (who ironically turned down Ohio State's offer to play running back because Lousiville promised to let him play quarterback). So the world turns.... Update July 2008: After sitting out the 2005 season as a result of his transfer from Illinois, Bolen has put up some respectable numbers as a reserve running back for the Louisville Cardinals: 752 yards rushing, 164 yards receiving, and 12 total touchdowns for the past two seasons combined. In 2008, Brock has the inside track to earn the starting role, but three talented youngsters will push him for playing time. The jury is still out, but early indications are two stars, with one final chance to live up to the hype.
Dennis Kennedy (Ohio State) - Well, it's kinda hard to say that Dennis Kennedy "got away" when he actually signed a Letter of Intent with Ohio State. However, Kennedy had some academic issues (which were partially the result of some personal issues, including the untimely death of his father), and he was unable to gain admission into the Ohio State University. Instead of taking a "grey shirt" year and re-applying to OSU, Kennedy instead signed with the University of Akron. After taking a red shirt year, Kennedy saw some significant action in 2005, rushing for 118 yards and 1 touchdown, and catching 12 passes for 152 yards and 1 touchdown. However, at Ohio State, Dennis would likely be no better than fourth-string tailback behind Pittman, Mo Wells, and Haw (with 5-star RB Beanie Wells on the way). It is nice to see Kennedy having a chance to succeed with the Zips, and he is probably better off in the MAC than the Big Ten. Update July 2008: After leading the Zips in rushing in 2006 (914 yards, 9 TD's), Kennedy fell off the map in 2007 (156 yards, no TD's). Dennis will be back for his senior season in 2008, so he'll have one more opportunity to salvage his up-and-down career. Two stars.
Receivers
Dwayne Jarrett (Southern Cal) - Of all of the kids on this list, Dwayne Jarrett was the closest to signing with Ohio State, and in retrospect he was the Buckeyes' biggest loss. Dwayne committed to Ohio State just hours before Signing Day, and then faxed his LOI to Southern Cal early the next morning. Did he make the right choice? Well, it's hard to argue with the results: 55 receptions for 849 yards and 13 TD's in the Trojans' 2004 national championship season, and 91 receptions for 1,274 yards and 16 TD's (and All American honors) in 2005. One more year of production like that and Dwyane will be a rich man in the NFL and a future inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame. Truly the one who got away.... Update July 2008: As a junior in 2006, Jarrett had another fine season, hauling in 70 passes for 1,015 yards and 12 touchdowns, and upping his career totals to 216 receptions (USC record) for 3,138 yards and 41 touchdowns (PAC-10 record). Dwayne left for the NFL after his junior season, and was a second round selection of the Carolina Panthers in the 2007 draft. The only true superstar on this list - five stars.
Fred Davis (Southern Cal) - On a cold, dark night in January of 2004, a five-star talent stepped off of a plane at LAX ready to take The City of Angels by storm. Was he a young actor with a boatload of charisma and a movie star smile? The Next Big Thing on the music scene? A member of the socialite glitterati? No, he was wide receiver Fred Davis of Toledo, Ohio, otherwise known as Pete Carroll's Number One Guy. Ah, remember the bravado which issued from young Mr. Davis back then: "A good season for me would be breaking Mike's (freshman) record. I'd be happy with that. It's not impossible. I think it could happen." (BTW, "Mike" refers to Mike Williams, who set NCAA freshman records for receptions (81), yards (1,265) and touchdowns (14) in 2002 for Southern Cal.) And how about this gem: "I went to Ohio State games and I really thought they were boring. I kind of fell asleep. Their offense makes you fall asleep. They're near my hometown, so they'll probably take care of me if I went there, but what's the reason to play there? To block?" (Scott Wolf, Los Angeles Times, 03/04/04) Well, somewhere along the way, Fred forgot to back up his words with production on the field. Before his freshman season, Davis was switched to tight end (where, presumably, he had to do a little blocking), and in limited action he caught 4 passes for 30 yards and 0 TD's (just a bit short of Mike Williams's freshman numbers). Fred took the move so well that he ended up getting suspended for the Trojans' national championship game, and then tried to transfer to ... you guessed it ... Ohio State. However, Fred stuck with the program at Southern Cal, and he showed marked improvement in 2005, catching 11 passes for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. And, we hear that he really loves to block.... Update July 2008: For his career at Southern California, Fred Davis made 117 receptions for 1,408 yards and 13 touchdowns, which were only slightly better than Mike Williams's freshman totals (see above). To be fair, Davis did finally have a decent year as a senior (62 receptions, 881 yards, 8 touchdowns, All American recognition), or else he would have gone down in college football history as a first class bust. Still, when one considers the overwhelming amount of hype lavished on Davis (much of it self-generated), his career was a definite disappointment. Davis did manage to parlay his one-year wonderdom into a second-round selection in the 2008 NFL draft, and so the Washington Redskins are stuck with this prima donna now. 3.5 stars.
Brandon Barrett (West Virginia) - Barrett had to sit out his freshman year because he was not academically qualified. As a sophomore, he caught no passes as a reserve wide out for the Mountaineers ... but he did manage to get busted for DUI and possession of marijuana. I thought that the Buckeyes made a good "pass" at the time, and nothing that has happened in the past two years has changed my mind. Update July 2008: Believe it or not, former West Virginia warden Rich Rodriguez actually dropped this guy ... but then again, a kid has to at least show up once in a while to be a member of the Mountaineers' rogues gallery. Barrett is believed to be out of football altogether ... which means that he probably wasn't all that talented to begin with, as some programs will take just about anybody who can contribute on the field. Zero stars.
DaJuan Morgan (North Carolina State) - Coming out of Suncoast High School in Riviera Beach, Florida, DaJuan originally committed to the Buckeyes. However, he (allegedly) failed to pass Ohio State's stringent admission requirments, and on NLOID he signed with North Carolina State. Morgan red-shirted in 2004, then switched from receiver to defensive back for the 2005 season. On the year, he had one interception as a reserve safety. Update July 2008: DaJuan ended up having a nice career at North Carolina State - in 38 games (12 starts), he recorded 225 tackles, 5.5 TFL's, and 6 interceptions. After earning All ACC second team honors in 2007, Morgan left early for the the NFL, and he was a third round selection of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2008 draft. A solid player who most likely would have at least contributed in Columbus - 3.5 stars.
Miles Williams (Michigan State) - Like DaJuan Morgan, Miles Williams also committed to the Buckeyes before learning that he would be unable to pass admissions at Ohio State. Williams eventually signed with Michigan State, where during his freshman year he was charged with felony robbery and subsequently dismissed from the team. The latest news had him walking on for the Youngstown State Penguins. Update July 2008: Current whereabouts unknown - believed to be out of football. Zero stars.
Eddie Royal (Virginia Tech) - Royal had some serious interest in the Buckeyes, but academics were an issue in his recruitment. As a true freshman in 2004, Eddie led the Hokies in receiving (28 receptions, 470 yards, 3 TD's), and was named a Freshman All-American for his work on special teams (28.8 yards per KO return; 11.0 yards per punt return). In 2005, Eddie's numbers were about the same (25 receptions, 314 yards, 2 TD's; 79 yards rushing, 1 TD), and he is still one of VPI's primary options in the passing game. At Ohio State, Royal would have provided depth, but that is exactly what the Buckeyes don't need at wide receiver. A good player, but not better than what we already have. Update July 2008: Royal blossomed during his final two seasons at Virginia Tech, and he left the school as the Hokies' career leader with 4,686 all-purpose yards (1,778 receiving, 1,386 kick off returns, 1,296 punt returns, and 226 rushing); he also scored 16 total touchdowns. While Eddie's career receiving numbers (119 receptions, 1,778 yards, 12 TD's) might constitute a good season for a Texas Tech wide out, VPI's offense has not exactly been high octane over the past few years. Based primarily on his potential as a receiver (he ran a 4.39 forty at the Indianapolis combine) and his proven ability as a return man, the Denver Broncos selected Royal in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. A "lite" version of Teddy Ginn. Four stars.
Offensive Line
Jeff Byers (Southern Cal) - Coming out of Loveland High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, Jeff Byers was the top offensive line prospect in the entire country. Although he seemed to like Ohio State quite a bit, Jeff eventually signed with Southern Cal as part of the Trojans amazing 2004 recruiting class. After starting four games as a true freshman and being named to some freshman All-American teams, Byers hurt his hip. The injury required two surgeries and side-lined Byers for the entire 2005 season. He should be back in 2006, and likely better than ever. Possibly a future All-American (if he can recover from his injury). Update July 2008: Byers suffered another season-ending injury after the first game of the 2006 campaign, but after two full years on the sidelines, he rebounded to have a decent junior season in 2007 as the Trojans starting left guard. Jeff has already graduated from Southern Cal, and he is in the second year of their MBA program. A hard luck 2.5 stars, who still has room for significant improvement.
Leon Hart (Auburn) - After his official visit to Ohio State in December of 2003, Leon Hart came ever so close to issuing a verbal commitment to the Buckeyes. A few days later, however, he was solidly in the Auburn camp, and that is where he ended up signing. As a War Eagle, Hart has spent his first two seasons as a prime reserve along the offensive line, and he might move into a starting role next season. The jury's still out on Leon, but I'd like to see him in the scarlet and grey, if for no other reason than to provide some depth. Update July 2008: After three years as a reserve, Hart was expected to be starter in 2007, but he lost much of his senior season to injury. After the season, Leon was neither drafted nor signed as a free agent by any NFL team. Was this a case of a kid being overrated coming out of high school ... or under-developed at the college level? A rather charitable two stars for sticking with the program for four years, making some contributions, and keeping out of trouble (unlike so many others on this list).
Brett Gallimore (Michigan) - Gallimore was a Rivals100 selection, and one of the top offensive linemen in the country. After red-shirting in 2004, Gallimore saw action in only one game in 2005, and he is currently buried on the Wolverines' depth chart. In other words, he's pretty much in the same boat as Buckeye signees Ben Person, Kyle Mitchum, and Jon Skinner, who were also members of the class of 2004. Because offensive linemen often take a couple of years to develop, it remains to be seen whether Ohio State "missed" on Gallimore, or on their own signees, or both. Update July 2008: In four years, Gallimore has seen action in two games - that's an average of half a game a year, for all of you kinesiology majors out there. Before the 2007 season, Brett switched from OL to DL ... but that didn't really help, and he isn't expected to contribute anything during his senior campaign, either. Half a star for staying in school and keeping off of the police blotter.
Chauncey Incarnato (Notre Dame) - There were many people (including some paid "experts") who were literally demanding that the Ohio State staff offer this kid, and predicting doom, gloom, and the utter destruction of Buckeye football if they didn't.
This despite the fact that Incarnato seemed to go out of his way to antagonize the staff, and then pouted when he didn't get an offer in June (in fact, he never got a Buckeye offer). Well, Chauncey proved the gloom-and-doomers right when he became a Domer. Or did he? After taking a red-shirt year at Notre Dame, Incarnato became disenchanted with the program and transferred to Indiana. He sat out the 2005 season, and will have three years of eligibility remaining at IU (assuming that he decides to stay there). Is anyone still upset that we didn't sign him? Update July 2008: Chauncey did not appear in any games for the Indiana Hoosiers in 2006 and then ... surprise, surprise ... he transferred once agin, this time to UMass. After sitting out the 2007 season to comply with NCAA regulations, Chauncey will be ready to go in 2008 ... or so the theory goes. Four years of college, and not a down of action to show for it. Half a star for being a good citizen.Gerald Cadogan (Penn State) - The other
from the class of 2004. Although Cadogan didn't seem to resonate as strongly with the doom-and-gloom crowd, certain people were thrashing the Ohio State staff for rejecting yet another future OL superstar from the Buckeye State. Gerald is now at Penn State, where he is in the two-deep at offensive tackle as a red-shirt freshman. He'll be okay, but so will the four prospects whom the Bucks inked in 2004. No loss. Update July 2008: Gerald has slowly worked his way up the depth chart, and in 2007 he started twelve games along Penn State's offensive line. He's also a top student. Might have helped, might not have ... three stars.Brandon Braxton (Oklahoma) - Somehow, the
crowd wasn't clamoring for Brandon Braxton like they were for Chauncey Incarnato and Gerald Cadogan, even though Braxton was ranked the 53rd best player in the country by Rivals. Maybe that was because Brandon had some serious academic issues (which caused him to enroll late at Oklahoma) ... or maybe it was because he sometimes played like neither his heart nor his head was into the game. As a freshman in 2005, Braxton had some success early, then got benched for underperformance. Brandon may develop into a consistent player some day, but I for one don't miss him. Update July 2008: In 2006, Brandon started seven games at right tackle before going down with a season-ending broken leg. He returned to action in 2007, earning seven more starts at right tackle ... but sitting out other games completely. A spotty career that has never really taken off for a variety of reasons ... 2.5 stars.Jacky Claude (Florida State) - Jacky Claude wanted to be a Buckeye in the worst way (think Ronnie Wilson, only a year earlier). Jacky, who went to Miami Edison, had at least three of his high school teammates also bleeding the scarelt and grey. Jacky and his pals even drove up from south Florida to attend the Buckeyes' summer camp, and then Jacky and LB Brouce Mompremier (see below) made an unofficial visit to see a game in The Shoe that fall. Unfortunately, a low ACT score on Jacky's part, and a minor recruiting indiscretion on the Ohio State's part (allegedly), prevented Jacky from ever becoming a Buckeye. Instead, he signed with his second choice, Florida State, and as a true sophomore, he was the Seminoles' starting left guard. Of all of the "misses" amongst the offensive linemen, this was one of the biggest. Update July 2008: Over his last three seasons at Florida State, Jacky Claude made 37 starts ... but that isn't necessarily saying much, as the Seminoles' offensive line was a definite team weakness. Claude was one of the 36 players implicated in FSU's huge academic cheating scandal, and he was suspended for the 2007 Music City Bowl, thus ending his career on a down note. Jacky was not selected in the 2008 NFL draft, nor was he signed as a street free agent (although he did get a try out at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' mini-camp this past May). A tarnished three stars.
Dumaka Atkins (Florida State) - Atkins, from Sarasota Booker, had Ohio State amongst his final five, but decided to stay close to home and attend Florida State. As a red-shirt freshman, he was the back-up center for the 'Noles, and he is expected to move into a starting role next season. It remains to be seen whether Atkins will be significantly better than the OL prospects whom the Buckeyes signed in 2004 (Kyle Mitcum, Jon Skinner, Ben Person, Steve Rehring); my guess is that Dumaka will be a fine player, but so will our boys. Update July 2008: Atkins saw action in ten games as a reserve offensive lineman in 2006, missed all of 2007 with a knee injury, was switched to defensive tackle for 2008 spring practices ... and then disappeared from the Seminoles' active roster. Dumaka graduated in December of 2007, so maybe he's already thinking about life after football. 1.5 stars.
Jeremy Zuttah (Rutgers) - Coming out of JP Stevens High in Edison, New Jersey, Jeremy Zuttah selected home-town Rutgers over Ohio State, Iowa, Maryland, and Pitt. As a true freshman, Zuttah started five games at various positions along the line, and as a sophomore, he was the Scarlet Knights' starting left guard. It is hard to say whether Jeremy would have achieved such early success at Ohio State, which presumably has a deeper and more talented offensive line, but he would have been a welcome (if not exactly necessary) addition to the Buckeyes' class of 2004. Update July 2008: After moving to right tackle for his last two seasons, Jeremy really developed into a talented offensive lineman. During that time, Zuttah did not allow a sack in 698 pass plays, and he also recorded 196 knockdown blocks. In both 2006 and 2007, Jeremy was named first team All Big East, and he was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. A solid four stars.
Carlos Feliciano (Maryland) - Carlos was generally recruited as an offensive lineman, but he is now playing nose tackle for the Terrapin defense. In two seasons, he has amassed only 11 tackles (no sacks) in a reserve role. In contrast, Ohio State signed defensive tackles Nader Abdallah and Alex Barrow in the class of 2004, neither of whom has seen any significant action. Call it a wash at this point. Update July 2008: Feliciano was another player who showed marked development during his final two seasons of college football. Carlos appeared in every game in 2006 and 2007, earning twenty starts. Primarily a run stuffer, Feliciano racked up 73 tackles, 5 TFL's and 1 sack for his career. In April of 2008, he was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent. 2.5 stars.
Mark Dile (South Florida) - Mark was one of the three Miami Edison prospects (along with DL Richard Clebert and LB Brouce Mompremier) who wanted to follow Jacky Claude north to Columbus (of the four, only Claude had a Buckeye offer). When Claude stayed down in Florida (Florida State, to be exact), so did the rest of the crew, with the remaining three eventually signing with the University of South Florida. After a red-shirt year in 2004, Dile was listed as the Bulls' 2nd-string offensive tackle in 2005. Still a project. Update July 2008: Dile is the Bulls' returning starter at left tackle, so I guess it's safe to remove the "project" tag from him. Mark had 80 pancake blocks in 2007, and graded out at 73%. South Florida has become a solid program largely because of their ability to develop "sleeper" prospects like Mark Dile, Richard Clebert, and Brouce Mompremier (see below). Three stars.
Chris Rutledge (Miami) - Rutledge was a major sleeper coming out of high school. Ohio State was the first college to "discover" Rutledge, but he soon got the attention of the home town Hurricanes, and when they offered, the battle was over. Chris red-shirted his first year, and in 2005 he was listed as the 'Canes' third-string right tackle. Everyone knew that Chris would be a project, but to date, no one can say whether he'll pan out. Update July 2008: Chris has earned only nine career starts in three seasons ... and it looks like he will once again be a reserve in 2008. 1.5 stars.
Jabari Ferguson (Temple) - If Chris Rutledge was a project, then Jabari Ferguson was a major project. In their quest to find quality offensive linemen, the Buckeye staff looked high and low and far and wide, and Ferguson was one of the sleepers who briefly piqued their interest. However, the staff passed on Jabari, and he eventually signed with his best offer - Temple. After a red-shirt year, Ferguson became a back-up tackle for an 0-11 team in 2005. While he might emerge some day, it now appears that the Bucks did the right thing in passing on a kid who was very far from being a sure thing. Update July 2008: In three seasons, Jabari has seen action in 30 games, with just 9 starts ... and remember, that is for the lowly Temple Owls. Ferguson returns for his senior campaign in 2008, but don't expect a break-out performance. 1.5 stars, with a chance to reach respectability with a strong finish.
Izzy Bauta (Duke) - Izzy Bauta emerged from out the blue, and then promptly went right back there - to the Blue Devils that is. When Bauta's name first appeared on Ohio State's radar, most Buckeye fans thought it that it must have been some kind of mistake, or a cruel joke, for no other school of any note was recruiting this little known lineman from Brooklyn Poly. When rumors of a Buckeye verbal began to circulate, some of us even got a little bit worried, especially when stud in-state linemen like Chauncey Incarnato and Gerald Cadogan hadn't even been offered. Well, things turned out all right for Buckeye fans after all, as Izzy followed his older brother Lavdrim (also an offensive lineman) to Duke. However, after signing with the Devils, Izzy decided that big school football wasn't really for him, and he transferred to 1-AA Villanova, where he seems to be progressing nicely. Update July 2008: Bauta has become a starting offensive lineman for Villanova. Not bad, but still not worth more than two stars.
Defensive Line
Olu Hall (Virginia) - Leading up to NLOID 2004, Hall's final two teams were Virginia and Ohio State. At the eleventh hour, he opted for his home state school and signed with the Cavaliers. However, Olu had some academic issues, and he was forced to take a year at Hargrave Military Academy before re-signing with UVa the next year. As a true freshman in 2005, Hall saw very limited action at outside linebacker (94 plays), and he assisted on only one tackle. It's still early for Hall, but to date he's hardly made a four-star impact at the college level. Update July 2008: After being declared academically ineligible for both the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Olu Hall left Virginia for the greener pastures (and easier classrooms) of Kansas State. Wildcat fans are expecting big things from Olu in 2008 ... if he can ever see the field. Zero stars.
Clint Sintim (Virginia) - Another Virginia kid who elected to stay home. Ohio State was never really a serious contender for Sintim, whose finalists were Virginia and Virginia Tech. After a red-shirt year, Sintim had a fine season in 2005, logging 46 tackles (5th-best on the Cavaliers defense), 7 TFL's, and 3 sacks from his outside linebacker position. A good player who would certainly have seen some playing time at Ohio State in a reserve role. One to watch for the future.... Update July 2008: After three seasons as a starting linebacker for Virginia, Sintim has amassed 168 tackles, 28 TFL's, and 16 sacks. A big senior season could push Clint even further up the charts, but right now he still warrants 3.5 stars.
Willie Young (North Carolina State) - Like Olu Hall, Willie Young came close to selecting Ohio State, but in the end he decided to stay down south (more or less) and signed with North Carolina State. Also like Hall, Young failed to pass the clearinghouse and had to take a year at Hargrave, where the two players were teammates. Young red-shirted in 2005, so the jury is obviously still out on him. Update July 2008: After a very slow start (prep school in 2004, redshirt in 2005), Willie has developed into a nice player. As a freshman in 2006, Young had 60 tackles and 3 TFL's, but he really emerged during his sophomore campaign, when he had 48 tackles, 16 TFL's, 6 sacks, 24 quarterback pressures, and 6 pass deflections. The issue with Willie has never been his talent on the field, but rather whether he could make the adjustment to "college life" (i.e., going to classes, studying, remaining eligible). So far, so good in that regard ... and he's a budding star on the gridiron. Three stars after two seasons, which means that Willie could still make a big move upward.
Derrick Harvey (Florida) - According to Rivals, Derrick Harvey was the 8th best player in the country for the class of 2004. To date, the red-shirt freshman has not quite lived up to his billing, as he has recorded only 5 tackles and 1 sack in reserve duty for the Gators. Of course, he is still young and could burst onto the scene as early as next year, but 5-star players are supposed to have an immediate impact at the college level (like Ted Ginn, Adrian Peterson, Chad Henne, Dan Connor, Dwayne Jarrett, etc.). Another case of where what we got is as good as what we didn't. Update July 2008: In 2004, Derrick Harvey was rated as the eighth-best player in the country coming out of high school ... and in 2008, he was the eighth player selected in the NFL draft coming out of college. Funny how these things work out sometimes. In 36 games at the University of Florida (18 starts), Harvey logged 90 tackles, 31 TFL's, and 20.5 sacks, which are some pretty decent numbers ... but then again, Ohio State got almost identical production out of three-star prospect Vernon Gholston (87 tackles, 30.5 TFL's, 22.5 sacks, 1 interception in 34 games). As a high school recruit, Harvey was known as a one-dimensional player, and he never really lost that tag at Florida ... but being a sack artist is a pretty good "one dimension" to have. A five-star prospect who almost fully lived up to his massive hype: 4.5 stars.
Tim Jamison (Michigan) - When the recruiting gurus at Rivals.com learned that Jamison had committed to Michigan, he skyrocketed from the 20th best player in the state of Illinois to the 40th best player in the entire nation! And you wonder why Michigan always has such highly-ranked recruiting classes....
Anyway, as a red-shirt freshman in 2005, Jamison recorded only 9 tackles and 2 sacks in mop-up duty for the Wolverines. There is nothing to indicate that Jamison would have seen more action or been more successful with the Buckeyes. Tim might develop down the road, but I'll take what we've got (and what we've got is already good enough to beat Michigan!). Update July 2008: Jamison was a highly-ranked prospect who has enjoyed middle-of-the-road success at Michigan. After three seasons of mop-up duty (including an injury-shortened 2004 campaign), Tim emerged as a functional player in 2007, recording 52 tackles and 5.5 sacks and upping his career totals to 79 tackles and 14.5 sacks. By the way, Jamison and his fellow fifth-year seniors are trying to become the first group of Wolverines to lose to Ohio State five times during their careers - good luck on bringing those platinum sombreros back to Ann Arbor! 2.5 stars, with some upward mobility.Rhyan Anderson (Miami) - Even though his mother really wanted him to attend Ohio State, Rhyan decided to head south from Wisconsin and try his luck at The U. Despite the fact that Rivals ranked him the 51st-best overall prospect in the entire country, Anderson red-shirted in 2004, and he failed to crack the Hurricanes' two-deep in 2005 (although he did manage to record four tackles and one sack on the season). Is Anderson a bust, or is he simply buried behind several talented veterans on the Hurricanes' roster? Time will tell.... Update July 2008: Well, time has told ... Rhyan Anderson is officially a bust. After appearing in just one game for the Miami Hurricanes in 2006, Rhyan transferred to New Mexico State. As the Aggies starting defensive end last season, Anderson managed to record only 12 tackles, 2 TFL's, and 1 sack in 13 games. He'll be back for his senior campaign in 2008 ... but don't expect much from this former "can't miss" prospect. One star.
Mike Massey (Michigan) - Massey is one of the many stars produced by Cleveland St. Ignatius during the past two decades. As some of you already know, one of Mike's older brothers (Jim) was an offensive lineman for Ohio State, and another (Pat) was a defensive lineman for Michigan. Of course, this family split made a college selection very difficult for the youngest Massey brother (for a while, he considered going to Boston College in order to make everyone equally unhappy). Becuase Pat still played for Michigan, and Jim had long since finished his career with Ohio State, Mike decided that he couldn't pass up the opportunity to be teammates with his younger older brother (if you can catch my drift) and he signed with the Wolverines. After taking a red shirt season, Massey was switched to tight end, where he caught 6 passes for 33 yards and 1 touchdown as a third-stringer in 2005. It remains to be seen whether Massey develops into a pass-catching threat for the Wolverines' offense, but to date, I'm not overly concerned about "losing" him to that team up north. Update July 2008: In three seasons at Michigan, Massey has played 27 games at tight end, earning just 7 starts. His career numbers: 20 receptions for 161 yards and 2 TD's. Massey will be a fifth-year senior in 2008, but there is no indication that he will be able to shed the "bust" label that he has acquired. Two stars, barely.
Nick Smith (Michigan State) - Smith graduated from Canton Glen Oak, which is a very pro-Buckeye high school. Nick really wanted to attend the Ohio State University, but some academic difficulties prevented that from happening. Like so many other borderline students, Nick headed north to East Lansing, where he has had some minor success for the Spartans. As a true freshman, Nick logged 4 tackles, and he added 7 more as a sophomore. However, he is poised to earn a starting spot at defensive tackle next season. Could he have helped the Buckeyes? Maybe, but the Bucks did just fine in signing DT's Nader Abdallah and Alex Barrow. Update July 2008: After appearing in just one game for the Spartans in 2006, Nick Smith did not play in 2007, and he appears to be out of football. Half a star.
Frank Morton (Tulane) - Like running back Gartrell Shavers (see above), Frank Morton was another prospect who tried to verbal to Ohio State before receiving a Buckeye offer. Morton became enamoured with the Buckeyes after attending Ohio State's summer camp, and then spent much of the next six months trying to convince the Buckeye staff to accept his commitment. Well, it never happened, and Frank ended up signing with Tulane, where he has recorded 50 tackles and 5 TFL's over the past two seasons as a member of the Green Wave's DL rotation. Not bad production, but one wonders whether Morton would have seen the field yet at Ohio State. Update July 2008: Morton finished his career at Tulane in 2007, and he left the Green Wave with 96 tackles, 14 TFL's, and 5.5 sacks. Marginal production for a marginal program ... but he actually had a lot better career than some of the super-hyped five-star prospects on this list. 2.5 stars.
C.J. Hunnicutt (South Florida) - I told you that you wouldn't remember some of these guys.... Actually, C.J. made a late official visit to Ohio State, and claimed to have a Buckeye offer (but we're a bit sceptical). In any event, Hunnicutt signed with the Bulls and appeared to have a promising future as a linebacker / rush end until he was kicked off of the team for theft in September of 2004. But C.J.'s story gets better, in a good way. The charges against him were dropped and he was allowed to return to the team, but C.J. Hunnicutt decided to follow in the footsteps of his namesake B.J. Hunnicut and join the Army so that he could get some discipline and direction in his life (actually, both of C.J.'s parents served in the military). We have no word on whether Hunnicutt has any plans to return to football after his stint in the Army, but he should be a better man for having served his country. Update July 2008: No news - Hunnicutt appears to be out of football for good. A reluctant zero stars for a kid who seems to have turned his life around off of the gridiron.
Richard Clebert (South Florida) - Clebert was yet another Miami Edison player who had a brief infatuation with Ohio State. When the Bucks did not offer, Richard stayed closer to home and signed with the South Florida Bulls. As a true freshman, Clebert had 4 tackles, 2 TFL's, and 1 sack; as a sophomore, his numbers were similar, with 14 tackles, 2.5 TFL's, and .5 sacks. Clebert could earn a starting job in 2006, but he would likely have been a career back-up for the Buckeyes. Update July 2008: Clebert was South Florida's starting nose tackle in 2006 and 2007, and he posted career numbers of 74 tackles, 15.5 TFL's, and 4.5 sacks. Despite being exceedingly strong (43 bench reps, 543-pound bench max), Richard lacked ideal size for the pro game (6' 0", 309 lbs), so the NFL teams took a pass. However, Clebert recently signed a two-year deal with the Winnepeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. A solid contributor for an up-and-coming program who rates 2.5 stars.
Linebacker
James Bryant (Miami) - Yet another prospect who spurned Ohio State for The U. As a high school senior, Bryant talked a good game, and he headed south from Reading, Pennsylvania, to The U ready to be the next Ray Lewis. Well, when Bryant arrived in Coral Gables, Coach Coker took one look at him and thought that he'd make an excellent back-up fullback instead. Now finishing up his sophomore campaign, Bryant has one rush for eight yards, and two receptions for 44 yards - for his career. Thanks, James, but we've already got a back-up fullback in Columbus. Update July 2008: On Signing Day, Miami's class of 2004 looked like one for the ages ... but would any other BCS program trade their class for Miami's now? James Bryant was yet another blue chip prospect with a megawatt ego who played the recruiting game to the max and then committed to Da U at the last minute. Bryant was supposed to be the next great MLB for the Hurricanes, but after three seasons as a back-up fullback (and not a very good one at that), James transferred to Louisville, a program that apparently likes to make reclamation projects out of other teams' cast offs. According to Louisville's official site, Bryant "is a big hitter both on defense and as a blocker on offense" ... which means that the Cardinals coaching staff has no idea where to hide this stiff. Bryant will be best remembered as being the instigator of the infamous FIU brawl in October of 2006 ... classy kid, typical 'Cane. Take a bow, James - you've earned your one star rating.
Javier Estopinan (Florida) - It came right down to the wire for Estopinan, whose finalists were Ohio State and Florida. Even though Javier had spent a lot of time in Columbus as a youngster, he decided to stay closer to home and signed with the Gators. Javier was recruited as a linebacker, but he bulked up to about 280 pounds and moved down to defensive tackle. As a true freshman in 2004, Estopinan had only 2 tackles in limited action (36 plays, 25 of which came against Eastern Michigan), and in 2005 he did not play at all due to an early-season injury. Update July 2008: Javier Estopinan just can't seem to stay healthy - after missing all of 2005 with a leg injury, both his 2006 and 2007 seasons were also cut short by injuries. In all, Javier has played just 18 games (9 starts) in three years. Estopinan still has one more chance to make his career respectable, but right now he's got to be labeled a bust - 1.5 stars.
Rodrick Johnson (Oklahoma State) - In 2004, the Buckeyes lost not one, but two recruits to Oklahoma State. The more notable was quarterback Robert Reid (see above), but Rodrick Johnson also had a Buckeye offer and decided in favor of the Cowboys. After seeing very limited action as a true freshman (8 tackles), Johnson was the third-leading tackler for the Cowboys last season (74 tackles, 5 TFL's, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recoveries). While Johnson is a competent player, he certainly would not have seen much action for the Buckeyes this season, but he would most definitely have been in the mix for the 2006 campaign. Another player who would have provided some needed depth, but so far, not a major "miss". Update July 2008: After a solid junior campaign in 2006 (69 tackles, 8 TFL's, 2 sacks), Johnson's numbers really tailed off as a senior (30 tackles, 2.5 TFL's, 1 interception in 13 games after a move to defensive end). Rodrick was not selected in the 2008 NFL draft, but he did sign a free agent contract with the New York Jets. A solid but unspectacular three star career (181 tackles, 15.5 TFL's, 3 sacks, 1 interception).
Chris Zellner (Miami) - Zellner was an excellent high school athlete who was somewhat of an unknown quantity as a football player. In addition, at 6' 2", 227 pounds, with 4.6 speed, he didn't seem to fit well into any one position - too small for DE or TE, and a step slow for WR, FS, or even OLB. Chris began his Hurricane career as a defensive end, but switched to tight end during his second year in the program. As a red-shirt freshman, Zellner caught just one pass for nine yards and a touchdown as the 'Canes' third-string tight end. While Zellner still has three years left to develop, it appears that the Buckeyes haven't missed out on much to date. Update July 2008: Over the past two seasons, Zellner has caught 21 passes for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns as a reserve tight end. However, he's supposed to be a pretty good blocker, so that's got to be worth something ... like maybe two stars.
Willie Williams (Miami) - Coming out of Miami Carol City, Williams was one of the few five-star, super blue chip prospects in the entire country. The problem was that his list of football accolades wasn't as long as his rap sheet. As a teenager, Williams somehow managed to get arrested ten times (including once for felony burglary), and that was before he was served with three more criminal complaints during a recruiting trip to the University of Florida where he (allegedly) molested a woman, punched out a total stranger, and set off a fire extinguisher in his hotel. Naturally, Willie selected mIamI. In 2004, Williams took a red shirt after he hurt his knee and broke his finger; as a reserve in 2005, he racked up 26 tackles and a blocked punt (but no more arrests, so far as we know). Would I want this kid in Columbus? Are you kidding me? Sometimes the best player signings are the ones you don't make. Update July 2008: Okay, raise your hand if you thought that Willie Williams would last for four years at Da U ... no one ... oh wait a minute, I see someone in the back of the auditorium raising her hand ... is that you, Madame Shalala? Well, it took WW a couple of years, but he finally went down the path that we all expected him to choose ... and at full speed with the pedal to the metal. After failing to show for the Hurricanes' 2006 summer conditioning program, Williams asked for his release from Miami, and Da U quickly obliged. Willie then tried to find another school stupid enough to admit an injury-prone, underachieving felon, and after being rejected by (amongst others) Tennessee, West Virginia, Troy, Pearl River Community College, and the College of the Sequoias (yes, you read that right, junior colleges were turning this kid away), he finally ended up at West Los Angeles College. After securing an early release from West LA for good conduct on the gridiron (60 tackles and 9 sacks in four games), Williams was back on the D-I market. In a desperate race to out-thug rival West Virginia, the Louisville Cardinals accepted Williams with open arms in January of 2007 ... but by September, he had already been kicked off of the team and out of the school for possession of marijuana and tampering with evidence (the latter crime a felony). But just to prove that there's a sucker born every minute, the Glenville State Pioneers (no relation to the Glenville Tarblooders, thank you) took in this wayward Willie. Rating? Are you kidding me? Zero stars ... with a bullet.
Kyle Williams (Iowa) - As a senior at Bolingbrook High School, Bonecrusher (as he liked to be called) was a five-star prospect. Although he initially verballed to Iowa in October, he wavered on his commitment and took some official visits before finally settling on the Hawkeyes. However, Kyle failed to pass the NCAA clearinghouse, so he was ineligible for 2004. Williams sat out that year, and then signed with Purdue for the class of 2005. As a true freshman that season, Bonecrusher had 28 tackles in 7 games. Update July 2008: If Willie Williams's journey has been convoluted, then Kyle Williams's been positively twisted ... in the "sick" sense of the word. In three separate incidents between November of 2005 and February of 2006, Williams attacked and/or battered and/or attempted to rape three different women in two states ... and you wonder why this guy calls himself "the Bonecrusher". Kyle will be eligible to return to action in another 45 years or so ... in the mean time, he can try out for the next remake of The Longest Yard. If I could give a negative rating I would, but for the moment zero stars will have to suffice.
Brouce Mompremier (South Florida) - Another of Jacky Claude's Miami Edison friends, Brouce even made an unofficial visit to Columbus to watch a Buckeye game in The 'Shoe. Mompremier was a hard-nosed player who was a bit small and a step slow for the Buckeyes, and he ended up signing with South Florida along with high school teammates Mark Dile and Richard Clebert (see above). Brouce red-shirted in 2004, then left school briefly, and now is a second-string inside linebacker for the Bulls. He had only 5 tackles during the 2005 season. Update July 2008: After recording only 10 tackles during his first two years combined, Brouce earned the starting WLB spot for the Bulls in 2007 and responded with a breakout season: 83 tackles (third on team), 6 TFL's, and an interception. Mompremier was an under-the-radar guy coming out of high school, and his career is peaking at the right time. Three stars, with room to move.
Defensive Back
Anthony Reddick (Miami) - Even though Ohio State signed four defensive backs in 2004, the Buckeye staff really wanted safety Anthony Reddick as well. And for good reason, as Reddick was rapidly emerging as one of the stars of the excellent Hurricane defense until he tore his ACL in the 2005 season opener against Florida State, thereby ending his sophomore campaign before it even got started. In 2004, Anthony was named to several freshman All American teams after amassing 73 tackles, 3 TFL's, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, and 2 blocked punts. If Anthony can fully recover from his injury, then he could be a future All American, possibly as early as next season. Although Ohio State always seems to have plenty of safeties (and plenty of good ones), Reddick would certainly have earned significant playing time with the Buckeyes. Update July 2008: In 2006, Reddick played in only six games with no starts, and he recorded just one tackle on the season. In addition, Anthony was one of the prime culprits in the FIU brawl, and he was suspended for four games for using his helmet as a weapon to beat on an opposing player in the melee. During 2007 spring practice, Reddick tore his ACL again, and he missed the entire season. Although Anthony is still on the Hurricanes' roster, it looks like injuries and bad decisions have permanently derailed a once-promising career. Based primarily on a stellar freshman campaign, 1.5 stars ... although this one could still end up going either way in the final analysis.
SirDarean Adams (Michigan State) - Adams was a Buckeye lean for quite a while, but when his academic underachievement prevented him from getting a firm offer from Ohio State, he signed with the Spartans. As a true freshman, Adams had some difficulty in the class room, but managed to see action in all 12 of MSU's games, logging 2 tackles and a blocked field goal as a special teams performer. As a sophomore, Adams has seemingly straightened out his academics, while also blossoming on the gridiron, where he logged 60 tackles (4th best on team), 5 TFL's, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 3 interceptions (team leader) from his "bandit" position (a hybrid of safety and linebacker). An athlete of SirDarean's caliber could help almost any team, but it is highly unlikely that Adams would have started over either of Ohio State's safeties, not to mention the Buckeye linebackers. Still, I'd like to have him in scarlet and grey, and see whether he could beat out JamO and BMitch for the starting free safety spot in 2006. Update July 2008: After a solid sophomore season, Adams regressed somewhat over his final two campaigns ... and he earned the reputation for being a "soft" player. SirDarean's career totals: 155 tackles, 16 TFL's, 3 sacks, and 7 interceptions in 41 games (29 starts). Off of the field, Adams got mixed up in a felony larceny matter (charges dropped), and he was suspended for the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl for an unrelated violation of team rules. Adams was not selected in the 2008 NFL draft, and he has not signed a free agent contract to date. A rather ho-hum two-and-a-half star effort for a kid who left high school with superior athleticism and a huge upside.
Players Who Performed At or Above Expectations
Dwayne Jarrett, WR, Southern Cal (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 5*)
Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 4.5*)
Jeremy Zuttah, OL, Rutgers (Rivals 3*, Scout 4*, LJB 4*)
Eddie Royal, WR, Virginia Tech (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 4*)
Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3.5*)
Darius Walker, RB, Notre Dame (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3.5*)
DaJuan Morgan, WR/DB, North Carolina State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3.5*)
Willie Young, DE, Hargrave, North Carolina State (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Jacky Claude, OL, Florida State (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Rodrick Johnson, LB/DE Oklahoma State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Gerald Cadogan, OL, Penn State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Brouce Mompremier, LB, South Florida (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 3*)
Mark Dile, OL, South Florida (Rivals 2*, Scout 2*, LJB 3*)
Richard Clebert, DT, South Florida (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 2.5*)
Frank Morton, DT, Tulane (Rivals 3*, Scout 2*, LJB 2.5*)
Gartrell (Shavers) Johnson III, RB, Colorado State (Rivals 1*, Scout 2*, LJB 2.5*)
Izzy Bauta, OL, Duke, Villanova (Rivals 3*, Scout 2*, LJB 2*)
Dennis Kennedy, RB, Ohio State, Akron (Rivals 2*, Scout 2*, LJB 2*)
Jabari Ferguson, OL, Temple (Rivals 2*, Scout 2*, LJB 1.5*)
Players Who Performed Below Expectations
Fred Davis, TE, Southern Cal (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 3.5*)
Anthony Morelli, QB, Penn State (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 3*)
Tim Jamison, DE, Michigan (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 2.5*)
Jeff Byers, OL, Southern Cal (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 2.5*)
Brandon Braxton, OL, Oklahoma (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 2.5*)
SirDarean Adams, LB, Michigan State (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 2.5*)
Carlos Feliciano, DT, Maryland (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 2.5*)
Xavier Lee, QB, Florida State (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 2*)
Leon Hart, OL, Auburn (Rivals 4*, Scout 5*, LJB 2*)
Charlie Jones, RB, Miami, Memphis (Rivals 4*, Scout 5*, LJB 2*)
Bobby Washington, RB, Miami, North Carolina State, Eastern Kentucky (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 2*)
Robert Reid, QB, Oklahoma State, Texas Southern (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 2*)
Mike Massey, TE, Michigan (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 2*)
Brock Bolen, RB, Illinois, Louisville (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 2*)
Chris Zellner, TE, Miami (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 2*)
Javier Estopinan, DT, Florida (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 1.5*)
Chris Rutledge, OL, Miami (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 1.5*)
Anthony Reddick, DB, Miami (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 1.5*)
Dumaka Atkins, OL/DL, Florida State (Rivals 4*, Scout 2*, LJB 1.5*)
Players Who Performed Far Below Expectations
Andrew Johnson, RB, Miami, Akron (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 1*)
Rhyan Anderson, DL, Miami, New Mexico State (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 1*)
James Bryant, FB/LB, Miami, Louisville (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 1*)
Brett Gallimore, OL/DL, Michigan (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 0.5*)
Chauncey Incarnato, OL, Notre Dame, Indiana, UMass (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 0.5*)
Nick Smith, DL, Michigan State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 0.5*)
C.J. Hunnicutt, DL, South Florida (Rivals 2*, Scout 2*, LJB 0*)
Brandon Barrett, WR, West Virginia (Rivals 4*, Scout 3*, LJB 0*)
Olu Hall, DE, Hargrave, Virginia, Kansas State (Rivals 4*, Scout 4*, LJB 0*)
Miles Williams, WR, Michigan State, Youngstown State (Rivals 3*, Scout 3*, LJB 0*)
Willie Williams, LB, Miami, West LA, Louisville, Glenville State (Rivals 5*, Scout 5*, LJB 0*)
Kyle Williams, LB, Iowa, Purdue (Rivals 5*, Scout 4*, LJB 0*)
Conclusions
The Real Loser? So, who was the real loser as the result of Ohio State's failure to sign "the ones who got away"? Well, it was the Miami Hurricanes, of course. In 2004, The U signed nine players who had strongly considered Ohio State - Bobby Washington, Charlie Jones, Andrew Johnson, Chris Rutledge, Chris Zellner, Rhyan Anderson, James Bryant, Willie Williams, and Anthony Reddick. Of those nine, six transferred to other schools after busting out for the Hurricanes, and the remaining three - Rutledge, Zellner, and Reddick - have had little or no success in Coral Gables. At the time, many Ohio State fans were frantic over the "losses" of players like Johnson, Bryant, Anderson, and Reddick ... but would you want any of those guys now?
A Bad Year for Williamses. The three Williamses on this list - Willie, Miles, and Kyle - each had serious legal issues in college (at least one felony charge), and two are no longer in football. Kyle is in jail for the next several decades, and Miles's current whereabouts are unknown; only the enormously talented Willie is still clinging to a career, albeit with a mediocre Division II program.
Those Who Succeeded.... Nineteen of the fifty prospects performed (or are performing) at or above expectations. However, of those nineteen, only two received four or more stars from both Rivals and Scout - Derrick Harvey and Dwayne Jarrett - and only four others received four stars from just one of the recruiting services - Jeremy Zuttah, Eddie Royal, Willie Young, and Jacky Claude. In other words, the vast majority of the players who met expectations at the college level did so because they were two- and three-star prospects who weren't expected to do much in the first place.
...And Those Who Didn't. Seven of the biggests busts - Andrew Johnson, Rhyan Anderson, James Bryant, Willie Williams, Kyle Williams, Brett Gallimore, and Olu Hall - each received at least four stars from both Rivals and Scout, with Willie Williams earning five stars from the premier recruiting services. Four of the seven signed with Miami, and none is currently with that program.
Decisions, Decisions.... Eighteen of the players on the list left their original schools prematurely, due to transfer, suspension, or ineligibility. Two more players - Xavier Lee and Darius Walker - left early for the NFL, with no reasonable hope of being drafted, in order to get out of their programs more or less gracefully. Thus, it could be said that only 60% of the players on this list made decent college selections in February of 2004 ... and several of those who stuck with their original schools - Leon Hart, Brett Gallimore, Mike Massey, and Brandon Braxton, to name a few - haven't exactly had stellar careers on the gridiron. Would a different college have made a real difference ... or were most of the "flops" simply kids who were overrated to begin with?
The Quarterbacks. The Buckeyes seriously pursued the three quarterbacks on this list, and finished in second place for each of them. Anthony Morelli made a wise choice in selecting Penn State over Ohio State, as he would have been a five-year bench warmer in Columbus. However, Xavier Lee and Robert Reid might have been different stories. In 2007, each of the "dual threat" quarterbacks would have had a chance to step into the same offensive scheme that earned Troy Smith the Heisman Trophy in 2006; instead, the Buckeye staff had to modify their system somewhat to fit the talents of drop back passer Todd Boeckman. Although Boeckman obviously did a fine job last season, could Lee or Reid have given the Buckeye offense the extra dimension that would have taken them over the top, like Tim Tebow for Florida in 2006 or Ryan Perrilloux for LSU in 2007? An interesting "what if"....
The Big Misses. Derrick Harvey is obviously a great talent, but he was always a long shot to attend Ohio State. Eddie Royal was another kid who had just passing interest in the Buckeyes ... and he would have had a difficult time beating out our own Teddy Ginn for reps at either wide receiver or return man. Fred Davis had one good year ... and he was head case from time to time. Willie Young almost selected Ohio State ... and he appears to have a very bright future ahead of him ... but North Carolina State is certainly a better fit academically. Which leaves us with just two real misses out of the fifty player list - Dwayne Jarrett and Jeremy Zuttah. Ironically, both were from the state of New Jersey, and one selected Rutgers because he wanted to stay close to home, and the other selected Southern Cal because he wanted the bright lights and the big city; Ohio State was runner-up in each case. Jarrett had a tremendous college career, and he should be a college hall of famer someday; and Zuttah was a rock-solid player who anchored the Scarlet Knights' offensive line for two seasons. Although Ohio State has certainly not been lacking in talent recently, could Jarrett and Zuttah have pushed the Buckeyes over the top in 2006 and 2007?
How the Buckeyes Fared. The Buckeyes' class of 2004 initially looked like one for the ages, but over time the class has been disappointing. Of course, Teddy Ginn, Vernon Gholston, and Antonio Pittman were bona fide stars, but too many of the signees were busts. Here is a link to the BPRT's review of Ohio State's recruiting class of 2004 - LINK
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