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Ohio State's 2008 recruiting class looks strong


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[quote][size=5][b]Ohio State's 2008 recruiting class looks strong[/b][/size]
[size=3][b]Buckeyes land three of the top seven offensive lineman in the nation.[/b][/size]
By Doug Harris

Staff Writer

Sunday, January 13, 2008

COLUMBUS — Ohio State has 17 verbal commitments among high school seniors so far and is assured of ending up with one of the nation's top recruiting classes — with or without Terrelle Pryor.

The Buckeyes have landed seven top-100 prospects in the Scout.com ratings, matching Notre Dame for the most in the nation. They have perhaps only two more scholarships available, which will make for a relatively small class, but their average player rating is second-best nationally behind Southern Cal.

"It's a typically strong effort by the Buckeyes," said Allen Wallace, national recruiting editor for Scout.com and SuperPrep Magazine. "This looks like a real top-10 class, or even top-five, depending on what happens with people like Terrelle Pryor."

The Buckeyes have filled a need by landing three of the top seven offensive linemen in the nation in Mike Adams of Dublin, Ohio; J.B. Shugarts of Klein, Texas; and Michael Brewster of Orlando.

And they hope to land one more in guard Josh Jenkins, considered the top player in West Virginia. He's reportedly whittled his choices to OSU and the home-state Mountaineers.

But one player who made a verbal commitment may have to go shopping for another school. Massillon's Devoe Torrence, the top running back in Ohio, has had several off-field incidents, putting his future with the Buckeyes in jeopardy.

"I'll be surprised if he's in this class," said Duane Long, recruiting analyst for Bucknuts.com.


Contact this reporter at

(937) 225-2125 or at dharris @DaytonDailyNews.com.




Ohio State recruits
OSU's verbal commitments in 2008 class:
Player PosITION Hometown
Mike Adams Offensive tackle Dublin
Michael Brewster Center Orlando, Fla.
Ben Buchanan Kicker Westerville
Nic DiLillo Tight end Madison, Ohio
Zach Domicone Defensive back Beavercreek
Garrett Goebel Defensive tackle Lombard, Ill.
Travis Howard Cornerback Miami, Fla
Willie Mobley Defensive tackle Eden Prairie, Minn.
DeVier Posey Wide receiver Cincinnati
Shawntel Rowell Defensive tackle Cleveland
J.B. Shugarts Offensive lineman Klein, Texas
Andrew Sweat Linebacker Washington, Pa.
Etienne Sabino Linebacker Miami, Fla.
Jacob Stoneburner Tight end Dublin
Lamaar Thomas Wide receiver Ft. Washington, Md.
Devoe Torrence Running back Massillon
Nathan Williams Defensive end Wash. Court House[/quote]
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[quote name='Tigers Johnson' post='624039' date='Jan 17 2008, 04:32 PM']The only thing that would keep it from being #1 is that fact we have such a small class.[/quote]

True, some evaluators give more emphasis to class size, but there are some that give more attention to quality than quantity.
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terrell pryor would be huge, I have a hard time believing that he all of the sudden added michigan to his list a 2 months before he had to make a decision after spending the last 2 years being recruited. I think he has known he is coming to OSU for a while now, and is just waiting to give himself more attention.

I also heard that he had been helping recruit for OSU and getting his buddies to go there.
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  • 2 weeks later...
[quote][size=5][b]College football: Ohio State still in running for three top recruits[/b][/size]
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 3:30 AM
By Tim May

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

One week before signing day, Ohio State is among the final two choices for three of the nation's top prospects -- including quarterback Terrelle Pryor -- but it appears OSU will not sign one of its earlier commitments.

A source at Ohio State told The Dispatch that running back Devoe Torrence of Massillon, Ohio, has been dropped from the list of recruits who will be sent a national letter of intent, which can be signed starting Feb. 6. Other sources said Torrence has off-the-field issues, including academic concerns.

The Dispatch reached him by cell phone yesterday, but the connection was lost and could not be restored despite repeated attempts.

NCAA rules forbid coach Jim Tressel and his staff to speak on recruiting issues until signing day. Making it tricky for Ohio State is that Torrence's older brother Devon is a freshman receiver who played last season.

The Buckeyes now have 17 commitments while they await answers from several prospects, including Pryor, of Jeannette, Pa.; offensive lineman Josh Jenkins of Parkersburg, W.Va.; and defensive end Keith Wells of Gainesville, Ga.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported yesterday that Pryor dropped LSU from his list, and the paper speculated his decision will come down to Ohio State or Michigan, just as analysts have speculated. Penn State coach Joe Paterno is still expected to visit Pryor today.

Jenkins has a top three of OSU, West Virginia and Florida State, but Parkersburg High School assistant coach Mark McCullough, a confidante of Jenkins, said, "I really think it is going to come down to West Virginia and Ohio State."

Jenkins committed to West Virginia a year ago but backed out soon after. Since then, coach Rich Rodriguez has left West Virginia for Michigan and the assistant coach who was recruiting him left for Florida State. Then the assistant coach who was recruiting him at Florida left for West Virginia.

In the shuffle, McCullough said, the constant has been Tressel and Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman.

"That is a class organization, and that's the type of people you hope one of your players has the opportunity to be around," McCullough said. But he reiterated Jenkins hasn't made a decision.

Jenkins is scheduled to announce on signing day, just like Pryor and Wells, who is expected to choose between Ohio State and Tennessee, though he will visit Notre Dame this weekend.

Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.com said OSU's class would be enhanced by any of those three. He was asked which of the three should be considered the must-get.

"I would have to agree with all of the hoopla and say Terrelle Pryor," Kurelic said. "One, he is the nation's No. 1 prospect. Just as important, it sure looks like if the Buckeyes don't get him they are going to have to play against him at Michigan the next three or four years.

"After that would come Josh Jenkins, because he is without question one of the nation's premier offensive linemen. Considering they've already got Mike Adams, Michael Brewster and J.B. Shugarts in this class, Jenkins would complete a spectacular offensive lineman package."

tmay@dispatch.com[/quote]



[url="http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/football/stories/2008/01/30/xosufb30.ART_ART_01-30-08_C1_BJ971KP.html?sid=101"]http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/footb...KP.html?sid=101[/url]
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