The information in this Ohio State football recruiting National Signing Day preview is provided by Tyler Thomas of SB Nation's excellent Ohio State site, Along The Olentangy. Looking for National Signing Day coverage of other teams or recruits? Head to SB Nation College Football Recruiting.
Ohio State Football Recruiting: National Signing Day Commitments, Needs And Targets
Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes have been dominant on the recruiting trail. Visit Ohio State blog Along the Olentangy for more.
Shortly after Urban Meyer was hired as the new head coach at Ohio State, I contacted Thomas to talk about how Meyer would go about attacking recruiting. In Ohio State Recruiting Under Urban Meyer: Is The Big Ten Ready For This?, Thomas was dead on:
“Meyer is bringing that SEC aggressiveness that hasn’t been seen in the Big Ten. And I think he’ll have immediate success with it because people haven’t been exposed to it,” said Thomas.
And despite it not being a position of drastic need, Meyer is going hard after a few talented defensive ends. “You never pass on elite defensive linemen,” says Tyler.
Se’von Pittman was once a heavy Ohio State lean before Tressel left. He then committed to Michigan State. Tyler now expects the 6’4” Ohioan to be a Buckeye “before signing day.”
Noah Spence is widely considered one of the top defensive ends in the country. Tyler anticipates Meyer making a run at the Pennsylvania native, though this would be a very difficult pull for the new Buckeye coach. If Spence visits Columbus, Tyler will take the Buckeye’s chances more seriously.
Meyer’s Buckeyes have been dominant on the recruiting trail. In addition to Spence and Pittman, the Buckeyes grabbed commitments from five-star defensive tackle Tommy Schutt, four-star linebacker Camren Williams, four-star linebacker David Perkins, and four-star offensive lineman Joey O’Connor. Here’s a list of their entire 2012 class, pending National Signing Day.
Incredibly, Meyer has the Buckeyes in contention for the top class in the country despite being on the job for just a little more than two months.
