The 2009 Ohio State Class is wrapping up tomorrow with 22 recruits signing to play with the Buckeyes next fall. Four members of the class are already on campus, enrolled, and taking classes; Zach Boren, Adam Homan, Storm Klein, and Jack Mewhort. Those four will not need to sign letters of intent tomorrow. Ohio State has landed the number #1 class in the country according to a number of ranking services. Thanks to the great tradition, winning records, facilities, coaching, and recruiting, the Buckeyes have reloaded for another run at a Big 10 title in 2009 and for years to come.
By Steve Patterson
QB
Kenneth Guiton Eisenhower Houston, TX 6-2.5/172
The late addition of Guiton creates additional depth behind Terrelle Pryor and Joe Bauserman this coming season. Look for Guiton to redshirt as a freshman and for the Buckeyes to go out on the recruiting trail in 2010 and try to land another top notch quarterback to follow Pryor when he leaves early for the NFL.
RB
Jaamal Berry Miami Palmetto Senior Miami, FL 5-11/193/4.31
Jordan Hall Jeannette Jeannette, PA 5-9/185/4.50
Carlos Hyde Naples Naples, FL 6-0/225/4.65
The Buckeyes needed additional depth at running back with Chris Wells leaving for the NFL and only two scholarship tailbacks on the roster. Jaamal Berry is one of the highest rated players in the class and has been compared to Reggie Bush. Carlos Hyde is a big back that should be well suited for Big 10 play and had incredible numbers for Naples this past year. Jordan Hall comes from the same high school as Terrelle Pryor and could play defensive back instead of tailback at Ohio State.
FB
Adam Homan Coldwater Coldwater, OH 6-2/232
Adam Homan adds needed depth to the fullback position where only red-shirt freshmen Spencer Smith and Jermil Martin return.
WR
Duron Carter St. Thomas Aquinas Fort Lauderdale, FL 6-3/185/4.66
James Jackson Grand Ledge Grand Ledge, MI 5-11/175/4.31
Chris Fields Harvey Painesville, OH 6-0/180/4.43
Ohio State pulled in some very good wide receivers to increase the number of scholarship players at the position to 10. To get on the field as freshmen is going to be tough but if any of three can show great ability in fall camp they'll get a shot like DeVier Posey did this past year.
TE
Reid Fragel Grosse Pointe South Grosse Pointe, MI 6-7/255/4.74
Tight ends are a needed position for the Buckeyes who like to run more than they pass and the team is very thin at this time with only Jake Ballard and Nic DiLillo on scholarship. If there's an injury at the position, I'm not sure what the team will do.
OL
Marcus Hall Glenville Cleveland, OH 6-5/293/5.35
Jack Mewhort St. Johns Jesuit Toledo, OH 6-5.5/293/5.31
Sam Longo Bellbrook Bellbrook, OH 6-5/260/4.70
Corey Linsley Boardman Youngstown, OH 6-4/285/5.20
Remember when Ohio State would only bring in 2 offensive lineman a year and Jim Bollman was rotating in walk-ins on a regular basis. Those times have changed with the 2008 class adding three top notch offensive lineman and now the 2009 class adding four more. The depth is the best it has been since Jim Tressel took over the program. Look for most of this class of o-linemen to red-shirt as the starting five will be made up of sophomores and juniors this coming season.
DT
Johnny Simon Cardinal Mooney Youngstown, OH 6-3/285
Adam Bellamy Aurora Aurora, OH 6-4/275
Not the highest rated players in the class, the defensive tackles are solid in-state products that the coaching staff got to see regularly. I think both Simon and Bellamy are underrated as 3 star recruits and could both start in a couple of years.
DE
Melvin Fellows Garfield Heights Garfield Heights, OH 6-5/245
Jonathan Newsome Glenville Cleveland, OH 6-2.5/240
The Glenville pipeline is alive and bringing in great players year after year. Newsome was the first of two Tarblodders to join the class and really loves the Scarlet and Gray. Fellows first committed to Illinois but Ohio State couldn't allow the tenth best defensive end in the country out of the state so they continued to pursue him and he switched his commitment midway through the early part of the recruiting season.
MLB
Jordan Whiting Trinity Louisville, KY 6-0/230/4.55
Zach Boren Pickerington Central Pickerington, OH 6-1/255
Whiting was the first member of the class and hasn't gotten the attention of others that waited longer to make a selection but he is a great athlete and a great middle linebacker that will have the starting spot in a number of years. Boren joins his brother on the team who transferred from Michigan to play out his final two years of eligibility. Boren is very good player that would have made the team on his own merit and can play a couple different positions including linebacker and fullback.
SLB
Storm Klein Licking Valley Newark, OH 6-3/220/4.50
Klein is a another great athlete who committed early and should be the next AJ Hawk/James Laurinaitis for Ohio State. He was a great linebacker and tailback for Licking but looks to play strong side linebacker for the Buckeyes.
WLB
Dorian Bell Gateway Monroeville, PA 6-0/227/4.54
Bell is the #1 recruit in the class and the 3rd best outside linebacker in the country. For Ohio State to go into Pennsylvania and grab a recruit from Gateway as good as Bell and then get the second best recruit in the state in Corey Brown from the same high school, is a remarkable feat and a sign of just how good the Buckeyes are recruiting at this time.
S
Jamie Wood Pickerington Central Pickerington, OH 6-2/190/4.50
The second recruit from Pickerington Central listed in this article, Wood played in the Army All American Bowl in San Antonio and is rated the 4th best safety in the nation for 2009. He will have to wait as both starting safeties return for Ohio State this year, but he could see a lot of playing time on special teams.
CB
Corey Brown Gateway Monroeville, PA 6-1/185/4.58
C.J. Barnett Northmont Clayton, OH 6-1/180
Justin Green Male Louisville, KY 5-11/180/4.50
Dominic Clarke Tuscarora Frederick, MD 5-10/168/4.41
If there was a need in the class, cornerback was the place most requiring new blood and Ohio State went out and grabbed the most talented group of defensive backs in the country with these four incoming freshmen. Barnett is an in-state recruit who is ranked the 13th best cornerback in the country. Brown is a member of the Rivals 100, the 100 best recruits nationally. He played well in the Army All American Bowl as a wide receiver but should be a great cornerback for the Buckeyes. Clarke was not rated as highly when he signed with Ohio State but has seen his rankings improve over the past four months. He is now a member of the Rivals 250 and the 19th best cornerback in the country. If one member of the class changes his mind at the last minute, it could be Green. But his brother was a defensive tackle for the Buckeyes and has encourage him to be a Buckeye and stick with the Buckeyes all along.