UPDATED: Ohio State Selects Drayton

We talked about this a bit earlier, but it sounds as if the next wide receivers coach at The Ohio State University will be former Tennessee and current Florida running backs coach Stan Drayton, according to the Cleveland Post Dispatch’s Doug Lesmerises.

While initially brought to us by an insider at Buckeye Planet named “Shakerbuck“, this news was all but confirmed on GatorBait.net (affiliated with Rivals.com) in an interview with Buckeye target and current Gator verbal Ja’Juan Story. Story said that it was shared with him over this past weekend’s recruiting visit to Columbus.

It is expected that this announcement may not be made official until after February 2nd in order to honor Drayton’s commitment to the recruiting process at his current institution, as coach Will Muschamp seeks to finalize the first class of his tenure. Of course a Tressel hire would be one to keep his word and finish with integrity.

Drayton is a Cleveland area native, and is rumored to be returning home in part to be closer to family. Widely recognized as a top assistant and a dynamo in recruiting circles, it will be interesting if this decision has any impact on the decisions of Story and Virginia Linebacker Curtis Grant, also a Gator target.

At any rate, and at any date, we’re excited to welcome coach Drayton to the staff and to the Ohio State family

UPDATE: It’s official! Interesting that the gig would start the day before National Signing Day-

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Stan Drayton, one of the top offensive skill coaches in the nation, is joining the Ohio State football staff as an assistant coach working with the Buckeye wide receivers, Coach Jim Tressel announced today. Drayton will start his duties Feb. 1.”Stan Drayton first and foremost is a fine person and family man. He is a Buckeye born and bred, and will add a tremendous dimension to our football family,” Tressel said. “We are fortunate to gain one of the finest coaches in America to serve our kids, school and community.”

Drayton comes to Ohio State from Florida, where he served as the Gators’ running backs coach and recruiting coordinator during the 2010 season; he also served as Florida’s running backs coach from 2005-07, and held the same position at SEC schools Tennessee (2008) and Mississippi State (2004).

With coaching experience and success at every level, Drayton’s resume includes stints as an assistant coach at Syracuse (2009), Bowling Green (2000), Villanova (1996-2000), Penn (1995), Eastern Michigan (1994) and Allegheny (1993). From 2001-03, he served as the offensive quality control and assistant special teams coach for the Green Bay Packers, helping them to three NFC playoff appearances. He is a past nominee for the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year award, and was recognized by Rivals as one of the nation’s top 25 recruiters.

Three times a first-team All-America selection as a running back at Allegheny (Pa.) College, Drayton is Allegheny’s all-time leading rusher and scorer and was a part of the 1990 Division III national championship team. He still holds the Division III single-season record for touchdowns scored per game (3.2). Drayton was a two-time All-American in track as well, competing in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. A 1993 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in English, Drayton was inducted into the Allegheny College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

A Cleveland native who is a graduate of John Marshall High School, Drayton and his wife Monique have two daughters, Amari and Anaya.