It is no secret that Urban Meyer changes the game for the Buckeye recruiting effort.
The first and most obvious difference is in style.
Tressel had an almost laid back recruiting style that focused on being a part of a family, and most importantly, wanting to be a Buckeye.
If a kid wasn’t immediately blown away by all things Ohio State? Well, we all know the reputation Tressel had when it came to “closing”. True or not, that reputation was a direct reflection of Tressel’s style on the recruiting trail.
Urban Meyer? Well, Meyer’s recruiting style couldn’t be more different. The Buckeye “brand” sells itself (which is what Tressel largely relied on) and when you combine that with Urban’s ultra aggressive style you get a lot of new and exciting faces on the recruiting boards.
With Meyer focusing almost exclusively on recruiting over the next month, the recruiting board is going through some drastic and fast paced changes.
Follow me after the jump for a look at some of the recent developments.
Anyone who watched the Buckeyes play this year know that they lacked a pass rush. It is no surprise, then, that two of the hottest new names on the recruiting board are elite defensive ends.
PA DE Noah Spence (billed as the best pass rusher in Pennsylvania) is perhaps Meyer’s biggest recruiting splash thus far. The Buckeyes went from not even on the radar to one of the favorites almost immediately. Good stuff.
There is also talk about FL DE Dante Fowler, who is currently committed to Florida State. Can Meyer flip his commitment? It seems less likely but is still worth tracking closely.
Finally, there is OH DE Sevon Pittman, who is currently committed to Michigan State. Pittman has been trending back towards the Buckeyes for weeks, and Meyer certainly doesn’t hurt the possibility of him flipping his commitment.
With the recent commitment of OH DE Adolphus Washington, who happens to be the best player in Ohio, and the very real possibility that at least one of Pittman, Spence or Fowler chooses Ohio State, the Buckeye pass rush is in line to get a serious upgrade in the very near future.
Next up is the offensive line.
CO OL Alex Kozan and MN OL Nick Davidson are still possibilities, but Meyer’s priorities may be elsewhere.
His clear #1 target is IL OL Jordan Diamond, who Meyer contacted almost immediately after being hired. Diamond has been interested in the Buckeyes for months, and if Meyer can get him on an official visit to Columbus… well, let’s just say that certainly wouldn’t hurt our chances.
There are also rumors (mainly from this incredible free podcast from the guys at Scout, which I would recommend anyone with two hours to kill listens to) that OH OL Kyle Dodson is back in play with Meyer on board. Dodson has been committed to the Badgers for some time, but as the title says, Meyer is having a huge impact on players currently committed and uncommitted alike.
OH OL Taylor Decker (Notre Dame) and FL OL Evan Goodman (Arizona State) are also rumored to be possible targets, but those are lower on the scale of realistic options at this point.
Next up are the athletes, who the Buckeyes had almost no chance of landing prior to Meyer’s arrival.
Every Ohio State fan is looking for Meyer’s next “Percy Harvin” player. The obvious answer to that question is 2013 OH ATH Jalin Marshall, but since we are talking 2012 right now, there are a few possibilities in this class as well.
First up is all-everything MD ATH Cyrus Jones. Like Diamond, Meyer contacted Jones almost immediately after being hired and it looks like the Buckeyes will be a major player over the final months of this recruitment.
VA ATH/WR Joel Caleb is another player to watch that might fill the “Harvin” role in Meyer’s offense. He is visiting Columbus this weekend.
For the ‘Tebow’ role in Meyer’s offense, there is OH RB Brionte Dunn, who was another player that Meyer contacted immediately.
Dunn has been on the fence between Ohio State and the school up north for months, and the major hang up at the moment seems to be what style of offense he will be utilized in. In Meyer we trust on this one, so we will see what happens.
(As a side note: Dunn wants to be utilized in a “pro style” offense. Does anyone really think Hoke is going to be running that style anytime soon with Robinson and Gardner under center for the foreseeable future? Color me unimpressed with Hoke’s continued… let’s just call them less than honest recruiting pitches to players.)
There are a ton of other names being tossed around as possibilities at the moment, but for right now it looks like Spence, Pittman, Diamond, Jones and Dunn are the top targets for Meyer in this class.
That can and will likely change daily as Meyer hits his stride on the recruiting trail and finds his top targets. Stay tuned to our 2012 Recruiting Board for daily updates on targeted players, the latest offers, and links to in depth discussion and the latest news (via BuckeyePlanet) on every player.
Also keep an eye on the 2013 Recruiting Board, where Meyer has already offered OH WR Shelton Gibson.
To really hit home the impact that Meyer is having on the recruiting trail, you can also look forward to the launch of a 2014 Recruiting Board in the near future, as Meyer has offered the first ’14 prospect NC ATH Johnathan Lloyd.
Yes, this is a new and exciting time in Ohio State recruiting.
Go Bucks!
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