| 12 May 2010
The Buckeyes have stacked linebackers in the last five years or so like nobodys business. I would put the the linebackers who have been on this roster up against any school in the country during that period. USC, Texas, Florida, anybody. When you look at the fact that players like Etienne Sabino and Storm Klein would have to wait their turn and a player the caliber of Dorian Bell would have to redshirt, that tells you all you need to know about depth with the Buckeyes. Now it is a matter of keeping that talent coming this way. No other position has been about re-loading, not re-stocking with the Buckeyes.
Last year was a big blow. Losing Jordan Hicks was not going to impact the depth chart for this year. I said it before and I will say it again. Jordan Hicks was going to redshirt here. The thing is it hurt the overall talent level. That is where we want to look to with this recruiting class. None of the linebackers the Buckeyes are looking at right now are going to crack the two-deep in 2011 anymore than Hicks was going to crack the two-deep this year. It is about stacking talent so there is no dropoff when the current two-deep starts to move on. We are looking at two seniors in Rolle and Homan, and two juniors, Sabino and Sweat. There is enough depth not to get too excited but now is a good time to re-stock.
There are three linebackers right at the top of the list. James Vaughters from Georgia tops the list, followed by Trey DePriest and the rising star Connor Crowell from Maryland.
I don't know if anyone knows where Vaughters is leaning. He is a very intelligent young man and is holding his cards close to the vest. It seemed at first that the Buckeyes had a great shot as his family has Ohio roots. He still has family in the Dayton area. I am not saying I think the Buckeyes are on the outside looking in but I can't ignore the geography. I have said before and I will say it again, recruiting is local. The majority of major college rosters are stocked with players from inside the state and the vast majority of players go to college in the region they were brought up in. Massively talented kid. Sure to be a national top ten linebacker. I don't think anyone but James and his immediate family have any idea where he might be heading.
I don't think it is going to news to anyone that the consensus is that Trey DePriest is an Alabama lean. I am not overly worried about it. Not right now. Look at the list of players last year at this time that the Buckeyes led for. LaMarcus Joyner, Josh Shaw, Sharif Floyd, there may be others. Do not underestimate the impact of home field advantage in recruiting. Alabama can't get up here and recruit DePriest like the Buckeyes can and it isn't like DePriest does not like Ohio State. I still believe the Buckeyes win this one.
Crowell is the kid who is just now starting to make some noise. I am not surprised. I use the Rivals database for film of players outside Ohio. I used the search engine about two weeks ago for players who have Buckeye offers. I don't recall seeing Crowells name before but there it was. I was highly impressed with what I saw of him on film. He just lit up the Nike camp in Virginia. I am sure that performance is going to do wonders for his offer list but right now Ohio State is no question the best offer he has on the table, and he has been here already for a visit. Of the three top linebackers on the Buckeyes target list, I would say the best bet is Crowell.
Lets assume the Buckeyes only get one of these top three. I have to believe there would be some attempt to pick up another player. That late in the process it would have to be an instate player. Lets take a look at some names.
Sean Duggan, 6-4, 215, Cincinnati St. Xavier - This is a Mark Porter special. Nobody was talking about this kid until Mark found him. I could not believe that when I first saw his film. I said in a previous post that I really liked this linebacker class. I thought it was underrated. The only linebacker in the class I like better is DePriest. Duggan is very physical. he brings it every play. He is also very good in pass coverage. He could grow into a full blown weak side end but right now he is the ideal fit for the Leo. Take a look for yourself:
http://scoutingohio.com/index.php/view-profile.html?task=userProfile&user=4201&name=seanduggan111
Marquise Vann, 6-1, 225, Fairfield - The other big noise maker since the last time I posted about the linebackers. Vann has picked up an offer from Michigan State. He is a big physical inside linebacker with good speed and instincts.
http://scoutingohio.com/index.php/view-profile.html?task=userProfile&user=4072&name=KingQuise42
The other names I want to bring up are ones you have heard before. I still love Steven Daniels. He is an old school middle/inside linebacker but he is very athletic and very instinctive. He has offers from schools like Boston College, North Carolina State and Minnesota. With Klein and possibly Sabino as the only true Mikes on the roster, I could see adding at least one old school kid. We still have to play schools like Wisconsin.
I have never believed you need big outside linebackers in a 4-3 defense. Antonio Poole from Winton Woods and Nicholas Grigsby from Trotwood Madison are special players. Size is the question, that and grades for Grisgsby. If either were bigger we would be having discussions about who is better, Grigsby/Poole or DePrest. They are that good.The only kid in the state that hits bigger than Grigsby is his younger brother Bam Bradley. If Brian Rolle can play here so can Grigsby and Poole.
http://scoutingohio.com/index.php/view-profile.html?task=userProfile&user=1597&name=FREEZER
http://scoutingohio.com/index.php/view-profile.html?task=userProfile&user=4333&name=AntonioPoole
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