[ad_1]
You can’t win them all.
Can Ryan Day recruit at the same level as Urban Meyer? Will the state of Ohio be forced to have a more regional approach with Meyer more at the helm?
These are two common – and reasonable – questions that were asked when Ryan Day officially took over the program in January 2019. Day answered the first question with a resounding “yes”. The answer to the second question has been an emphatic ‘no’ as the Buckeyes continue to recruit five-star talent from coast to coast.
The day’s first full class finished No. 5 in the country behind regular power schedules in 2020. This time around, the 2021 class finishes at No. 2 behind just a Crimson Tide record. Ohio State has signed 21 players and is still on the hunt for five-star defensive end JT Tuimoloau as he isn’t expected to make a decision until spring.
Alabama have added 27 new players and can apparently still bring in one or even two that remain unsigned (that must be cool). In terms of player average rating, it is extremely close with the Tide at 95.00 and Buckeyes at 94.52. A sophomore head coach battling Nick Saban for recruiting supremacy really tells you everything you need to know about the prowess of Ohio State staff on the track.
As with all things, it hasn’t been a perfect recruiting run for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. The 2020 and 2021 classes saw some notable failures, but five of them stand out from the rest.
5. Tristan Leigh • Class 2021 • Offensive tackle • ★★★★★
Ohio State took gold in Virginia with five-star running back TreVeyon Henderson, but Greg Studrawa was unable to win another of the state’s top prospects at Tristan Leigh. The Buckeyes were never the team to beat in this recruiting as Leigh’s leadership seemed to fluctuate between Clemson, Oklahoma and LSU.
The Sooners were considered the favorites at the end of the game, but Leigh quietly signed with Clemson in December before making a public commitment on January 2. a strong relationship with Studrawa. The stoppage likely ruined any chance of Leigh ending up in the Big Ten despite a major need at the post.
4. Bijan Robinson • Class 2020 • Running Back • ★★★★★
Unlike Tristan Leigh, there is absolutely was a time when the Buckeyes were the team to beat for the Bijan Robinson five-star tailback. The 2020 cycle was problematic for Tony Alford as the state of Ohio missed Kendall Milton (Georgia) and then let Robinson escape their grip. The Arizona native signed with Texas and looked phenomenal as a true rookie. Robinson has traveled over 700 yards, averaging over eight per attempt, and has six touchdowns during the season. The addition of Trey Sermon certainly helped ease the sting a bit, however.
3. Elias Ricks • Class 2020 • Cornerback • ★★★★★
The recent goal of #PortalWatch was once one of the primary overall goals for the state of Ohio. During the 2020 cycle, the Buckeyes were battling players like USC, LSU and Alabama for Cali’s five-star cornerback turned IMG Academy. The state of Ohio was identified as one of his dream schools early in the process. But soon after Urban Meyer’s retirement, Ricks instead committed to LSU on Christmas Day in 2018.
Boy goodbye@eliasricks with the PICK SIX
ESPN pic.twitter.com/A5G1EEO7it– LSU Football (@LSUfootball) December 13, 2020
Ricks was a starter as a true freshman in LSU high school and occasionally flashed the opposite of All-American cornerback Derek Singley Jr. Rouge. After a terrible season for the Tigers, there seems to be some tension between Ricks and LSU. For now, it looks like he’s going to stick with Bengals Bayou.
2. Clark Phillips III • Class 2020 • Cornerback • ★★★★
The recruiting of California cornerback Clark Phillips III was interesting. At first it looked like a battle between the state of Ohio and Notre Dame. The Buckeyes beat the Irish when Phillips signed up in June 2019. That commitment lasted for six months until Jeff Hafley’s departure likely killed any chance of a four-star sign with Ohio State. Just days after Boston College introduced Hafley as their new head coach, Phillips pulled out and signed with Utah instead.
We all saw Kerry Coombs’ problems in high school last season. And while it’s unfair to expect a true freshman to contribute so much, the Buckeyes needed body in the defensive backfield and that need continues into 2021. He has played early and often for the Utes registering 26 tackles to go with a pick of six. Ricks is a better player, but the Buckeyes actually made have Phillips in the crease at one point. The spur of losing Phillips and Jordan Battle (which happened before Day’s takeover) took its toll on the secondary.
1. JC Latham • Class 2021 • Offensive tackle • ★★★★★
The return of Thayer Munford and the rise of Nicholas Petit-Frere put Ohio State’s tackling situation in a great position for 2021. The future is also bright with Paris Johnson Jr. waiting behind the scenes. Yet JC Latham’s missing staff was the biggest smell of the last round of recruiting. Ohio state was the first five-star favorite before Alabama secured their entry last summer.
Athletic left tackles aren’t easy to find and it’s important to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. Sadly, the pandemic and some split family allegiances seemed to hurt the Buckeyes’ chances for the Milwaukee native. It also eliminated any real chance for the state of Ohio to secure the nation’s top recruiting class in 2021. Studrawa and Day turned to a development player instead when they toppled Louisville committing Zen Michalski. It is now imperative that the Buckeyes add at least two pure tackles in the Class of 2022.
[ad_2]
Source link