A third straight national championship appearance was not in the cards for Ohio State this season, but a second straight top-six finish in the recruiting rankings could be. The Buckeyes currently sit fourth with a few big targets still out there. The class currently has 24 prep commitments with 13 hailing from Ohio. The Buckeyes are losing two key defenders at linebacker in James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, but are bringing in three top-30 linebacker prospects to try to reload. Jordan Whiting (Louisville, Ky./Trinity) and Adam Homan (Coldwater, Ohio) are the No. 29- and No. 15-rated inside linebackers and Dorian Bell (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) is the No. 4-rated outside linebacker. The receiver position is also suffering a key loss, but the Buckeyes have several good receiver prospects in this class, including ESPNU 150 prospect Duron Carter (Ft Lauderdale, Fla./St Thomas Aquinas).
Top prospect: The Buckeyes received bad news after the season when they found out RB Chris Wells was opting for the NFL. With his departure goes a key part of their offense, but help could be on the way. With Wells leaving, landing No. 3-rated back Jaamal Berry (Miami/Palmetto) becomes that much bigger of a get. He suffered injuries through his senior season, but when healthy, Berry is a dynamic runner. He will bring a different style to the table than Wells did. Although Berry is a good-sized back and a strong in-line runner, he will not be as potent as Wells. However, he will be a more explosive runner. He has excellent acceleration and elusiveness and can supply big plays. Berry could be called on early and should be able to handle the task, if he can stay healthy.
Don’t be surprised if … Ohio State adds one or even two more prospects to this 2009 class. With players such as Marlon Brown (Memphis, Tenn./Harding Academy), Darren Myles Jr. (Atlanta/Carver), Tajh Boyd (Hampton, Va./Phoebus) and Marcus Hall (Cleveland/Glenville) serious possibilities, the Buckeyes still have a chance to strengthen this class more by national signing day.
Source: ESPN
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