Ohio State Football Recruiting: Breaking Down Buckeyes' Newest 2014 Commitments

Momentum is everything in college football recruiting, and Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes are riding a serious wave of it after a brilliant finish to the 2013 recruiting cycle.

Ohio State brought in one of the best classes in the country—ranked No. 2 overall by the 247Sports Composite and Rivals.com—and this was after a 12-0 regular season in Meyer's first year with the Buckeyes. 

When you think of programs with realistic national championship aspirations for 2013 and beyond, Ohio State needs to be on that list. If Meyer continues recruiting at this pace, that statement could be true for a very long time.

Ohio State had a big recruiting weekend with a few marquee 2014 recruits, landing three commitments. Here's a break down of the Buckeyes' newest commitments:

 

Lawrence Marshall, 4-star WDE, Southfield High School (MI)

Marshall represents a very big out-of-state recruiting win for Ohio State, especially considering the fact that said state is Michigan. It's worth noting that Marshall does have an offer from the Wolverines and head coach Brady Hoke, so being able to hold on to his commitment for the duration of the 2014 cycle is going to be a must for the Buckeyes.

Marshall is the No. 6 ranked player from the state of Michigan according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He's also 6'3'' and 225 pounds, so he has good size for just a junior in high school. With Ohio State being able to bring in 4-star defenisve end Joey Bosa through the 2013 class, following that signing up with another big defensive end recruit would be ideal for Ohio State.

Defensive end is one of the more integral positions on defense, and you need a player that can play disciplined enough to control the edge and keep contain, but can also be athletic enough to make big plays in the running game and rush the quarterback.

For all intents and purposes Ohio State got that player in Bosa, and Marshall projects to be good as well.

Also, winning over talented state of Michigan recruits is huge for Ohio State, and the Buckeyes are starting off on the right foot with Marshall.

 

Kyle Trout, 4-star OT, Lancaster High School (OH)

Being able to land Kyle Trout's commitment so early on is a huge recruiting win for Ohio State. He's a marquee in-state recruit (ranked No. 4 in the state according to the 247Sports Composite) and he's one of the better offensive tackle recruits in the country. He's ranked as the No. 12 overall offensive tackle according to the 247Sports Composite.

He has great size and elite potential at 6'6'', 285 pounds. With Ohio State only bringing in two offensive lineman through the 2013 class, holding on to Trout's commitment will be huge for the future of the offensive line.

Consider the fact that Trout is only still a junior, so there's a chance that he gets bigger, if only through another summer in the weight room. There's also the fact that offensive lineman tend to develop their skill set through experience more than anything, so his senior year is going to be huge in regards to his overall ability.

Trout is already one of the better offensive tackles in the 2014 class, but there's a chance that he could get even better over the next year.

 

Parris Campbell, N/R ATH/RB, Saints Vincent-St. Mary's High School (OH)

Parris Campbell may be an unranked recruit, but he perfectly fits what Ohio State wants to do offensively . Campbell checks in at 6'0'', 179 pounds, so he has good size, and he was reportedly recruited to play running back, slot or wide receiver for the Buckeyes.

If you're noticing a trend, it's that Meyer is recruiting athletes that can be extremely versatile in his offensive system. Campbell sounds very much like 2013 4-star running back signee Dontre Wilson, who many project to play slot at Ohio State, or even a bit like 4-star wideout Jalin Marshall—who could end up playing a "Percy Harvin role" for Ohio State.

At his current size, Campbell will probably be best suited in the slot, but his senior year will be really important in regards to determining where his best fit for Ohio State will eventually be. The key is the fact that he's a versatile recruit, and that makes him extremely valuable despite not being ranked. 

If the Buckeyes can hold on to Campbell's commitment, he would continue Ohio State's trend of recruiting versatile players that can do a lot in Meyer's offensive scheme. That's a a great trend to see continue if you're an Ohio State fan.