Ohio State Football 2010 Class: The Forgettables

Drew Thurman (7:36 pm)

The last two months the Buckeye message boards have been flooded with threads on how the staff could finish 2010 by grabbing the biggest names out there.

Guys like Sharrif Floyd, Seantrel Henderson, and Jordan Hicks have grabbed all the attention, but in the process have we overlooked the class that Tressel and company have already assembled?

Don't get me wrong, there are a few pieces that still need to be added, but some of the guys currently committed should garner more of our attention. Let's take a look at a few guys I call "The Forgettables."

1) LB Scott McVey

Fresh off the Hicks to Texas commitment, let me remind you of Mr. Scott McVey. The guy is a hard-nosed Ohio linebacker, and the typical kind of athlete that becomes a big time player for the Buckeyes.

For example, go compare McVey to Ross Homan out of high school and you might get goosebumps. Both are tackling machines that have a motor that never stops running.

I love what Tim Warsinskey said of McVey. "Ohio State LB recruit forces offenses to change blocking schemes just to slow him down."

The biggest difference I notice that separates them, and others that fit this mold, is that McVey already has speed coming out. Not only is he listed at a 4.5 forty, but his play backs it up.

Go check out McVey chasing after Latwan Anderson on the first play of this film . Latwan is a 4.3/4.4 guy, and McVey is holding his own behind him. Honestly, without injuries during his senior season, McVey is a much bigger name!

All in all, Buckeye fans, don't forget McVey's name. Players out of his mold get overlooked by the Hicks' of the world every year, yet I am sure none of us would trade Wilhelm, Hawk, Laurinaitis, or Homan. 

2) WR/ATH Corey Brown

For the second class in a row, the Buckeyes have done well at wideout, where Brown joins James Louis and Tyrone Williams. It is interesting that he has produced so little excitement by Buckeye fans, which I contribute to his injury problems and the commitment of Louis.

Brown has a crazy amount of athleticism though, and is as versatile as any Buckeye player in the 2010 class. His speed and change of direction are sick to watch on film, and I can't wait to see what he does in scarlet and gray. Maybe the best sign is that Tom Lemming has very high praise of him :

"He could possibly be a five-star player if he wasn't so injury prone. On Film–Corey, when healthy, is an exciting back with great vision, balance, and surprising power. We had him down in San Antonio over a year ago and I was impressed with his burst and vision.

Very instinctive, he uses that great vision to find the hole, he can change directions fast, keeps his legs churning, and fights for every yard.

Perfectly suited for a spread offense, he shows good hands, and when catching the ball out in space he can make things exciting.

With a little bit more strength, and if he stays away from injuries, Corey has what it takes to become an impact player as a true freshman."

3) DE Darryl Baldwin

Baldwin doesn't get near the respect I think he should as a defensive lineman. At 6-7 270, he already the size to be a big time player, unlike many defensive line recruits that come out of high school.

Not only that, but his 4.7 forty is pretty impressive for his size as well. Just take a look at his film below, I can promise his speed will stand out instantly.

Even though some of the recruiting services haven't spent much time talking about Baldwin, others have taken note. He was named the Defensive Player of the Year by the Plain Dealer , which is high praise considering the amount of defensive talent in Ohio this year. This is what they had to say:

"The Ohio State recruit was busy fending off two or three opposing players at a time, which allowed his teammates to gather spectacular statistics.

"And there's more to The Plain Dealer's Football Defensive Player of the Year besides his 6-7, 265-pound frame. Baldwin is so quick and strong, teams planned their offensive strategy to run or pass away from him."

Forgettable No Longer

There are many other guys in this class that should get some attention (like Norwell, Smith, Turner, Roby, and Bryant), but these three guys have really gone under the radar.

Most of this can be credited to the focus on closing out the class, and the fact that fans pay way too much attention to the major recruiting services.

I hope you don't fall into that same temptation, and realize some of the great potential this class already has.