Ohio State Football Recruiting: Ranking All of Urban Meyer's Commitments

New Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has only been in Columbus for a little over a month, yet Meyer has already managed to assemble a recruiting class that is shaping up to be one of the most decorated and highly-rated in the nation.

The Buckeyes currently have 22 commitments for a class that is rated as one of the five best in college football by both Rivals and Scout recruiting services (Rivals—3, Scout—4). 

Meyer has proven once again that when it comes to recruiting, there aren't many head coaches who can compare to him. 

There will be plenty of opportunities for many of this year's top recruits to make an impact as freshman in 2012. Here's a look at how Ohio State's current commits stack up. 

1. DE Noah Spence (Bishop McDevitt HS, Pennsylvania)

If you were building the perfect pass-rushing defensive end from scratch, the end result would most likely bear a strong resemblance to highly touted five-star defensive end Noah Spence. 

Spence is one of the top pass-rushers in the country. He's got the type of first-step quickness and speed off the edge that you just don't see very often at the high school level. 

At 6'4'', 245 pounds, Spence has the type of frame to add some bulk and still maintain his speed. If he can get in the weight room and put on some more muscle, he could develop into a dominant force as both a pass-rushing phenom and a run-stopper. 

2. DT Tommy Schutt (Glenbard West HS, Illinois)

Tommy Schutt fits the profile of what you expect a typical Big Ten interior defensive linemen to look like. Shutt's big, strong, physical and he plays with a certain mean streak and toughness that can really wear opposing offensive linemen down. 

The 6'1'', 290-pound defensive tackle bears a strong resemblance to former Buckeye Quinn Pitcock, and he plays the game with a similar type of style and energy. 

3. DE Adolphus Washington (Taft HS, Ohio)

Not only does Adolphus Washington have one of the coolest names of the 2012 recruiting class, he also happens to be one of the top defensive recruits this year. 

Washington has the power forward-type build that we're seeing more and more of at the defensive end position these days. 

He may still be a little on the raw side, but if Washington can improve his technique and add some more moves to his arsenal, the 6'5'', 240-pound All-American has the size and athleticism to develop into a frightening terror coming off the edge in Ohio State's 4-3 defense 

4. OT Taylor Decker (Butler HS, Ohio)

In recent years, Ohio State has reeled in a few big name offensive tackle prospects like Alex Boone and Mike Adams. This year, the Buckeyes got their hands on another potential future anchor for their offensive line in four-star prospect Taylor Decker. 

The 6'8'', 300-pound offensive tackle is an absolute giant. While he won't be able to overwhelm defenders in the Big Ten with his sheer size like he did in high school with his type of strength, Decker should become a favorite butt to run behind for Ohio State's running backs in the years to come.

5. RB Brionte Dunn (Glenoak HS,Ohio)

Brionte Dunn proved to be just too strong, too big and too powerful for most high school defenders to handle. He's got the chance to develop into a DeShawn Wynn-type of back in Urban Meyer's offense.

The 6'1'', 220-pound Dunn has surprising speed and agility for his size, but there's no mistaking what type of back he is.

Dunn's the kind of back you use to wear down defenses and crush defenders, and that's certainly something he did a lot of during his high school days. 

6. DE Se'Von Pittman (McKinley HS, Ohio)

With both Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington on board, it's not as if Ohio State needed to pick up another highly-rated defensive end in this class, but adding an infusion of talent at a key position never hurts. Bringing in a player the caliber of SeVon Pittman will definitely bolster the depth of the Buckeyes' defensive line. 

With schools like Alabama, Auburn, Michigan and Notre Dame all chasing him, Ohio State was lucky to get its hands on Pittman. The dominant edge-rusher should pay major dividends for the Buckeyes down the road. 

7. CB Najee Murray (Steubenville HS, Ohio)

This past season, Ohio State had one of the top freshman performers in the country, Bradley Roby, lining up at cornerback. Buckeyes fans would love to see Najee Murray make the type of impact that comes anywhere close to resembling the one Roby made in 2011. 

Murray's game may not be as mature as Roby's was at this stage in his development, but he's every bit the athlete and playmaker. 

If the Buckeyes defensive coaches work with the 5''11'', 170-pound corner and teach him the nuances of the game, Murray should be able to find his way onto the field early in his career. 

8. LB Josh Perry (Olentangy HS, Ohio)

Joshua Perry doesn't have one exceptional trait that wows you, but he also doesn't have many noticeable flaws, either.

Overall, he's just a solid, well-built linebacker, who has all of the makings of developing into a consistent starter for the Ohio State defense. 

The 6'4'', 225-pound Perry already has the size to play at the collegiate level, all he has to do is continue to work on his read and recognition skills to become a reliable member of the Buckeyes' linebacker corps. 

Look for Perry to make his presence felt on a variety of different special teams plays in his freshman year. 

9. S De'Van Bogard (Glenville HS, Ohio)

Devan Bogard plays like a cornerback trapped in a safety's body, which makes him one of the most versatile recruits in Ohio State's 2012 class. 

The 6'0'', 180-pound Bogard has the size of a safety coupled with the speed and agility of a cornerback, and Ohio State fans are hoping that he can become the type of defensive back at Ohio State that another former Glenville product, Ted Ginn Jr., never got the chance to be. 

10. LB David Perkins (Washington HS, Indiana)

David "Boom" Perkins is the latest big-name recruit to commit to the Buckeyes. Perkins gave Urban Meyer his pledge last night, according to ESPN, after a visit to Columbus this past weekend. 

Boom is another big pickup for Ohio State, as he's the type of athletic defender that will really add a lot of speed and explosion to Ohio State's linebacker corps. 

With a lot of depth at linebacker in front of him at Ohio State, the 6'1'', 210-pound Perkins may have to wait a few years to find his way into the starting lineup. However, if he uses that time to hone his skills and instincts, he's got the chance to be an absolute dynamite defender once he finally breaks his way in. 

The Rest

11. RB Warren Ball (St. Francis DeSales HS, Ohio)
 
12. OG Joey O’Connor (Windsor HS, Colorado)

13. WR Mike Thomas (Fork Union MA, Virginia)

14. OG Patrick Elflein (Pickerington North, Ohio)

15. S Tyvis Powell (Bedford, Ohio)

16. WR Roger Lewis (Central, Ohio)

17. TE Blake Thomas (St. Ignatius, Ohio)

18. OG Jacoby Boren (Central, Ohio)

19. LB Luke Roberts (Lancaster, Ohio)

20. WR Ricquan Southward (Lakeland, Florida)

21. QB Cardale Jones (Fork Union MA, Virginia)

22. WR Frank Epitropoulos (Upper Arlington, Ohio)