Ohio State Football: Why the 2013 Recruiting Class May Surpass 2012's Class

Ohio State's 2012 recruiting class is simply staggering in terms of the types of players that they have been able to bring in with Urban Meyer at the controls.

But on Thursday, junior DB Cameron Burrows of Trotwood-Madison, a 5-star recruit on Rivals.com, announced his commitment to Ohio State.

Burrows is the first player to commit to the Buckeyes for the class of 2013.

With other top prospect Jalin Marshall, an athlete from Middletown (Ohio), expected to announce his commitment on Jan. 31, there is a chance the Ohio State class could get the two best players in the state of Ohio before 2012's National Signing Day.

That alone is a staggering possibility.

Even with the scholarship reductions Ohio State has been hit with, the Buckeyes should still have another blockbuster class, maybe better than this current class.

The talent pool in Ohio for 2013 is as good and deep as it has been in some time, with two or three potential 5-star players—Michigan commit Dymonte Thomas being the third.

O-Lineman Evan Lisle and DL Billy Price are each in-state targets that Ohio State might have a good shot to land.

And the Buckeyes do have plenty of out-of-state players that they have been linked to early on, including RB Derrick Green from Virginia and Indiana LB Jaylon Smith, brother of OSU RB Rod Smith.

With the postseason ban lasting only one season, this could be a prime opportunity for the Buckeyes to add the type of players that they couldn't necessarily land in the 2012 class.

The 2012 class still lacks a true, dynamic speed weapon on offense that can turn a short pass into a long run, a la Percy Harvin.

They are very much in the running for blue-chip athlete Davonte Neal, but he will wait until after National Signing Day, which might force Ohio State to have backup plans ready.

The other main objective for 2013 is to try to shore up the offensive line.

Adding Taylor Decker and Joey O'Connor to this group is a great addition, and blue-chip OT Jordan Diamond has the Buckeyes high on his radar.

But Ohio State has had surprisingly bad offensive lines for several years under Jim Bollman.

With new offensive line coach Ed Warriner, improved performance on the field might help bring more high-profile linemen into Columbus for 2013.

The front unit loses a lot with the departures of Mike Adams, Mike Brewster and JB Shugarts.

So it will be up to the recruits of the 2012 class, and possibly the 2013 class as well, to right the ship.

But the commitment of Cameron Burrows is a huge start for the next recruiting class.

If Marshall decides to don an OSU hat on Jan. 31, then the Buckeyes' 2013 class can start to skyrocket to levels that this current class, wherever it finishes, might not reach.

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