Ohio State Football Recruiting: Tracking 2012 National Signing Day Targets

National Signing Day is the biggest day in college football recruiting, where college football factories bring in the next generation of stars.

For Ohio State, their class has grown from being barely average to elite in a matter of a couple of months.

Urban Meyer's impact has been undeniable, as he has brought in an impressive crop of players.

But there are still some more kids that could be a part of this class.

Here is a look at the players yet to commit, and those that have already verbally committed along with their up-to-date statuses.

Davonte Neal, WR, Chapparal H.S., Scottsdale, Ariz.

A former Ohio State ball boy, Neal is an explosive athlete from Chapparal, Ariz. who can fill the need the Buckeyes have for an offensive speedster.

He is only 5-foot-10, but his pure speed and elusiveness more than makes up for it.

Neal is the No. 17 ranked WR on Rivals.com with a four-star rating.

Ohio State seemed to be the leader until Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez hired his former high school coach onto his staff.

His decision date is still unknown but it could be just a two-horse race between Ohio State and Arizona. But Notre Dame has also entered the picture lately.

Considering: Ohio State, Arizona, Arkansas, Notre Dame

Stefon Diggs, WR, Our Lady of Good Counsel H.S, Olney, Md.

Diggs has been a mystery in the recruiting game because no one has been quite sure what the speedster from Olney, Md. wants to do.

Diggs is ranked as the No. 2 receiver and No. 8 overall prospect on Rivals.com.

Ohio State figured to be in the picture when Urban Meyer was hired, but the chatter has grown quiet.

He came onto Ohio State’s campus this weekend and will only visit in-state Maryland before making his decision on Feb. 10.

Diggs has been tough to get a read on, but expect Meyer to at least put the full-court press on him.

Committed to Maryland on 2/11

Kyle Dodson, OT, Cleveland Heights H.S., Cleveland Heights, Ohio

The big lineman has been one of the tougher reclaiming projects considering how many players Meyer has been able to get from other Big Ten schools, especially Penn State.

Dodson is the No. 16 ranked offensive tackle on Rivals.com

Dodson committed to Wisconsin back on June 13, but seems to have been wavering not only because of Meyer, but because of an exodus of coaches from Wisconsin, including offensive coordinator Paul Chryst.

Dodson, a Cleveland Heights product, is expected to announce on National Signing Day and good money is on either Ohio State or him staying at Wisconsin.

Committed to Ohio State on 2/1

Demetrious Cox, S, Jeannette H.S., Jeannette, Penn.

Cox is an intriguing prospect, not only because of the fact that the Buckeyes have two committed safeties, but he is from Jeannette, Penn., which might sound familiar to OSU fans.

Cox is the No. 13 ranked safety on Rivals.com.

Cox is more of a pure free safety prospect, with the ability to track the ball and play center field.

Meyer has been going after him aggressively, but Cox committed to Michigan State early Monday night.

Verbally Committed to Michigan State

Joel Caleb, ATH, Clover Hill H.S., Midlothian, Va.

Joel Caleb is another intriguing prospect that might somehow sign with Ohio State.

Caleb is ranked as the No. 7 athlete and the No. 84 overall prospect on Rivals.com

A converted QB, Caleb seemed to be almost a lock to the Buckeyes a while ago. But the chatter about him has really quieted down.

Virginia Tech seems like the team to beat for Caleb, but stranger things have happened when it comes to having Urban Meyer in a recruiting battle.

Committed to Virginia Tech on 2/1

Armani Reeves, CB, Catholic Memorial H.S., West Roxbury, Mass.

This is the first true battle between Brady Hoke of Michigan and Ohio State’s Urban Meyer.

Reeves is the No. 17 ranked cornerback on Rivals.com.

The former Penn State commit and high school teammate of OSU commit Camren Williams, Reeves brings pure speed to the mix from a DB standpoint.

On Sunday night, Reeves announced on his Twitter account that he was joining Williams at Ohio State, becoming the 13th player in OSU class with 4 or more stars according to Scout.com's ratings.

Verbally committed to Ohio State per his Twitter @PTReeves8.

Jamal Marcus, DE/OLB, Hillside, H.S, Durham, N.C.

Jamal Marcus is the prototypical edge rusher that Meyer and co-defensive coordinator Everett Withers love to have.

Marcus is the No. 32 ranked outside linebacker on Rivals.com, but could project to be an undersized defensive end.

Marcus raved about his visit to Ohio State earlier in the month, and will announce on National Signing Day.

He will likely either go to OSU or in-state East Carolina, but don’t sleep on North Carolina either.

Committed to Ohio State on 2/1

Roger Lewis, WR, Pickerington Central H.S., Pickerington, Ohio

Lewis is a speedy prospect that was an early gem in the recruiting process.

Lewis is the No. 46 ranked wide receiver on Rivals.com

However, things have started to get a little dicey with Lewis over possible concerns with his grades.

Lewis dropped his commitment to Ohio State because of those grade issues and is visiting Ohio University very shortly before making his decision.

No longer committed to Ohio State per Bill Rabinowitz.

Bri'onte Dunn, RB, Glenoak H.S., Canton, Ohio

Since the resignation of Jim Tressel, the status of Bri'onte Dunn has been up in the air.

Dunn is the No. 11 ranked running back on Rivals.com.

The chatter of Dunn defecting to Michigan had been growing more each day until Meyer stepped into the coaching vacancy.

He stayed solid to Ohio State, and is already enrolled, taking classes and working out with the team.

Early Enrollee at Ohio State

Josh Perry, LB, Olentangy H.S., Lewis Center, Ohio

The first commitment to Ohio State has been one of few that spoke to three different head coaches in his commitment.

Perry is a big athlete at 225 lbs. but with great speed as well to go with his frame.

He was ranked No. 9 on Scout.com’s ranking of outside linebackers.

A native of nearby Lewis Center, Ohio, Perry, like Dunn, is already enrolled.

Early Enrollee at Ohio State

Warren Ball, RB, Columbus DeSales H.S., Columbus, Ohio

Local back Warren Ball is just that, a wrecking ball of a running back.

Ball is the No. 16 ranked running back on Rivals.com.

Ball’s game is taking punishment and dishing it out equally, something Meyer wants to have.

He talked about having a power element in the running game at his introductory press conference back in November.

At 215 lbs., Warren Ball is the hammer that can complement whatever speed players Meyer is able to land.

Verbal Commitment to Ohio State

Jacoby Boren, OL, Pickerington Central H.S., Pickerington, Ohio

Jacoby Boren is the third Boren brother that has chosen to come to Ohio State since 2008.

Boren is the No. 37 ranked offensive guard on Rivals.com.

The younger brother of former OG Justin and current FB Zach, Jacoby is a physical player that can be a force in the middle of the trenches.

Boren is already with the team and is likely to follow in his brother Justin’s footsteps and line up at the guard spot.

Early Enrollee at Ohio State

Cardale Jones, QB, Fork Union Military Academy, Fork Union, Va.

The Glenville pipeline continues to stay resolute as Cardale Jones, who was committed to the
Buckeyes last year, but didn’t have the grades to stay.

Jones is the No. 12 ranked prep school player on Rivals.com.

He enrolled at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia and got some great experience.

He is back at Ohio State as a player that can challenge Braxton Miller for the starting job because of his size, athleticism and his cannon of an arm.

Early Enrollee at Ohio State

Frank Epitropoulos, WR, Upper Arlington H.S, Upper Arlington, Ohio

Epitropoulos is a very versatile player that should be able to find some place on this football team.

Epitropoulos is the No. 77 ranked wide receiver on Rivals.com.

He is a very good receiver, but also played safety and was the punter for his Upper Arlington high school team.

He committed to OSU just after the spring game, and could be a good sleeper prospect.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Blake Thomas, St. Ignatius H.S., Cleveland, Ohio

With Reid Fragel moving to OT this year, the Buckeyes are happy to have Thomas in as a TE along with Jake Stoneburner, Nick Vannett and Jeff Heuerman.

Thomas is the No. 16 ranked tight end on Rivals.com.

Thomas is a guy who has the frame to be a good receiver but is also a solid blocker as well.

He was one of the big players on a Cleveland St. Ignatius team that won the Division I state championship game last December.

Thomas was also the last guy that committed to OSU when Jim Tressel was the coach.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Tyvis Powell, DB, Bedford H.S., Bedford, Ohio

Powell was one of two unheralded defensive backs who impressed the Buckeye coaches enough during summer prospect camps to earn a scholarship offer.

Powell is the No. 33 ranked cornerback on Rivals.com.

He is an intriguing DB prospect at 6-foot-4, which is extremely tall for the position.

Powell, a Bedford, Ohio native, enrolled early along with Dunn, Boren, Perry and Jones.

Early Enrollee at Ohio State

Najee Murray, DB, Steubenville H.S., Steubenville, Ohio

Murray is a late bloomer  that not too many people had heard of until Ohio State made him an offer after he tore up another summer camp, like Powell.

Murray is an extremely athletic DB who surged up the national rankings because of his play at Steubenville H.S. (Steubenville, Ohio).

Murray is currently ranked the No. 16 safety on Rivals.com.

He is a heavy hitter with great instincts but needs to hone his coverage skills to succeed at the next level.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Devan Bogard, DB, Cleveland Glenville Academic Campus, Cleveland, Ohio

The Glenville pipeline picked up again when the Buckeyes reeled in the explosive Devan Bogard.

Bogard is the No. 14 ranked safety on Rivals.com.

Like Murray, he is an athletic safety prospect that is not afraid to lay out the lumber when necessary.

He seemed like a lock until he visited USC earlier in the month.

But he has reaffirmed his commitment and is on his way to Columbus.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Luke Roberts, LB, Lancaster H.S., Lancaster, Ohio

Roberts is a big LB prospect and a local kid that was strong in the middle of his team’s defense.

Roberts is listed as a three-star prospect on Rivals.com and the No. 28 ranked middle linebacker on Scout.com.

From Lancaster, Ohio, Roberts grew up as a Buckeye fan just minutes from the Horseshoe and is an intelligent player as well.

He may be an unheralded prospect in comparison to other commits, but he could be the type of player that emerges from nowhere.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Patrick Elflein, OL, Pickerington North H.S, Pickerington, Ohio

Elflein, like Boren, is another guard prospect with ideal inside size from Pickerington, Ohio.

Elflein is the No. 31 ranked guard on Scout.com.

He did not get many great offers before Ohio State came calling.

His commit would be the last Ohio State would get for several months because of the instability of the program.

But with a team that needs help on the offensive line, Elflein has as much of a chance as any one of these freshmen to make an impact.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Michael Thomas, WR, Fork Union Military Academy, Fork Union, Va.

Thomas is the type of guy that can be a nice change-up to the receivers that OSU already has.

Thomas is the No. 4 ranked prep school prospect on Rivals.com.

Another JUCO prospect like Cardale Jones, Thomas has a great 6-foot-4 frame and chose Ohio State over Boise State, Notre Dame and Oklahoma State, which have more established offensive powers.

Most of the receivers on the Buckeye roster are smaller players, so the inclusion of a guy like Thomas gives them size on the outside and the ability to create mismatches.

Early Enrollee at Ohio State

Adolphus Washington, Taft H.S, Cincinnati, Ohio

While it might be unfair to call Adolphus Washington a prophet, he was the first big name to commit to Ohio State when the Urban Meyer chatter picked up.

Washington is ranked as the No. 2  weakside defensive end and No. 25 overall prospect on Rivals.com.

Washington is arguably the best prospect in the state of Ohio and a terror off the edge of the defensive line.

He dominated in the Army All-American Bowl with six tackles, one for a loss and 1.5 sacks.

Washington easily fits into the prototype of an Urban Meyer DE — undersized but athletic and relentless.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Ricquan Southward, WR, Lakeland H.S., Lakeland, Fla.

Southward had the honor of being the first commitment to Ohio State since Meyer was announced as head coach.

Southward is ranked as the No. 60  wide receiver and No. 60 prospect from Florida on Rivals.com.

A Miami decommit, Southward is a sleeper prospect from the Florida powerhouse of Lakeland.

Southward has great speed and elusiveness, with the flair for making the big play.

His status was uncertain for a short amount of time, but has reaffirmed his commitment to the Buckeyes.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Tommy Schutt, DT, Glenbard West H.S., Glen Ellyn, Ill.

This was where the surprising rush truly began.

Schutt was a surprise visit to Ohio State, but his commitment to the Buckeyes started a mad rush that has surged the team up the recruiting rankings.

Schutt is the No. 6 defensive tackle and No. 64 overall prospect on Rivals.com. He is also the top-ranked prospect in the state of Illinois.

The blue-chip DT has drawn comparisons to Green Bay DL B.J. Raji with his interior athleticism and disruptive play.

He had 14 sacks in both his junior and senior seasons and was named the 2011 ESPNChicago.com Defensive Player of the year.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Se'Von Pittman, McKinley H.S., Canton, Ohio

Pittman was the second commit to Ohio State on the same day, decommitting from Michigan State and joining Schutt within hours.

Pittman is ranked as the No. 8 weakside defensive end and the No. 91 overall prospect on Rivals.com.

Pittman is another talented pass rusher, with the ability to use multiple different moves to get to the quarterback.

He has more pure speed than his predecessor, second-year DE Steve Miller.
PIttman might need to get stronger, but he has a great foundation to build upon.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Noah Spence, DE, Bishop McDevitt H.S., Harrisburg, Pa.

This commit was the one that sent some shock waves through the recruiting community.

Spence, who was expected to commit on National Signing Day, surprised everyone by announcing on Twitter that he was going to sign with Ohio State.

Spence is ranked as the top weakside defensive end and the No. 9 overall prospect on Rivals.com.

Spence recently won the Maxwell Camp National High School Player of the Year award after racking up 12 sacks and 27 tackles for a loss.

He has amazing pass rushing ability that almost assures he will be on the field quite often as a true freshman.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Taylor Decker, OL, Butler H.S., Vandalia, Ohio

After taking offensive line coach Ed Warriner from Notre Dame, it seemed like only a matter of time before Taylor Decker would find his way to Ohio State.

Decker is ranked as the No. 23 offensive tackle and the No. 221 overall prospect on Rivals.com.

Decker has prototypical size at 288 lbs. and a towering 6-foot-8, fitting into the new mold that Meyer wants to have in his linemen.

This is the type of offensive linemen that Ohio State rarely had under Jim Bollman.

And Decker has the type of size that could earn him a starting spot very shortly.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Joey O'Connor, OL, Windsor H.S, Windsor, Colo.

Two days after Decker made his commitment official, guard Joey O’Connor decided to follow suit and make his way down to Ohio State as well.

O’Connor, ranked No. 17 among guards on Scout.com and No. 102 overall on Rivals.com, is another athletic linemen that has a great motor and can overpower people off the line of scrimmage.

He is a good run blocker, but will hope to improve his play as a pass blocker, meaning a move inside to guard from the tackle spot he played in high school could really benefit him.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

David Perkins, LB, Washington H.S., South Bend, Ind.

Ohio State officially caught lightning in a bottle when South Bend, Ind. prospect David Perkins joined the club.

Perkins is an absolutely gifted athlete at 210 lbs. and amazing speed to go along with that.

Perkins is ranked as the No. 13 athlete and the No. 159 overall prospect on Rivals.com.

With all of the problems that Ohio State’s linebacking corps had last season in terms of speed, Perkins should help create the edge at the position that they desperately need.

But the best thing about him is how quickly he has taken to Buckeye Nation as shown by his Twitter account.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Camren Williams, LB, Catholic Memorial H.S., West Roxbury, Mass.

Ohio State’s crazy recruiting week ended two days after the Perkins’ commitment with the verbal from former Penn State commit Camren Williams.

Williams is ranked as the No. 8 inside linebacker and the No. 167 overall prospect on Rivals.com.

As a player, Williams and Perkins are almost the same player, with the ability to run and hit with intensity.

Each of them should find quick playing time in a linebacking corps that became very depleted over the course of last season.

Williams can still help the Buckeyes before signing if he is able get teammate Armani Reeves to commit as well.

Verbally Committed to Ohio State

Follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim for the latest college football news and updates. Stay tuned to this slideshow over the next few days as National Signing Day approaches for quick updates of where Ohio State's targets commit.