Ohio State Football Recruiting: Ranking Players Urban Meyer Will Most Improve

Ohio State University has never had a problem with winning.  It has never had a problem with winning bowl games, reaching the national championship game or beating teams from five out of the six BCS conferences. It's the SEC that stands in the Buckeyes way, but not for long.

Now that the Buckeyes have a wild card up their sleeve in Urban Meyer, things will change.  Out with the old, slow Ohio State, and in with speed and efficiency that will challenge even the mighty SEC.  Meyer has about as much experience at winning in the Southeastern Conference as any coach out there, which will come in handy when the Buckeyes will inevitably meet their worst enemy again.

Urban Meyer's time at Florida is highlighted by Tim Tebow, but he was not the only great player that helped the Gators to two National Championships in three years.  Meyer's ingenuity found the perfect use for the special athletes.  For example, one of the Gators most prolific running/receiving dual-threats was Aaron Hernandez. Meyer plugged him into the offense much like Bill Belichick is doing in the NFL. 

The Gators were also stout on the defensive side of the ball.  The combination of strength and speed made the unit lethal to opposing offenses, including Ohio State in the 2007 National Championship.  The Buckeyes only managed 82 yards on offense and Heisman winner Troy Smith only completed four passes.

Meyer's experience in big games and success in the SEC speaks volumes to his coaching talent, but it is his ability to coach the players on offense, defense and special teams that makes him special.  He brings a swagger to the Ohio State University, and with it, the ability to make quality athletes on all sides of the ball, even better.  Here are the five players that will improve the most under new head coach Urban Meyer.

Braxton Miller

Ohio State fans will be the first to tell you that while Miller played well last season, he couldn't really find the right fit in the offense.  He looked out of sync at times, only completing 54.1 percent of his passes.  However, in his first year as starter he only threw four interceptions while managing 13 touchdowns.

His 1,159 passing yards combined with his 715 rushing yards made him one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the Big Ten. 

Urban Meyer has had plenty of success with the dual-threat quarterback, from Alex Smith to Tim Tebow.  Now while there will never be another Tebow, Miller has all the skills to be the next quarterback to be added to Meyer's list of success stories.  Under a new offense that will take more advantage of his scrambling ability, Buckeye fans should see many more big plays from Miller and overall, a much improved year.

Carlos Hyde

The face of the running back unit, Daniel Herron, is headed to the NFL.  As good as he was, it will be hard to miss him when Carlos Hyde begins getting his reps.  Hyde is listed at 6'0", 238 lbs, which is bigger than the traditional running back Urban Meyer has used in his system. The notion that big backs can't succeed in the Meyer offense is bologna, no need to worry Buckeye fans. 

Hyde is capable of a sub-4.50 40-yard dash time, the lowest among any running back on the roster.  The offensive line will be a bit more spread out next year, allowing for running backs to find their holes before turning on the jets.  The spread out offensive line will provide Hyde with more one-on-one matchups, where his size will be a unique advantage compared to the former running backs in Meyer's system.

Curtis Grant

Although Buckeye fans haven't seen Grant on the field too much yet, he was the head of last year's recruiting class.  He may have not seen much playing time in his first year but he was able to study the older linebackers and learn the complex defensive schemes.  Meyer has already deemed Grant as one of the key players for the defense and wants him to focus less on thinking, and more on doing. 

Grant was perhaps a bit overwhelmed by the transition from high school to college and didn't have a full grasp on some of the more complex defensive schemes. Now that he has had a year to study up, Meyer is ready to unleash him in 2012.  He is already working out with the first-team linebackers during spring and will surely be ready to make an impact on the field come fall.

Devin Smith

The receiving corps was simply atrocious in 2011 for the Buckeyes.  Three players were tied in receptions at 14, which led the team.  Devin Smith returns as one of those three.  One of Urban Meyer's biggest concerns heading into 2012 was improving the receivers for Braxton Miller. 

The Buckeyes addressed concerns for future development by nabbing Michael Thomas, Frank Epitropoulos and Ricquan Southward in the recruiting class, but the freshmen won't be able to contribute right away. 

Devin Smith has the speed and hands to be Braxton Miller's go-to guy but needs to add a little more bulk during the spring in order to endure what will be a long and productive season.

Jake Stoneburner

Tight ends at Ohio State have traditionally been more of an offensive lineman, while letting the receivers do much of the work downfield.  This doesn't coincide with what Urban Meyer brings to the table.  From Cornelius Ingram to Aaron Hernandez, the tight end position has been a key component of the offense.  A big, athletic player like Jake Stoneburner will reap the benefits under Meyer's new system. 

Stoneburner was one of the leading receivers in 2011 with 14 receptions, but he will likely get many more touches in 2012.  Look for him to progress quickly under Urban Meyer and become a wild card on offense going forward.