Ohio State Football: Buckeyes' Top Remaining Recruiting Targets for NSD 2015

Winning a national championship makes recruiting a lot easier.

That's something Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer made very clear after the Buckeyes defeated the Oregon Ducks in the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship. With that title run fresh in the minds of the country's top prospects, interest will never be higher, and the recruiting pitch will never be easier.

The Buckeyes' 2015 recruiting class is almost at full capacity, though. Meyer has secured commitments from 24 players, four of which are already on campus after enrolling early. As of now, that class ranks No. 7 nationally, but the Buckeyes could vault into the top five if they close out strong with a few elite prospects.

With the limited spots available, who are Ohio State's top remaining targets?

Torrance Gibson/Joe Burrow, QB

Ohio State probably landed its most important commitment on Thursday when Cardale Jones announced that he's returning to Columbus rather than jumping early to the NFL.

In a similar vein, Meyer is hoping to keep the two quarterbacks currently committed to the Buckeyes. With the emergence of J.T. Barrett and Jones this year, Ohio State's quarterback depth chart could easily scare these recruits away.

Torrance Gibson, the lethal 4-star dual-threat signal-caller who committed to the Buckeyes in November, recently scheduled visits to Auburn and LSU, according to a self-written blog posted by USA Today. 

While he encouraged Buckeyes fans by writing they "shouldn’t worry at all," Gibson is one of the more impressionable recruits in the country. He was swayed heavily by Tennessee after visiting Knoxville this past summer, a trip that pushed Ohio State to the bottom of his list. But as soon as he visited Columbus a month later, the Buckeyes skyrocketed to the forefront.

Credit: 247 Sports

If things fall through with Gibson, Ohio State will be scrambling to make sure Joe Burrow sticks with his verbal pledge. The Buckeyes have plenty of talent at quarterback now, but things could open up in a big way if Jones wins the top spot this spring, has a big year and decides to leave early for the draft after his junior season.

If that scenario unfolds, the Buckeyes will be left with Barrett and Stephen Collier. The Buckeyes don't have an immediate need for a quarterback, but they'll have a need for depth after the 2015 season.

Terry Beckner Jr., DT

With the 24 recruits already in the fold, there aren't too many needs for the Buckeyes to address before national signing day. The one exception to that, though, is at defensive tackle.

Ohio State will need to replace its interior star in senior Michael Bennett, who is projecting as a second-round NFL draft pick, and Chris Carter—a big, gap-stuffing defensive tackle. The Buckeyes do return Adolphus Washington and Tommy Schutt, but defensive line coach Larry Johnson likes a heavy rotation to keep his unit fresh.

Credit: 247 Sports

That's why Terry Beckner Jr. is so important. The 5-star interior lineman is leaning heavily toward Missouri, per his high school coach, but that could change this weekend. Beckner will be in town to visit as Ohio State celebrates its national title this weekend, according to Jeremy Birmingham of Eleven Warriors. That, along with a strong push from Meyer and the coaching staff, could swing Beckner Ohio State's way. 

If the Buckeyes fail to sway him, it would be the third big-time defensive tackle prospect they missed on recently. Christian Wilkins chose Clemson over offers from Ohio State and Penn State, and Neville Gallimore spurned the Buckeyes for Oklahoma.

Josh Wariboko, OG

Anyone who watched Ohio State's last three games saw how heavily Meyer and the coaching staff rely on a strong offensive line. 

The Buckeyes already have five linemen signed to this year's class, headlined by four-star tackle Matthew Burrell, but Josh Wariboko would be the cherry on top. The four-star guard from Oklahoma is considered a heavy lean to UCLA, but there are reasons for Ohio State to be optimistic.

The 6'3", 315-pound mauler has whittled his list down to three schools—UCLA, Oklahoma and Ohio State—and he was expected to announce his decision January 6, but he recently pushed his announcement date back to signing day. That will give Meyer and the Buckeyes time to cover some ground.

That extra time also allowed Wariboko to take in the national title game, as the Buckeyes blasted Oregon with 296 rushing yards in a convincing 42-20 win. He was impressed:

If the Buckeyes are able to steal Wariboko away from the Bruins and the home-state Sooners, they'll get another big guy in the trenches hungry to pave the way for Ohio State's running game.

All recruiting information via 247 Sports.

David Regimbal covers Ohio State football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.