Ohio State Football: Re-Evaluating the Buckeyes' Top Recruiting Targets

Urban Meyer is hoping to dethrone Alabama as the college football recruiting champion in 2016, and with 12 highly rated prospects already in the fold, he's well on his way. 

Ohio State currently checks in at No. 3 in the recruiting rankings behind Miami (which already has 20 verbal pledges) and top-ranked Florida State (which has 14 commitments). But with the players still on Meyer's radar, the Buckeyes certainly have the opportunity to move past the Seminoles and the Hurricanes.

After securing half of its 12 commitments in the last two months, Ohio State's '16 class is taking shape in a hurry. Who are the top prospects left on the Buckeyes' board?

Rashan Gary, 5-star Defensive Tackle

It's fitting that the first prospect on this list is the No. 1 overall recruit in the country. And while the Buckeyes are long shots to land Gary's verbal pledge, his otherworldly talent alone merits his inclusion here. 

The 6'4", 290-pound defensive tackle is an absolute load in the interior, and yet, he still has enough speed to run a 4.7 40-yard dash. 

Guys that big shouldn't move that fast.

That's why Gary is the most coveted defensive line prospect in the country. He has offers from just about every major program worth mentioning, but Alabama and Michigan are shaping up as the early favorites, according to 247 Sports' Crystal Ball. 

But it would be foolish to count out the Buckeyes with Meyer at the helm. Even though Ohio State is currently on the outside looking in, the coaching staff is still going all out in his recruitment. The standout recently took a trip to Ohio State's campus and is frequently visited by defensive line coach Larry Johnson. 

Fortunately for the Buckeyes, Gary is taking his time. He told Bleacher Report's Tyler Donohue that he plans on releasing a top-five list before the start of his senior season. It's safe to bet that the Buckeyes will spend their summer trying to make the cut. 

Nick Bosa, 5-Star Defensive End

Sticking with the defensive line, Ohio State is in great shape to land one of the country's most dangerous pass-rushers in Nick Bosa.

The younger brother of current Buckeye superstar Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa has offers from programs such as Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Notre Dame, but Ohio State is the unanimous favorite to gain his commitment, via 247 Sports. 

Nick Bosa himself reaffirmed those projections by naming the Buckeyes his leader on Tuesday.

The 6'4", 260-pound edge-rusher is ranked the No. 2 strong-side defensive end and the No. 7 overall recruit nationally. Some, like St. Thomas Aquinas assistant coach (and former Buckeye great) Cris Carter, think Nick Bosa will be even better than his older brother.

Larry Blustein, a Florida-based recruiting analyst who has spent the last 40 years scouting high school talent, told Chris Johnson of Sports Illustrated how dangerous Nick Bosa can be on the field.

“If you don’t double team him, you sign your death warrant,” Blustein said, via Johnson.

Ben Bredeson, 5-Star Offensive Tackle

The state of Ohio routinely produces a bevy of elite high school prospects, and 2016 was no exception as the state turned out nine of the top 150 recruits nationally.

The No. 1- and No. 3-ranked players in the state—offensive tackles Tommy Kraemer and Liam Eichenberg—were big Buckeye targets at the start of the recruiting cycle. Both, however, offered their verbal pledge to Notre Dame, sending the Buckeyes in search of other elite tackle prospects.

That process is headlined by Ben Bredeson, a 5-star mammoth offensive lineman out of Hartland, Wisconsin. The 6'5", 270-pound tackle has offers from Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame and a host of others, but the home-state Badgers are the considerable favorite, with Michigan coming in as a distant second, according to 247Sports. 

Can the Buckeyes make a push for the nation's fourth-ranked tackle? 

Bredeson hasn't visited Ohio State since last year's spring game, when he received his offer from the Buckeyes coaching staff. But that visit made a big impression.

"I loved the campus there," Bredeson told Jeremy Birmingham of Eleven Warriors. "The way it was set up and buildings were all beautiful, it's a nice university. Obviously their facilities were top notch, but that's expected at a program like Ohio State."

Now with Kraemer and Eichenberg off the board, expect Ohio State to turn on the full-court press for Bredeson.

Brendan Ferns, 4-Star Linebacker

After the Buckeyes lost their grip on the pair of in-state offensive tackle prospects, they're hoping to avoid the same fate with Brendan Ferns.

An instinctive defender out of Saint Clairsville, Ohio, Ferns is one of the most highly recruited linebackers in the country. He boasts offers from Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and USC, but everyone is looking up at Ohio State, which currently holds a 72 percent chance of gaining his commitment, via 247Sports.

That would be a big win for the Buckeyes, and not just because he's one of the state's best prospects. His older brother, Michael Ferns, committed to Michigan and enrolled early last season, but later transferred to West Virginia after Brady Hoke's termination. 

Holding off the Wolverines (who haven't offered yet) and the Mountaineers (who are second in his recruitment, according to 247Sports), would be a big win for the Buckeyes coaching staff. 

Rated the no. 81 overall recruit and the No. 2 inside linebacker, Ferns will make one school very happy when he ends his recruitment. The Buckeyes have to like their chances in this battle. 

Austin Mack, 4-Star Wide Receiver

The Buckeyes signed just two wide receivers in their 2015 class, so the staff is really targeting the position in the '16 recruiting cycle. They already have one wideout committed in Kierre Hawkins, but one of their top targets was lost when Justin Layne pledged to Michigan State last week.

That's why Austin Mack is so important.

The 6'2", 205-pound pass-catcher has elite speed, but he prides himself on being more than just a fast wideout. Talking to Justin Kenny of The News-Sentinel at the IMG 7v7 National Championships last summer, Mack explained the difference in his skill set.

“A lot of those guys couldn't run a route to save their lives, but they stood out in other ways with their athleticism.” Mack said. “I can do the little things to gain separation (on defenders).”

Ohio State would love to add that ability to its offense, and while Notre Dame and Michigan are in the hunt, Meyer and the Buckeyes hold a considerable edge for his commitment. Mack intends to announce his decision at the R.A.S. Football Camp in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on June 7, according to 247Sports.

Ohio State's '16 class will likely get a huge boost that day.

All recruiting rankings and information via 247Sports.

David Regimbal is the Ohio State football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.