Ohio State Football: Can Buckeyes Steal Coveted 4-Star WR Sam Bruce from Miami?

Ohio State had a banner day on the recruiting trail Monday, stealing a pair of 4-star recruits—one from Maryland and another from the SEC footprint—to secure a temporary hold on the country's No. 1 class.

But with national signing day looming, head coach Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes are looking to continue their looting ways, and their attention has turned to 4-star wide receiver and current Miami commit Sam Bruce. 

The 5'8", 180-pound standout from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is rated the 11th-best wide receiver and the No. 82 prospect nationally. He's one of the most highly recruited pass-catchers in the country, holding offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Notre Dame, Oregon and USC, but he shut his recruitment down early when he committed to Miami in the summer of 2014.

The Buckeyes have reopened his recruitment, though, and they're gaining serious traction.

That door was opened when Miami parted ways with former head coach Al Golden, who guided the Hurricanes from 2011-15. Ohio State, in need of top-flight receivers with the departures of starters Michael Thomas, Jalin Marshall and Braxton Miller, is seeing its interest returned by Bruce. Rivals Camp Series spotted Bruce at practice donning some Ohio State gear: 

Things have really heated up for Ohio State over the last week. 

It started when the Buckeyes raided Maryland of 4-star Dwayne Haskins, who's rated as the nation's seventh-best pro-style quarterback. Haskins got a big target when 4-star wide receiver Binjimen Victor joined the Buckeyes class that same afternoon, but the 6'3" signal-caller hinted that Bruce could be on his way to Columbus:

"

Got my south Florida boys in #Zone6 @_QUICK6 @BinjimenVictor 

— Dwayne Haskins, Jr ♚ (@dh_simba7) January 20, 2016"

Recruiting analysts around the country support that notion. Over the last week, Ohio State has surged in 247Sports' Crystal Ball Predictions, moving ahead of Florida, Miami and Florida State as the favorite to gain Bruce's signature on national signing day. 

Meyer and Buckeyes wide receiver coach Zach Smith were in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday to visit with Bruce, and it looks like all things are pointing the Buckeyes' way. Bruce has an official visit scheduled with Miami on January 29, and it looks like that'll be new head coach Mark Richt's last chance to sway the momentum.

If Richt can't keep Bruce, Ohio State would be in line to sign an outstanding class of wide receivers. Bruce would join Victor, who's rated the 12th-best receiver and the country, and Austin Mack, who checks in at No. 10 nationally. 

At the moment, Bruce is the missing piece that Ohio State is trying to fit into its already dynamic puzzle. And with Meyer honing in, that piece could fall into place sooner rather than later.

All recruiting information via 247Sports.

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