Jaiden Woodbey to Ohio State: Buckeyes Land 4-Star Safety Prospect

The Ohio State Buckeyes have been in two of the first three College Football Playoffs largely because of head coach Urban Meyer's ability to recruit. He earned another win on the trail Monday.

Safety prospect Jaiden Woodbey shared his decision to join the Buckeyes' 2018 recruiting class on his Twitter page:

Woodbey, who checks in at 6'2" and 206 pounds, is a 4-star prospect, per Scout. He is the No. 35 player overall, No. 2 safety in the nation and No. 1 safety in the state of California in his class.

Tim Moody of Scout noted Nebraska, Oklahoma and Southern California were in Woodbey's top four, but he chose Ohio State after visiting the campus for a Junior Day.

Greg Biggins of Scout pointed out Woodbey isn't the first player the Buckeyes have landed from St. John Bosco High School in California. Five-star offensive guard Wyatt Davis is also part of their 2017 class, per Scout.

Woodbey talked about why he's following Davis' path from California to Columbus, Ohio, per Biggins: "Ohio State is just the best fit for me. It was Ohio State and USC, those have been my top two this whole time, but I really feel good about Ohio State and feel like that's the best spot for me. I loved my visit there and got that family feel you're always looking for when you want to leave home."

Biggins pointed out Woodbey's ability to play near the line of scrimmage and provide support against the run as a big safety who dishes out hard hits. Hudl highlighted some of his top plays:

Woodbey will join a Buckeyes defense that finished the 2016 campaign fifth in the nation in yards allowed per game, third in points allowed per game and sixth in passing yards allowed per game.

However, Ohio State lost defensive backs Malik Hooker, Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore to the NFL draft a year after losing Vonn Bell, Eli Apple and Tyvis Powell. Woodbey will help the Big Ten powerhouse reload on the back end of the defense.

Per Scout, Meyer has also added the nation's fourth-ranked 2017 recruiting class, which includes defensive backs Kendall Sheffield, Jeffrey Okudah, Shaun Wade, Amir Riep, Isaiah Pryor and Marcus Williamson, with an emphasis on building depth after losing those impact players.

Ohio State is annually among the national championship contenders, and consistently landing playmakers like Woodbey will ensure it stays there for years to come.