Former Florida Commitment Ryan Shazier Commits to Ohio State

Four-star linebacker Ryan Shazier committed to Ohio State on Friday after a visit from coach Jim Tressel and a trip to Columbus last week. 

Shazier had originally committed to Florida, but was one of the first Gators commitments to balk at his decision to attend Florida in the wake of Urban Meyer's decision to step down as the team's head coach.

As soon as the news of Meyer's decision to leave Florida broke, Shazier went public, saying he was still committed to Florida, but that he would now open up his recruitment to other schools. 

Ohio State, along with LSU, jumped at the chance and it didn't take long for the Buckeyes to steal away the wavering Gator. 

A defensive end and tight end in high school, Shazier will likely make the transition to outside linebacker at the next level. 

He's a solid pass-rusher and has the instincts and athleticism to make the transition, though it could take some time for him to get a better grasp of things. 

A natural pass-rusher who is nearly as good against the run, Shazier should thrive at Ohio State and joins an already loaded class that's one of best in the nation. 

With two 5-star commitments, 11 4-star commitments and six 3-star commitments, the Buckeyes have arguably the No. 2 class behind Texas—though Alabama and Florida State are hot on their trail. 

Check out the December Commitment Tracker for all the latest commitments, as well as our Top 100 Commitments List to keep you up to date with all the latest recruiting news.