Ohio State Football: Class of 2012 Recruiting Priorities

If there is one constant in major college sports, it is the fact that coaches can never rest on their laurels in recruiting, as it is a 365 day a year job. 

With the 2011 class in the barn and rated in the top ten by pretty much every recruiting service, Ohio State coaches set their sights on the next group of players who are in the midst of their junior year of high school. 

Although there are many areas that will be focused on, I feel there are three positions that are especially crucial, which I would categorize as priorities for the class of 2012:

1.  Offensive Line - Unless you have been marooned on a deserted island the past few years, you know that this has been the area in which the Buckeyes have struggled the most in the Tressel area. 

I put some of the blame on Jim Bollman, who has not maximized the talent he has had at his disposal, and all you have to do is look at the pro draft the past few years to see that OSU linemen have been consistently bypassed by NFL teams. 

The past few years has featured a number of misses on big-time prospects that Ohio State hoped to land.

Guys like Josh Jenkins, Seantrel Henderson, Matt James and Aundrey Walker were big misses for the program. 

However, it is not just missing on some of the elite players that has hurt, but the fact that the coaching staff has not offered a lot of scholarships, and thus has not signed a large enough volume of offensive linemen. 

The class of 2011 was supposed to be different, as Tress and company went after a number of in-state players early in the process, receiving verbals from three of them, along with Brian Bobek from Illinois.

But when big Drey Walker opted to head west to USC, combined with the transfer of Same Longo, it left the Buckeyes thinner than expected again.

That's why this year is so important. 

Even though the class of 2012 is not expected to be particularly big, you have to believe the coaches are looking to bring in five quality players here, and they are off to a good start.

They already have verbals from tackle Kyle Kalis, (considered the best linemen Ohio has to offer next year) and guard Jacoby Boren, (whose big brothers have worked out pretty well in scarlet and gray). 

So who else is being targeted by the coaches? 

Let's start in state where three names seem to be rising to the top: Vandalia's Taylor Decker (6'8", 275)  who projects as a tackle; Cleveland Heights' Kyle Dodson (6'6", 315), also a tackle prospect; and, Kent Roosevelt's Ryan Anderson (6'4", 312), who is considered to be a guard at the next level. 

None has received an offer yet, but that could change soon.

Out of state, Ohio State has offered two players: Chicago Simeon’s Jordan Diamond (6-6, 290) and Jonah Pirsig (6-9, 295) from Blue Earth, Minnesota. 

It would seem the coaching staff is looking at both as tackles.  There are a number of other national prospects being checked out, but thus far just two offers.  In my opinion, OSU has not cast a wide enough net in the past when it comes to linemen, and I hope they don't duplicate that mistake this year.  Anything less than five solid players will be a disappointment. 

2.  Wide Receiver - Going into the 2011 season Ohio State is paper thin at receiver. 

Consider that they lost their star in Dane Sanzenbacher, along with solid role players in Taurian Washington and Grant Schwartz.

Returning starter DeVier Posey must sit out the first third of the season, which only compounds the situation.

Right now it appears that the coaching staff is high on Corey Brown and T.Y. Williams, with Chris Fields as a third option. 

The only other scholarship receivers coming back this year are James Louis and James Jackson (some expect him to transfer), and both have been big disappointments so far, according to reports from observers. 

Thankfully, there is new blood on the way in talented freshmen Evan Spencer and Devin Smith, both of whom may play this year, but there is no doubt that the staff needs to bring in two or three more good ones in this class. 

The good news is that the coaches have already offered a number of potential playmakers from out of state in Dorial Green-Beckham, a big wideout from Springfield, Missouri, and a trio of speedsters from Florida: Alton Howard (Wellington HS); Angelo Jean-Louis (Palm Beach Central); and, Ricardo Louis (Miami Beach Senior).

Ohio may not be loaded at receiver this next year, but the Buckeyes are pursuing a number of players including Cincinnati Taft's Dwayne Stanford (pictured) who claims he has an offer, along with Akron Buchtel's Corey Smith and Cincinnati Moeller's Monty Madaris. 

No doubt other names will soon rise to the surface both in and out of the state of Ohio, and I think it is imperative that the coaching staff come up big at this position with the class of 2012.  Surely adding Stan Drayton to the coaching family will help, especially with all of his connections in Florida. 

3.  Cornerback - The final priority position, in my opinion, is cornerback, where OSU lost both starters in Chimdi Chewka, and Devon Torrence, and does not have as may options this year as they would like. 

One of the players vying for major playing time is Dionte Allen, who along with Donnie Evege will be a senior this year, so they will be gone soon, as well. 

A number of guys thought to be potential corners upon their arrival have been moved to safety, including C.J. Barnett, Corey Brown, and Christian Bryant, though the latter might move back to corner in a pinch.

But in this day and age when people love to chuck the ball up and down the field, you can't have enough good corners, and Ohio State could surely use some reinforcements in the class of 2012.

One corner who has already been offered is Tallahassee Godby's T.J Davis. 

Other Floridians being carefully watched are Brian Poole (Bradenton Southeast), Deon Bush (Miami Southeast) and Travis Blanks (Tallahassee North Florida
Christian), though the latter may be better suited for safety.

Also catching the eye of the staff early on is Cyrus Jones (Baltimore Dunbar), Terry Richardson (Detroit Cass Technical) and Jonathan Reed (Indianapolis Pike)

In state, the top dog appears to be Devan Bogard from the school formerly known as the pipeline (Cleveland Glenville), though his speedy teammate V'Angelo Bentley may not be too far behind.  Either of them could earn an offer, and no doubt other names will soon make their way onto this list. 

Although there are other positions to fill, those appear to be the most pressing needs in my mind, and it will be interesting to see if the Buckeyes use half their available scholarships on those three areas of need.