Here is Version 2.0 of DTI’s predictions of who will fill out the Buckeyes class of 2009. With 13 verbals on board, the Bucks are likely just over the halfway mark in terms on the number of recruits they will take in the class.

Quarterback

Needs: 0-1

Analysis: As this class continues to grow it is looking more and more likely that the Buckeyes will not take a QB in this class. With Pryor, Bauserman, Henton, and baseball player and walk-on Ross Oltorik all on board after this season there really is no room for a quarterback in the class of 2009. Look for things to change, though, if Antonio Henton decides to transfer before the recruiting season is over.

Prediction: The Buckeyes do not take a quarterback in this class, even if Henton leaves. I feel that Bauserman proved he could be a capable #2 to Pryor in the spring game and may even have a shot at the back up gig this season. If Henton leaves I feel we will address the need of QB in the class of 2010 (we will take one in this class regardless) rather than 2009. Remember Orhian Johnson, a safety from Florida, was being recruited as a QB in many places and could be a viable emergency option as well.

Running Back

Needs: 3 (2 Rb and 1 FB)

Analysis: With Jordan Hall already giving his verbal pledge, the Bucks will most likely look to land only one more running back in this class. Beanie Wells is most likely gone after this season and Maurice Wells graduates, leaving Brandon Saine and Boom Herron as the only two scholarship backs on the roster after the 2008 season. The Buckeyes have targeted two Florida backs to fill out this class: big bruising back, Carlos Hyde, an original native of Cincinnati, and Jaamal Berry, a smaller, shiftier back, from the Miami area. Berry came to the OSU Spring game and loved what he saw, but will it be enough for him to jump on what could be the last scholarship available to a tail back?

Prediction: Look for either Hyde or Berry to be the other back OSU takes in this class along with Jordan Hall and FB Adam Homan. The staff has though to have wanted one smaller, faster back and one bruiser (like Beanie) in this class all along. Hall fits the former mold and in my gut I think Hyde will fit the latter mold and become the Bucks’ second back in this class.

Wide Receiver

Needs: 3

Analysis: With Chris Fields already signed in the class, the Buckeyes will look for two more receivers to join Fields in this class. Duron Carter and James Jackson are the top two candidates, while Shaquelle Evans from California has stated he will definitely take one of his officials to Ohio State. Marlon Brown is a long shot at this point and it is questionable whether Kraig Appleton from Illinois will get an offer. This receiving class could end up with a few guys who weren’t primary choices due to others turning down offers.

Predictions: The Buckeyes finish this class with 3 receivers. I think they end up with Fields, Jackson, and either Carter or Appleton. I feel that Evans will stay on the West coast and my gut tells me Carter will end up elsewhere. Appleton will probably receive an offer if Carter turns his down and could end up in Columbus. If that plan fails, look for a guy like Pickerington Central’s Pat White to get an offer and play for OSU.

Tight End

Needs: 1

Analysis: The Buckeyes will certainly look to add a tight end to this class with the departure of Rory Nicol and Brandon Smith after the upcoming season. Jake Ballard could go to the NFL early if he has a big year, but that jump to the pros is unlikely, and he and Nic DiLillo will be the only two scholarship tight ends on roster in 2009. The staff recently offered Grosse Point, Michigan prospect Reid Fragel and he has the Bucks in his top two along with Michigan State. Dion Sims, also from Michigan, is another target and is the best tight end prospect in the class. Stephen Plein of Ft. Myers, Florida, formerly of Canton, Georgia, attended the OSU Spring game on April 19. He has just recently come into the picture and could be a candidate to land an offer if Fragel goes elswhere.

Predictions: I truly believe the Buckeyes will beat out the Spartans for Fragel in the end, making him the lone TE prospect in the class of 2009. Fragel has been down to OSU a few times in the last month and has really enjoyed what he has seen. MSU likes to use the tight end in the passing game a little more than Ohio State (see: Kellen Davis), but Fragel projects to be a good blocker and fits perfectly in the Jake Ballard mold of an excellent blocker who has enough athleticism to make plays, especially near the goaline and in red zone situations. Ed Hazellett from Warren Central HS in Indianapolis and Plein are possibilities if Fragel chooses Sparty.

Offensive Line

Needs: 4-5

Analysis: Guard Corey Linsley (Youngstown Boardman) and G/C Jack Mewhort (Toledo St. John’s Jesuit HS) are on board for 2009 already and the Buckeyes will look to add at least two more linemen, if not three more to this class. Look for Tressel and Jim Bollman to target exterior lineman to fill out the final spots with Glenville’s Marcus Hall being the first priority. Hall favors the Bucks over Illinois and USC and Melvin Fellows’ recent change of pledge from Illinois to OSU should help the Buckeyes’ cause. Eric Shrive from Scranton, PA has an offer and gave his OSU visit high marks, but the opportunity to start right away at another program (such as Rutgers) will probably have him playing Saturdays in somewhere other than Columbus, OH. Chris Watt from Illinois is high on the Bucks and could commit soon, but programs such as Notre Dame, Illinois, and others could jump ahead for the interior lineman’s services. Chris Freeman from Trotwood Madison HS has offers from many elite programs across the nation, but not OSU. The Bucks could offer the 6′9″ 320 lbs. offensive tackle if Shrive, Watt, or Hall fall through. One guy whose stock is rising is Sam Longo of Bellbrook, OH. Longo is projected as a tackle at the next level despite the ideal weight to play the position at Ohio State.

Predictions: The Buckeyes end up landing Hall and Watt to round out this class. I believe Shrive will follow fellow Keystone Stater QB Tom Savage to Rutgers and Freeman will end up at Michigan after never receiving a Buckeye offer. Longo will most likely end up at Cincinnati or Florida State (he has offers from both) and also will not receive the Buckeye offer he has been longing for. Hall and Watt would round out a very good offensive line class for Jim Bollman and the rest of the staff.

Defensive Line

Needs: 3-4

Analysis: While the Buckeyes really only need 3-4 lineman, I can see them taking four and maybe even five if they have room when signing day approaches. DE Melvin Fellows was a big pickup as he recently switched his commitment to the Bucks from Illinois. DT John Simon from Cardinal Mooney in Youngstown has been committed for a while and is the other defensive lineman in this class so far. Corey Adams of Scottsdale, AZ is the only other player the Buckeyes are targeting at DT and grew up a fan of OSU (Dad from Ohio). He will definitely be taking one of his five official visits to Columbus. Glenville’s Jonathan Newsome, Craig Drummond from Illinois, St. Xavier’s Pat Muldoon, Taft’s Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, and Demonte McCallister from Tampa Bay, FL are among the names being targeted at defensive end. All but Carradine have offers and Tank has not received an offer from OSU because of grades and test scores.

Predictions: With Fellows and Simon already on board, the Bucks pick up commitments from Newsome, Muldoon, and Carradine to round at the class of lineman at five. I think it is a matter of time before Newsome commits to Ohio State and has said all along the Buckeyes are sitting in the driver’s seat. Muldoon, whose uncle and cousins played at Ohio State, favors the Buckeyes as well, but is taking visits to other schools just to make sure he doesn’t jump the gun on his OSU offer too early. Carradine is a guy who I feel will be a late addition to the class once he gets his grades and test scores up. I feel the offer will be there when it’s all said and done for the athletic defensive end from Cincinnati. If the class does indeed round out like predicted, Tressel will have done a fine job keeping the Ohio talent in-state and away from other Big Ten programs. Corey Adams is a guy the Buckeyes would definitely like to land, but I feel that he will stay in the southwest, choosing USC, Arizona, or Arizona State.

Linebacker

Needs: 4

Analysis: Dorian Bell, Storm Klein, and Jordan Whiting have already taken 3 spots in the OSU Linebacking class of 2009, that will most likely consist of four players. Zach Boren has a Buckeye offer in hand and could pull the trigger any day now on a verbal commitment, especially since older brother Justin decided to transfer to OSU from Michigan last week. If Boren shocks the world and does not choose Ohio State, other candidates to receive an offer are Sunbury Big Walnut’s Will Studlien, Miami Krop’s Quan Fletcher (attended OSU spring game), and long shot Julius Ferrell of Youngstown Liberty who may be a stronger candidate to go to Michigan (teammates Isaiah Bell and Fitzgerald Toussaint have already committed to UM for 2009). Petey Smith of Florida has an offer from OSU, but it looks like he will stay in the south.

Predictions: The Buckeyes already have Bell, Klein, and Whiting, and will add Zach Boren to round out this linebacking coorps. Boren might even end up playing some full back when he gets to OSU. Quan Fletcher is certainly the number one choice to be added if there is room, followed by Will Studlien, who looks like he will end up at Illinois. Petey Smith stays down South and Ferrell ends up at Michigan, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, or Cincinnati. Boren, Bell, Klein, and Whiting would make up an excellent class for Luke Fickell in 2009.

Defensive Backs

Needs: 4-5

Analysis: The Bucks already have Pickerington Central safety Jamie Wood, Indian Head, Maryland CB Darrell Givens, and Clayton Northmont CB CJ Barnett signed up in this class so far. The staff will look to add two more defensive backs, preferably one of those being a safety to their DB class of ‘09. Middletown, Ohio safety DJ Hunter, EJ Banks and Corey Brown from Pennsylvania, Florida’s Vlad Emilien, Brandon McGee and Victor Marc, and Mike Edwards from Glenville are the final candidates to land in the final two spots of this class. McGee, Hunter, and Emilien are the only ones from that last to have received a Buckeye offer, but with Hunter considering gaining more playing time at Indiana and McGee holding offered from top programs such as Miami, USC, Tennessee, and Georgia, among others, any of the other players listed above could get an OSU offer. Emilen was very close to committing at the spring game and it seems to be a matter of time before he gives his pledge to OSU. Emilien is teammates with McGee and could have an influence on his decision. Victor Marc is from Miami Krop (same HS as Eitenne Sabino and Travis Howard) and if offered could jump on a commitment. Banks has said to like the Buckeyes for a while and it is a big possibility he could land in Columbus, while Brown is a teammate of Dorian Bell at Gateway and wants an OSU offer very badly. Edwards grew up a Buckeye fan, but seems to be the fall back option for Taver Johnson and Paul Haynes.

Predictions: The Buckeyes end up with Barnett, Wood, Givens, Emilien, and McGee. I was really torn with who to give the last spot to in the class and felt like being optimistic by taking McGee. He attended the spring game and had nothing but good things to say about his visit to Columbus. He has also talked about playing with Emilien and other Florida prospects at the next level so that will influence his decision as well. Brown could be the sleeper to get an offer, especially with Dorian Bell and him being such close friends. I believe DJ Hunter will pick the Hoosiers and give Bill Lynch something to smile about in Bloomington. Hunter’s decision may come down to wanting to play more, but more importantly if another defensive back commits before him, Tressel may close the door on Hunter entering this class. Basically if DJ Hunter wants to be a Buckeye he better decide quickly. Banks is a guy who I feel will get the next available offer from OSU, but I see him ending up elsewhere. Overall, a very strong class for OSU at DB, regardless of who fills out the final two spots.

Wrap Up: With my final predictions, the Buckeyes will end up with 25 players in the class of 2009; 14 on the defensive side of the ball and 11 on the offensive side. This will be a very strong class for Jim Tressel’s staff and will certainly be a top 10 class once again. Some people feel that right now this class is on pace to end up better than the 2008 class, but that cannot be determined just yet. It will definitely be interesting to see how the rest of the class rounds out and there’s always the element of surprise (See: Cordale Scott to Illinois or Zach Domicone getting an OSU offer). Stay tuned to the recruiting trail as DTI updates you on the latest news across Buckeye Nation and look forward to Filling Out The Rosters Version 3.0 in the near future.

Thanks to Jim Davidson and the-ozone.net for the photos