2012 Ohio State Recruiting: Defensive End Big Board

We are going to be breaking down the top players Ohio State has targeted early in the recruiting game and also provide a look at some of the tertiary players on the Buckeye recruiting board. A recruiting cycle is really a marathon, and many players will pop up from now until Signing Day. The 2012 recruiting class in Ohio is so deep and talented that great players will leave the state. Ohio State lacks the room to take them all, and peripheral Big Ten programs will benefit immensely from this numbers crunch.

All players have video hyperlinked to their names. The comparison section is not meant as a 1:1 ratio. By nature, comparisons are bound to fail, but they do have some value for style purposes. When we say LaTroy Lewis is reminiscent of Thaddeus Gibson, we do not mean he will have the career of Gibson or that he is even as good of a prospect as Gibson was. We simply use the comparison section to build style connections between past and perhaps future Buckeyes.

Offered

Adolphus Washington; Cincinnati Taft High School; 6''4, 230 lbs.

Washington is the top player in Ohio according to the newly released Scout.com 2012 rankings. At 6''4, he has the type of frame that coaches covet on the defensive line and still has plenty of room for weight and muscle gain. Washington holds offers from every elite program in the country, but the prevailing opinion is that Ohio State and Notre Dame are the two top teams on his list. He'd be a great fit for any team and any scheme, but his role would change depending on the program he chooses. If he ends up with the Fighting Irish, for example, he'd be a 5-technique defensive end in defensive coordinator Bob Diaco's 3-4 scheme. Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock could use Washington in a similar manner to Cameron Heyward, moving him from a 5-technique end position to a 3-technique tackle position.

Ultimately, Washington's growth will determine where he fits in a scheme like Ohio State's. When the Buckeyes began recruiting Washington during his sophomore year of high school, they even told him he could be a LEO (linebacker/weakside defensive end hybrid.) He's grown considerably since then, and I don't see any way he fits as a LEO any longer.

Washington's athletic tools are incredible. He consistently provides a pass rush with his quick feet and powerful hips, often bulldozering undersized offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback.  Washington's nimbleness might be attributable to his starring role on Cincinnati Taft's basketball team, with his footwork and balance exactly what you want out of a defensive lineman.

Past Buckeye Comparison: Alonzo Spellman (1989-1992).

Se'Von Pittman; Canton McKinley High School; 6''6, 240 lbs.

A year ago, Steve Miller was the coveted defensive end from Canton McKinley High School. Se'Von Pittman may turn out to be the better prospect. Holding offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, and Michigan, Pittman is at least as coveted as Miller at this early juncture and has the potential to be a special linemen in college. While Miller is a true 4-3 weakside end, Pittman has the combination of length and quickness to be anywhere from a 3-4  end to a 4-3 strongside end. He's very similar to Adolphus Washington in that regard, but may have an even better frame.

Pittman has been quiet on the recruiting front, but the prevailing thought is Ohio State. He comes from a school that's been very good to the Buckeyes in the past (Miller, Kenny Peterson) and has been a priority target for the coaching staff from early in the recruiting season.

The first clip in Pittman's highlight video tells you everything you need to know about him. He wallops the quarterback like Peterson did in his days and will be a force for whichever school he chooses.

Past Buckeye Comparison: Kenny Peterson (2001-2003).

Tom Strobel; Mentor High School; 6''6, 240 lbs.

Like Washington, Strobel has the potential to play either defensive end or defensive tackle. He has a large frame with plenty of room to pack more weight on and should benefit tremendously from a college weight program.I think he will find a place as a big weakside end in a 4-3 scheme or play a hybrid role in a 3-4, but much of this will depend on the defensive scheme and his weight progression.

For such a long-legged athlete, Strobel is very quick and explosive off the line. He does a nice job of squeezing through down blocks (8 sec. on the video) and penetrating the backfield. He does have a bad habit of pushing too deep and allowing the running back to slip underneath. He will have to improve his technique, learning to chop shorter steps as he gets closer to the ball and preventing backs from scooting past him. It's a minor issue, and one that many high school ends have.

At Mentor, Strobel plays some of the top competition in Ohio, and he has performed well. Coach Tressel offered him on February 27th after already offering a number of other defensive linemen, but he was just too good to pass up. Ohio State is the favorite, but Notre Dame and Michigan are hot on his tail, as well. Mentor has a pretty strong Buckeye presence, though, so the environment factor should be very pro-Buckeye.

Past Buckeye Comparison: Doug Worthington (2005-2009).

LaTroy Lewis; Archbishop Hoban High School; 6''4, 239 lbs.

Ohio State offered LaTroy Lewis early in the recruiting process, but they are his only major offer to date. He's received interest from programs like Notre Dame and Alabama, but he's lower on their boards than he is with the Buckeyes.

At Ohio State, Lewis would be either a true weakside end or a LEO (hybrid linebacker/defensive end.) He doesn't possess the frame of Washington or Strobel, but does have excellent quickness and speed. He jumps off the line of scrimmage like a sprinter and provides a true edge rush for Archbishop Hoban. While adding weight will be important for most high school linemen, it's absolutely vital for Lewis. He has the body of a linebacker, or even wide receiver, and will need to bulk up to play BCS football.

Of all the defensive ends Ohio State has offered so far, Lewis is probably the closest to committing but also the one who needs to commit earliest.  With limited numbers, the coaching staff will not wait on Lewis like they will for others.

Past Buckeye Comparison: Thaddeus Gibson (2006-2009).

Ifeadi Odenigbo; Centerville High School; 6''4, 210 lbs.

Maybe my favorite player in this entire class, Ifeadi Odenigbo will soon be a household name for the fans of whichever school he chooses. Odenigbo has exploded onto the recruiting scene, picking up offers from across the country and receiving more attention than his family could ever imagine; his parents are immigrants from Nigeria, and they were not even aware that scholarships for football existed.

Odenigbo might be quicker than anyone Ohio State is recruiting at any position, and he could even play linebacker in the defensive scheme. His quickness will make him special wherever he plays, but its his violence that stands out most on film. He doesn't just tackle running backs; he runs through them. He is skinnier than many of his fellow ends, which could affect his ultimate position. After a few years in a college weight program, though, I think he bulks up to 250-260 lbs. and plays either a hybrid position or a true weakside end in a 4-3.

Odenigbo may be the hardest player for Ohio State to land in this group. While he does have a sister at Ohio State, his family places a huge emphasis on academics and Stanford is beckoning.

Past Buckeye Comparison: Bobby Carpenter. It was very hard to make a connection to Odenigbo, because I don't think we've had anyone with his ability in my memory. But his violence off the edge is reminiscent of Carpenter.

Three Names to Watch

Pharaoh Brown; Brush High School; 6''6, 220 lbs.

Brown is the next closest defensive end to be offered by Ohio State. The coaches have kept in close contact with him, and an offer may be contingent upon other recruits.

Bryan Cox Jr., Avon High School; 6"3, 230 lbs.

Cox Jr. is the son of former NFL player and Cleveland Browns defensive line coach Bryan Cox. He is a victim of numbers, or he could have an offer. Very good player who will play BCS football somewhere.

Ryan Leahy; Cincinnati De La Salle High School; 6''6, 255 lbs.

Leahy has been invited to Ohio State's spring game, but I don't see an offer in his future. There are just better prospects available, and he would need many of them to pass on Ohio State.