2012 Ohio State Recruiting: Defensive Tackle Big Board

We are continuing our breakdown of Ohio State's 2012 recruiting board with a look at the defensive tackle position. Like the defensive end spot, there are a number of great prospects in Ohio this year, and the Buckeyes are also pursuing a few elite national players. Between the defensive end and tackle positions, Ohio State will sign 5-7 recruits. There's no urgent need at the position, but there is just too much elite talent to pass up.

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

Chris Wormley; Toledo Whitmer High School; 6''4, 255 lbs.

Probably the most coveted prospect in the northern half of Ohio, Chris Wormley follows 2011 Buckeye recruit Kenny Hayes as Toledo Whitmer's next dominant defensive lineman. Wormley is supremely athletic and sturdy, and he does a great job anchoring against the run and pushing past linemen when lined up inside for Whitmer. He's not a speed rusher or weakside end, and although the new Michigan staff has told him he'd play their "rusher position on the outside," I think his best fit is at 3-technique defensive tackle. At Ohio State, he'd be used by Coach Heacock in a similar role as Cameron Heyward or Quinn Pitcock, playing both strongside 5-technique and inside 3-technique depending on the situation.

Wormley visited the new UM staff in Ann Arbor for the first time two weeks ago, and the Wolverines apparently made a positive impression. He's visited both Ann Arbor and Columbus a number of times, but the Ohio State staff has more of a continuous relationship with him than Michigan does. Wormley was close to the Rich Rodriguez regime, and Michigan was the prohibitive favorite for his signature before Rodriguez was released. It's always been between Ohio State and Michigan for Wormley, and there's a long way to go before he makes his decision, so Brady Hoke and Jim Tressel will have plenty of opportunity to win Wormley's signature.

Past Buckeye Comparison: Quinn Pitcock (2002-2006).

Greg McMullen; Archbishop Hoban High School; 6''4, 255 lbs.

Versatility may be the defining characteristic of this defensive line class. Like Wormley, Adolphus Washington, and Se'von Pittman, Greg McMullen could be listed on either the defensive tackle or defensive end big board. He's listed at the same height and weight as Wormley, but there's a clear difference in the physical frame of each player. McMullen just looks lighter than Wormley, and he appears to be looser-limbed and less sturdy than the house from Toledo Whitmer.

But McMullen is just explosive. His first step off the snap is electric, and he really delivers a powerful initial punch to the offensive tackle. McMullen also displays advanced technique for a high school lineman. He uses his hands better than any other player Ohio State is recruiting, and he understand how to set-up offensive tackles through leverage and body positioning. He sometimes loses containment on the edge, though, allowing the quarterback to escape the pocket and get onto the perimeter. The 55 second mark of McMullen's highlight video is a good example of this. McMullen does an excellent job attacking the offensive tackle's outside should, creating room on the inside, but the quarterback is able to slip out into the boundary. I'm hesitant to criticize McMullen in this specific instance because there's a chance he was coached to forget about containment on that play, but he does lose containment more than once on his video.

Because of this explosion, I think McMullen could excel in any 4-3 defense at both a 3-technique tackle position and a 5-technique end spot. Unlike Wormley, however, I don't see McMullen being moved around a lot in college. He's either going to stay in the 260-275 lbs. range as a defensive end or bulk up to 285-300 lbs. and stick at 3-technique.

Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State are at the top of McMullen's list. He's camped at Ohio State and Nebraska, and enjoyed both experiences. Notre Dame is a distant third right now, but McMullen does not appear close to choosing his college.

Past Buckeye Comparison: Will Smith (2000-2003)

Tommy Schutt; Glenbard West High School; 6''3, 301 lbs.

Ohio State is dipping deep into the Midwest in an attempt to pull massive defensive tackle Tommy Schutt from Illinois. Schutt has visited Ohio State's campus already and has hinted that he'd like to go out of state for college, but it appears that Penn State is the favorite right now. Schutt's family owns Schutt Sports, who provide equipment to the Nittany Lions, and they've developed a relationship with Joe Paterno's coaching staff that goes back years.

Schutt shares a remarkable resemblance to Cameron Heyward. He's built with a similarly wide base and a low center of gravity, and he does an excellent job anchoring against the running game. At 300 lbs., Schutt is difficult to move for high school  offensive linemen, but he does not rest on his size advantage. He's active in using his lower body to power him through the blocker, and he gives great effort in pursuit of the ball. Schutt does not use his hands enough, though, and this becomes more obvious when comparing him to someone like Greg McMullen. In college football, size, strength, and effort will make you a darn good defensive lineman, but it's only when you master technique and hand-fighting that you can dominate.

Everyone in the country is after Schutt because of his physical ability. With a great defensive line coach, he will be known as one of the top defensive tackles in college football in a few seasons. The odds are not high that he ends up in Columbus, but he's too good to not recruit until Signing Day.

Past Buckeye Comparison: Cameron Heyward (2007-2010).

Jordan Watkins; Woodward Academy High School; 6''6. 265 lbs.

This is likely a token offer. Watkins is from Georgia, holds offers from almost every Southern institution, and has publicly spoken little about Ohio State. He's a great player with incredible quickness and the potential to be a true one-gap nose tackle, but the chances he comes to Ohio State are low. Unless he makes a visit to Columbus, look for him to stay in the Deep South and probably within the state of Georgia.

Past Buckeye Comparison: David Patterson (2003-2006).

Three Names to Watch

Trae Clark; Cincinnati Colerain High School; 6''4, 300 lbs.

Clark has no offers yet, but it's as much a grades issue as anything. He has the size to be a BCS-caliber lineman and will see his offer list grow once he receives a qualifying test score. If he camps at Ohio State over the summer, keep an eye on him. He has the potential to earn an offer.

Danny O'Brien; Powers Catholic High School; 6''3, 273 lbs.

There is no free film out on O'Brien yet, which makes judging him difficult. He grew up a Buckeye fan in Michigan, earning him immediate respect in Buckeye hearts everywhere. He's publicly called Ohio State his dream school, but the Buckeye coaching staff has bigger targets right now. If some of those targets fall through, O'Brien may receive a Buckeye offer. If not, he will end up at Tennessee or Michigan.

Greg Kuhar; St. Edward High School; 6''4, 265 lbs.

Kuhar has offers from Michigan, West Virginia, and Iowa, and the Buckeyes have invited him to summer camp. He will have the opportunity to earn an offer there, but I don't see it happening. Kuhar's frame reminds me of Nader Abdallah's, which should scare the Buckeye coaching staff away. Ohio State's scheme calls for wide-bodied athletes with room to grow, and I don't see that with Kuhar. He would play 1-technique nose tackle at Ohio State, though, so if he can prove his disruptive ability, he could be offered. Michigan probably lands him otherwise.