Along the Links: Ohio State Football Recruiting 4/25

[Note by Tyler T.: Smith is now a recruiting analyst for TheRinger, so be sure to visit him over there for his opinion on prospects and other recruiting tidbits. However, he has kindly agreed to continue posting a once-a-week collection of the most important Buckeye recruiting news, and you can look forward to reading the retooled Along the Links section every Monday from this day forward.)

Spanning the 'net to give you a constant variety of recruiting news. The thrill of commitments and the agony of reject. The human drama of high school competition. This is ATO's, Along the Links!

The first link that caught our eye comes from the folks at MaxPreps and gives us the first look class ranking for the 2012 recruiting cycle.  As usual, the Longhorns are out to a fast start and easily out-distance the field at this early stage of the process.  They already have 15 commitments in a class that should number at least 22.  One slight difference in this ealy group of Longhorns is that they actually have a non-Texan as the top prospect.

Some had questioned the offer to Mentor's Tom Strobel with the glut of in-state DL talent for 2012.  With higher ranked players like Adolphus Washington, Greg McMullen, Chris Wormley, etc, being pursued, some didn't see the need to put another, lower ranked player in the mix.  As if recruiting rankings mean anything to the OSU staff.  Regardless, their own rankings indicate Strobel is one of the premier DL talents in the nation and his selection to play in the Army All-American game bolsters that assumption.  You can hear his thoughts on the selection here.

After slogging through a record breaking spring for rainfall and media controversy, we finaly came across a national article with some positive thoughts on OSU.  If this week brings the announcement of the NCAA's final ruling as rumored, maybe the worm has finally turned.  The bad press didn't seem to have an affect on recruits visiting for the spring game.

One of the potential impacts to the player suspensions is the increased possibility Braxton Miller sees the field this season.  The coaches had told him that was the plan all along but it now seems certain he'll play a significant amount and possibly even start some games.  His performance in Saturday's spring game certainly gives fans hope for how well he'll handle the step up.

Miller could use some playmakers in the receiving corps to help his progress.  Devin Smith showed the athleticism and resiliency to make a contribution in more ways than one over the weekend.  He was one of the few bright spots for his team in an all-star game and excelled on the track the following day. 

Finally, the 66th annual Ohio North-South Classic All-star game was held on Friday.  There were several future Buckeyes among the rosters as well as many players the Chicken Littles say will come back to bite OSU.  The Dispatch has a recounting of the events here. Other recaps are provided by The Morning Journal (with video), The O-Zone, and Bucknuts.

OTHER LINKS

National Notes: 5-star predictions
Two five stars will announce their college decisions this week. Where are they heading?

Georgia Nike Camp top performers
Kwon Alexander has as many offers as anyone in the country but on Friday, he competed as if he was scrapping for his first one. UGA Nike Camp top performers are inside.

Everhart enjoying time at Middletown | High School Sports Blog

Post-Spring Game Recruiting Update - Maize n Brew
Where does Michigan's recruiting stand in mid-April? Get a rundown of commitments, losses, and potential Michigan recruits.

Michigan still in running for Ohio LB Joe Bolden | detnews.com | The Detroit News
Michigan's linebacker recruiting received a major jolt last week when two of the nation's best — Detroit Cass Tech's Royce Jenkins-Stone and Clayton (Ohio) Northmont's Kaleb Ringer — pledged to the Maize & Blue.

Tennessee offers Joe Bolden | High School Sports Blog

Recruiting: Top prospects in Detroit area for 2012 -- 5-1 | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
Last week, we examined some of the top local prospects for the class of 2012. Here now is an early look at the top five players:

When It Comes To Quarterbacks ...
What if things don't work out with Cardale Jones? Duane Long takes a look at some in-state options that could be in the mix if a backup plan is needed ...

Hoke Lands Two More Commitments
Two tight ends announce for Michigan

Recruiting: Several top prospects make unofficial visits to East Lansing | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio was able to host numerous top prospects on unofficial recruiting trips last week. Several of the players on campus have the Spartans high on their list, and it is possible that a decision could come in the near future.

Finestpreps " Sto Rox LB Deaysean Rippy set to make college decision soon