Pre-Signing Day Ohio State Recruiting Tidbits

On February 1st, the majority of high school athletes with scholarship offers will sign their National Letter of Intent and officially bind themselves to their school of choice. Some will delay their signing, either to create a spectacle around themselves or because they are genuinely confused about their college decision. As it stands today, Ohio State has 23 committed athletes who have, as far as we know, full intentions to maintain their commitment and end up Buckeyes.

With recent departures and medical redshirts, Urban Meyer has room to add an additional four to six athletes to the class. He may also gain an additional scholarship if Roger Lewis, a four star receiver from Pickerington Central, cannot raise his grades and pass NCAA requirements If Lewis cannot meet the NCAA minimum, he will head to a prep school for a year and play the recruiting game all over again.

Six names have been connected to Ohio State the most these past few weeks: Kyle Dodson, Jamal Marcus, Demetrious Cox, Bam Bradley, Armani Reeves, and Davonte Neal.

Dodson, a four star offensive tackle committed to Wisconsin, will make his college choice this Saturday. Odds are that he flips from the Badgers and joins the Buckeyes. Dodson's commitment would fill the last true need on Ohio State's roster, adding depth to the depleted tackle position.

Jamal Marcus, a three star speed-rusher from North Carolina, will choose between East Carolina and Ohio State, despite holding offers from Florida, Auburn, and other Southern powers. No one seems to know where Marcus is leaning, but the obvious choice would be the BCS team, Ohio State.

Two safeties, Cox and Bradley, and one cornerback, Reeves, round-up the serious defensive recruiting list.Cox recently visited Ohio State and will choose between a spate of Big Ten powers, and Bradley is down to Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and Stanford. It had appeared that Bradley could not pass the requirements to enter the Stanford academic program, but the Cardinal admissions office is reevaluating his transcript and may allow the Trotwood-Madison product entrance. If Bradley receives acceptance to Stanford, that is where he will go.

Reeves decommitted from Penn State a day ago. Michigan and Ohio State are the two finalists for Reeves, who may be drawn to the Buckeyes through his connection to Camren Williams, Ohio State's latest linebacker commitment. Williams likewise jettisoned Penn State after the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

Davonte Neal, a four star speed athlete from Arizona, will choose between Ohio State and Arizona, most analysts agree. Rich Rodriguez has hired Neal's former high school coach as an administrator and is pitching a Wildcat revival to Neal and his family. Neal is drawn to Urban Meyer, however, and has family connections to Ohio.

Meyer is also recruiting Miami commitment Reggie Northrup, uncommitted athlete Stephon Diggs, and uncommitted offensive tackle Jordan Diamond. Northrup, a four star linebacker, is actually seen as a Florida State lean following his visit to Tallahassee last weekend, and it's doubtful that Meyer can flip him at such a late juncture. He is visiting Ohio State his weekend, though, which means there's a shot. It's unclear whether Diggs will visit Ohio State before Signing Day, although he plans to sign a few days later. Diamond is also planning to sign after the official date, but he's now viewed as a Michigan lean.