Top 2013 Recruit Visiting Ohio State Thursday

Eli Woodard, one of the top recruits in the upcoming 2013 class, will visit Ohio State this Thursday. Woodard, a junior cornerback from New Jersey, has long been considered an Ohio State lean, even going as far back as when Jim Tressel was still head coach.

The 6'1, 185 lbs. Woodard holds offers from Alabama, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and a host of other schools, including Ohio State. Speaking with Bill Greene from Scout.com, Woodard stated that this visit is mainly for meeting Urban Meyer and the new staff. Offensive line coach Ed Warinner has taken over recruiting duties for Woodard due to his familiarity with the Eastern seaboard region, and the two have been in frequent contact through the telephone.

Woodard is a long, lean traditional cover corner who would fit well in a man-coverage defense. ESPN has him on their early 2013 list, and calls him "a well-balanced corner and playmaker in all three phases of the game." Under this new regime, there is a good chance that Ohio State will play more man coverage from now on, making players like Woodard a necessity. At Florida, Urban Meyer had natural cover corners like Joe Haden and Janoris Jenkins, and acquiring Woodard would be a step in that direction.

Although it's early in the 2013 recruiting cycle, there is a distinct possibility that Woodard will commit to the Buckeyes during, or soon after, the visit. Both of his parents are accompanying him, and this will be at least their third trip to Ohio State. In the past, he has stated that he would like to commit before his senior season, and with the pressure Meyer typically applies, now could be the time.