Written by Duane Long
| 05 July 2009
I am curious to see what comes of flanker/slot recruiting. I thought we just might be backing off an offer for the position in this class. Look at Chris Dunkley. For awhile there it seemed an offer was inevitable and we would zoom up his list, maybe go top. Now we have heard nothing. I always wonder about grades and/or test score when that happens but he has a 24 ACT. I can't recall seeing a gpa for him but most of the time it is the test score that is the problem. Maybe the staff has decided we don't need a flanker/slot this year. I see a senior and 3 juniors in the 5 returning players but I see 2 very talented and very fast players coming in with Chris Fields and James Jackson, and possibly Jordan Hall making it 3. In a a large class you may want to consider going hard after a bigtime kid, and maybe even 2, but in a smaller class I see the decision to look at overall numbers and the fact that there are some really talented young players on the roster right now, and push the position down the priority ladder as a sound decision. I don't think there is right or wrong on this question. I was thinking the former but now we are looking to offer a kid named Bradley Roby a scholarship. I think we really need to bring in a big guy and think it will be Tyrone Williams. I would rather not see an offer to the position. I think Dunkley and Roby are worthy, with Dunkley being the superior player, but I think we can pass on the position in this class. Things are tightening up with the recent verbals, and lets not forget the offer to a second kicker. That they came so close together gives me reason to think we are taking two. It stands to reason they knew Basil was a highly likely heavy Buckeye lean but still made the second offer. If we only have 8 left, and one is likely going to another kicker, numbers are getting thin. I am saying we have 7, not 8 verbals, as news from a solid Youngstown source on Bucknuts, Ytown11, says Turner is going to an out of state prep school. That takes him completely off my board for now but could be the thing that gets him back on permanently. We will wait until signing day for Hicks. We wait until signing day for Joyner. Christian Bryant will do it the way Glenville kids do it. He is a Buckeye. That takes 4 more off the board, 11 accounted for in a class that is looking like 15. From the way we are recruiting split ends, something we do need, it looks like Tyrone Williams is holding another spot. Down to 3 spots. I don't know which but I have to think we are waiting on one of those defensive tackles. Down to 2 spots. Tight end is a major need. Realize what happens in 2010 with no tight end in this class. Dilillo and Stoneburner. That is all. Fragel is headed for the offensive line but he may be forced to stay at tight end next year just for depth. That is not a situation that is in the best longer term interest of the team or Fragel. Gotta push hard for a tight end. The Buckeyes almost have to wait it out now that Seantrell Henderson and Chaz Green are sounding more set in the fact that they will visit. I think you move forward with the strategy that if more open up then you can revise your board but for now I would go with no flanker/slot in this class.
