| 17 July 2011
There is a good deal of talk right now about receivers in Ohio. It seems the Buckeyes may be looking to add a player or two to the position.
There have been some changes. There is a new name out there that has ratcheted up the debate. I want to revisit my rankings as the athlete season draws to a close.
First, let me remind everyone of what I mean by my term the "athlete season". It the time of year which encompasses the high school track season and the college camps as well as the combines around the country. It has become very important as being a great athlete has as much to do with recruiting as being a great player. The best of the best are great players and great athletes. Next best on the list are great athletes. Make no mistake about that. Most college programs, if
not all, believe they can take a great athlete and make a football player out of him. Recruit the things you cannot teach. Great speed, great feet, great frame. Football can be taught.
The first player I want to mention is a kid that was getting alot of conversation in recruiting circles in anticipation of the athlete season. Josh Smith from Western Hills was a player we were talking about. He has an impressive film. I thought he would be a player we would now be talking about but he did not have the athlete season we thought he would have. There was a player who did jump out in the athlete season though.
Dwayne Stanford remains my number one receiver in the class of 2012. He had an unimpressive time in the one combine that I know of that he went to. I say look at the film. I very much like for skill position players to run good times but every season I become more convinced about football speed. Look at how many NFL players are not speed players. I am not cherry picking when I say that, pulling out a player or two. There are more than I want to bother to list. I say look at the film because until the unimpressive time at that early combine nobody had a question about Stanfords speed. Game speed. That is what I am talking about. He has it. Nobody questions whether he has the other attributes of a big time Big Five receiver.
Here is where this gets fun. Moellers Monty Madaris has had a fine athlete season. He had offers from schools like Boston College going in. He came out with Big Five schools Michigan and Nebraska offering him and went down to Florida State and earned an offer while winning a camp MVP award.
Here is the new name on the list. Pickerington Central receiver Roger Lewis. He should have been on here from the start. I let myself get distracted by his lack of offers from big schools. When I see a film that impressive and none of the big boys coming in I assume there is something wrong, something not evident in the film. The player is not fast enough. He is not as big as listed. There are grade problems. Maybe off the field questions. None of those things explains Roger Lewis. He was just flying under the radar. He came into the athlete season and showed everything that the college coaches wanted to see. There is no question about his size and speed. He impressed getting off the line of scrimmage at camp. He showed great competitiveness. There are no questions about grades or off the field. Lewis has become a big time prospect.
You will notice I do not bring up Frank Epitropulous. I see a safety in him until he actually hits the depth chart as a receiver.
The Buckeyes are in the mix for all three players. I suspect we see at least one of them offered a scholarship soon and I would not be surprised at seeing two offered. If the staff reviews the current roster of receivers I think two the more likely number as they watch the number of dropped balls from this past spring.
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