| 05 May 2011
I recently posted a blog about coming back home and circling the wagons with recruiting. The Buckeye staff is apparently not ready to do that. There is more evidence out there that the recruiting effort is foundering a bit. The delay by that ridiculous antiquated organization, the NCAA, is showing some impact on recruiting. Some Buckeye targets are now admitting they are paying attention to what is going on.
I am thinking the staff will have to come back home to find players to fill out the 2012. With the talent instate that is not a bad thing. There are going to be some elite players off the board. There was never an attempt to recruit Taylor Decker, now committed to Notre Dame, and Benny McGowan committed to Michigan State. There are some others off the board but that does not mean the staff would have to come back late in the process to a picked over state of Ohio. I see some real gems out there that might still be open to listening to the Buckeyes late if contact is made soon. That is another advantage of such a great class. More good players are flying under the radar.
I talked about Tony Matteo on Tuesday. He tops the list. I think once he gets to camps he is a Big Five offer player. I learned something about Matteo since Tuesday. In that impressive film he is only 16. If those games were early in the season he is just barely 16. He won't turn 17 until early in the season next year.
Tyvis Powell 6-4, 180, Athlete, Bedford. The more I watch him the more impressed I am. His offer list is nothing in comparison to his talent. I think staffs may be trying to project him and that is holding up offers. Is he a ball hawking free safety? Is he an in the box strong safety? Is he going to grow into a linebacker? He is 6-4, long and lean. Is he going to grow into a defensive end? The kid is a great looking athlete. Stop worrying about it. Let his body go where it is going to go. He is going to be a great player no matter what position he ends up at.
Nana Kyeremah, CB, 5-11 170, Thomas Worthington. This could be the fastest football player in Ohio. He is a willing tackler. His paltry number of offers leaves me slack-jawed. He has not taken the test yet to my knowledge. Maybe that is the hold-up.
Evan Jones, 6-6, 240, Athlete, Ridgewood. I don't know how long Jones is going to fly under the radar. Since the last time I talked about him he has picked up offers from Michigan State and West Virginia. I hear the Buckeyes are showing interest. I love the versatility of Jones. He could be a great tight end or strong side end or maybe even a three-technique.
Kurt Laseak, 6-4, 220, DE, Mentor. A very athletic big who lines up all over the field who I see a standup 3-4 defensive end.The knock is he is not a big framed kid but that is about him playing as a 4-3 defensive end. He is so long you can't help but see an edge player. I don't know if he is going to get more than about 240 with his frame but that is just fine for a 3-4 weakside linebacker. A coach whose team played on a different night than Mentor went to watch Tom Strobel. He did not know his number. He came home thinking Laseak was Strobel. A friend whose opinion I respect greatly went to see Mentor a few weeks before. He did know what number Strobel was but came away convinced Laseak was the better prospect. His only offer is Kent. This is the sleeper of sleepers.
James Sanford, 6-2, 180, Safety, Xenia. He needs to get his grades in order. That may take until late in the recruiting process. At that point the highway will be jammed with coaches trying to get down to offer this elite athlete. I say athlete because some might want him at wide receiver.
LaKeith Walls, 6-3, 210, Athlete, Cleveland Rhodes.Walls offer list is nothing compared to what it should be. No word on his grades. That could be it. Rhodes is off the beaten path in an area of the state where it is easy to fly under the radar.
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