COLUMBUS – Buckeye head coach Urban Meyer has the raw material. Now, he says the time has come to see what can be made of it.
“Every coach in the country is walking up to the podium saying how great their class is,” he told reporters yesterday, recapping a day when 18 players signed national letters-of-intent to play college football for Ohio State.
“The next phase of all that is development… Everybody has good classes. But some guys pan out. Some guys don’t. Why is that? We take great pride in the fact that now the work starts. And work starts immediately,” he said.
Meyer and his coaching staff capped the recruiting season with a class of 25 new players.
Analysts have ranked the new crop of Buckeyes as high as No. 2 in the nation, thanks to the presence of five-star defensive prospect Nick Bosa, brother of departing All-American Joey Bosa.
The class includes five offensive linemen, five defensive backs, three defensive linemen and tight ends, two linebackers and wide receivers, and one quarterback, running back/wide receiver, “athlete” and kicker.
Signing day was the culmination of what Meyer says what a very competitive recruiting period for the Big Ten.
“They’re recruiting their tails off. Big Ten is on fire right now,” Meyer said. “I’ve heard about it. Guys are really working. So it’s very good for the Big Ten Conference right now.
Michigan was the big winner in the battle to land the services of Rashan Gary. The defensive end from New Jersey has been considered the top recruit in the nation.
Alabama, with three five-star prospects, is considered by most observers to have the top class.