It's not easy to follow up a national championship, though Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer isn't likely to complain about the challenge. One big reason for that is because of his innate ability to recruit, which is virtually unmatched by anyone outside of Nick Saban.
The Buckeyes don't have a lot of immediate needs to be contenders in 2015, though one could have said the same thing prior to last year and been proved wrong with how things shook out at quarterback.
Meyer and his staff are building another strong class, though this one doesn't look like it will take full advantage of that championship win, as the Buckeyes are currently sixth in 247Sports' team rankings. The day certainly wasn't a waste, as there were plenty of notable signees and surprises.
Here's a look at how Ohio State's 2015 class looks, as well as a closer examination of the key signees and surprises from national signing day.
Worst-Kept Secret: OLB Justin Hilliard
The best player Ohio State landed on national signing day was Justin Hilliard. As nice as it was to see the 5-star outside linebacker put his name on a letter of intent for the Buckeyes, there wasn't much drama because the move had been expected.
After all, Hilliard is from Cincinnati and has been on Ohio State's radar for a long time. That doesn't lessen the impact he will have for the program or on the recruiting class.
Former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke raved about Hilliard's potential with these comments, via Anthony Lima of 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland:
Hilliard is an excellent athlete who has no problems defending the run or pass, though he may have to wait another year before being a significant contributor due to his slight 225-pound frame.
Meyer does love to let prospects get their feet wet early, so he may not play things safe with Hilliard. The Buckeyes can get him into their workout program soon so that he starts adding muscle and plays his share of snaps as a freshman.
Whatever path Hilliard takes before getting in Ohio State's starting lineup, he will have little problem finding success. It won't be long before his name starts appearing on highlights for his powerful tackling ability and tremendous sideline-to-sideline speed.
Heart-Stopping Moment: RB Mike Weber
Unlike Hilliard, Michigan prep star Mike Weber kept everyone in suspense on national signing day. He was originally scheduled to announce at 10 a.m. ET but pushed it back to 10:30, though he had a valid reason posted on Twitter:
The Buckeyes still seemed like the favorite coming into the day, despite a late push from Michigan. Weber's next tweet would bring a huge sigh of relief to everyone in Columbus:
As the fine people at Eleven Warriors noted, Weber might have been one of the best gets of the day for Meyer because he is from Detroit:
Jim Harbaugh didn't have a lot of time on the recruiting trail for Michigan after being hired in December, but his resume in college and the NFL could have given him an edge in certain recruiting battles. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, it wasn't a factor for Weber.
Weber also had some interesting comments about why he chose Ohio State involving current running back Ezekiel Elliott, via George Sipple of The Detroit Free Press:
Given the fragile nature of running backs in college—just ask Todd Gurley if he would have liked the option to leave Georgia after the 2013 season—Weber's comments about Elliott's future shouldn't be a surprise.
It also doesn't hurt that Elliott ran for 1,878 yards last year, including at least 220 yards in the final three games. Weber will likely get some touches as a freshman before taking over full time in 2016, assuming Elliott does go to the NFL after next season.
Biggest Coup: OT Isaiah Prince
The rivalry between Meyer and Saban took a different turn this recruiting season. Ohio State and Alabama, along with Maryland, were battling for 4-star offensive tackle Isaiah Prince.
For a few weeks before national signing day, the Crimson Tide seemed to be in control when Ryan Barlow of 247Sports reported on January 23 that Prince verbally committed to Alabama.
However, Prince's high school coach Tom Green told Matt Zenitz of The Baltimore Sun on February 3 that the big tackle was still deciding after taking late visits to Ohio State and Maryland:
He’s fresh off his Maryland visit. Of course, like most teenagers, when he got back from Alabama, he was gung ho about that. When he got back from Ohio State, he really loved them. When he got back from Maryland, he really loved them. He’s 17, and they’re all are good programs and have a lot to offer. He just has to sit with his family and figure out what’s the best fit for him. I don’t think he can go wrong. With the position he plays and his talent, I don’t think he can go wrong at any of the schools, to be honest.
Prince made the announcement at his high school on Wednesday to great fanfare, via Michael Bohlin of 247Sports:
One reason that Elliott was able to have the success he did last year was because of the offensive line that Meyer built in his first three recruiting classes. He did have to replace four starters in 2014, which worked out well.
This year won't see such drastic turnaround, though Joel Hale's departure will leave a void at guard that must be filled. Prince doesn't exactly fit that bill as an outside player on the offensive line, but Meyer certainly has options to play with.
Every program in the country hopes to be strong in the trenches. Ohio State has been one of the best at building and replacing talent in that area. The addition of Prince is the latest coup for Meyer, who has made a habit out of prospect thievery in his career.
All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.
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