Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class could be the best collection of talent Urban Meyer has ever assembled, and with the success Meyer has had on the recruiting trail during his career, that would be a historic accomplishment.
His 2006 recruiting class had 5-star studs Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin and 4-star Brandon Spikes, who led the Florida Gators to two BCS National Championships in 2006 and 2008. The Buckeyes' 2013 recruiting class was headlined by 4-stars Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott and J.T. Barrett, who carried the Buckeyes to a national title in 2014.
Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class is already off to a fast start, and it has the potential to not only finish at No. 1 on national signing day next February, but also help the Buckeyes win a championship down the road.
The Early Pledges
The 2017 recruiting cycle didn't officially start until last Wednesday, when the 2016 class was signed and finalized on national signing day. But Meyer and Ohio State have been recruiting '17 prospects for more than two years, and they've already laid a solid foundation for their next class.
The first commit came from quarterback Danny Clark back in December 2013. He's been instrumental as an early recruiter for the Buckeyes, who already have two 5-stars in the fold, which equals their total from the last two years.
Those 5-stars—offensive tackle Josh Myers and cornerback Shaun Wade—pace a 10-member Ohio State class that already has five top-80 players and currently ranks No. 1 nationally.
The Top Targets
The Buckeyes aren't done with 5-star talent.
After nabbing the 10th- and 12th-ranked wide receivers from the class of 2016 in Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor, respectively, Ohio State is leading the way in the recruitment of 5-stars Donovan Peoples-Jones and Trevon Grimes, whom 247Sports rates as the top two pass-catchers in the country.
Ohio State is also in the thick of things for 5-star safety Jeffrey Okudah, 5-star defensive end Joshua Kaindoh and high 4-stars Lamont Wade (cornerback), Micah Clark (offensive tackle) and Darnell Ewell (defensive tackle).
Even if Meyer and the Buckeyes landed just half of the top targets listed above, their grip on the No. 1 recruiting class would almost assuredly become too tight for any other team (read: Alabama) to overcome.
The In-State Talent
Ohio State has taken a more national approach to recruiting with Meyer at the helm, but he's still made it a priority to secure Ohio's top talent.
In his first five recruiting classes, Meyer has managed to secure commitments from 25 of the state's top 50 players. He already has verbal pledges from five of the top 10 players in Ohio for 2017—Myers, Marcus Williamson, Todd Sibley, Brendon White and Jerron Cage.
On top of that, the Buckeyes are favored to land four of the other top five undecided Ohio prospects—4-stars Jaylen Harris, Lynn Bowden, JaVonte Richardson and Danny Davis—that comprise the top 10.
Due to scholarship restrictions, however, it's hard to imagine Ohio State being able to sign all nine. The Buckeyes will only graduate six seniors at the end of the 2016 season, so the class Meyer signs in 2017 won't be a large one.
Even still, it's clear that the Buckeyes have built a strong fence around the state of Ohio.
All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.
David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.
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