2011 redux

[Duane Long]

Time flies when you are having fun. I thought I did a 2011 blog post about a week ago. I went looking for it and found it was actually about a month ago. I have been going back and forth with Mark Porter quite a bit recently about players in that class. The class of 2010 is looking pretty daggone ordinary. As time goes on I am finding the class of 2011 to get better. I saw Chris Boles recently and was underwhelmed but I have found a number of players in the class to make up for that disappointment including a great looking lineman that if he isn't a great defensive tackle he is sure to be a great offensive tackle. His name is Donovan Clark from Cincinnati Finneytown. His film is up on ScoutingOhio.com. He is a special player in a class that is looking like a special one. I bring this up again because it hit me that the next class could be why we are not seeing the Buckeye staff be so aggressive this year. It is not a good instate class, we have alot of young guys moving into the 2-deep. The staff may not want to get ahead of themselves. Maybe the needs that we see now are not going to be needs by the end of the year. I point to defensive tackle. Fans want more DTs. I argue that we have bodies. Big Bodies. Talented big bodies. They are just young. Maybe the staff sees something they like out of younger guys at other positions. They just need to coach them up some more and get them into games and see how they do.

I am including the previous list for 2011 with a couple of additions.


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2010 is not a memorable year but it looks like the class of 2011 is going to be special. Here is a sneak peak. I am only putting a number on the kids that I see as sure Big Four players already. We may even have some defensive tackles that rate an offer. I have not seen Chris Boles or D.J. Williams but I am hearing enough that they rate this list.

1. Braxton Miller 6-2 185 QB Huber Heights Wayne
The best quarterback prospect from Ohio in my lifetime.
2. Steve Miller 6-5 220 DE Canton McKinley
Another in the line of southern style defensive linemen. Has a better offer list than a lot of juniors.
3. Chris Rock 6-5 255 DL St. Francis DeSales
Likely grows into a tackle but right now he is a great looking strong side DE prospect.
4. Kenny Hayes 6-6 224 DE Toledo Whitmer
I only hope to see another year with two potential five-star DEs in Ohio again.
5. Donovan Clark 6-5 260 DT/OL Cincinnati Finneytown
He could be as high as #3 on this list by the time it matters.

Aundre Sturdivant 6-2 205 LB Glenville
Brother Geno was a good one. This one is better and has size.

A.J. Jordan 6-1 170 WR Trotwood-Madison
Maybe the best ever out of the Trotwood program. Great hands and ball skills.

Doran Grant 5-11 170 CB Akron SV-SM
A ball hawk with top drawer speed, great hips and good feet.

Ray Hamilton 6-3 215 TE Strongsville
Doesn't have ideal size but looks good catching the ball and is a solid blocker.

Robert Walton 5-11 190 RB Glenville
Good looking back. He is not a big kid but runs great between the tackles and breaks tackles.

Aundrey Walker 6-5 290 DT/OL Glenville
You just don't see bodies like this very often. Raw but moves well. Could be elite.

D.J. Williams 6-3 265 DT Akron SV-SM
Still waiting to see film.

Trey DePriest 6-2 215 LB Springfield South
Instincts to spare. Always around the ball.

Ed Killingsworth 6-3 190 WR/DB Warren Harding
A physical specimen that cannot be ignored.

[bigdog3300]

True. The height doesn't bother me one bit, but obviously the size, whether it's 140 or 150 is a large question mark. But he has legit 4.4 speed and has 2 years left and is almost identical to what Darren Sproles was in HS. Hopefully he can grow into 170 by then.

[Duane Long]

"Duane, no mention on Shane Wynn? He's the Glenville RB I prefer due to his dynamic return abilities. A name to follow also is Stephen Coyne, he's been shooting up the boards lately with his stellar combine work. "

Wynn is just too small. I can't remember the last time I saw measurables so inflated. He is about 5-6 140.

[bigdog3300]

Duane, no mention on Shane Wynn? He's the Glenville RB I prefer due to his dynamic return abilities. A name to follow also is Stephen Coyne, he's been shooting up the boards lately with his stellar combine work.

[Buckeye86]

"Grace is a 6'4 230lb LB from Colerain. Whispers on Buckeyeplanet that he could end up being the most highly recruited player ever from Colerain."

what he said

[Buckeye Warrior]

I hope they just take the 10 to 12 best Ohio Players and scour Florida and California for players.

[Duane Long]

I like Hardy alot. Very quick and great feet. I just looked at Petteway after you brought him up. Talk about great feet. We don't talk about that with linebacker types. He is playing more like a traditional weak side linebacker. He is impressive as a linebacker but is going to have to show he can cover a little bit. I don't see a kid big enough to play as a true weakside linebacker, a position in less demand these days anyway, so he will have to show he can cover.

[westbuck04]

Have you seen Shaquil Petteway and Eilar Hardy? Petteway looks like another Jermale Hinds/Tyler Moeller-type to me.

[mjw1200]

if anyone gets ahold of the lakota west game, against jordan hicks, grace stood out that game.

[Duane Long]

"Grace is a 6'4 230lb LB from Colerain. Whispers on Buckeyeplanet that he could end up being the most highly recruited player ever from Colerain. "


I see Mark chimed in. I have not heard about him and Mark has 8 Colerain kids on his site. Now I understand why. Looking forward to seeing him.

[Duane Long]

"Based on 2010 being down and 2011 possibly being way up, do you think the staff would go so far as to bank schollies in what is already a tight year? "

If they had 25 I think it would be a possibility but with so few to offer I don't see that happening.