With national signing day nearing, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes are looking to close out one of the top recruiting classes in the country.
The Buckeyes have secured pledges from 21 prospects, seven of which are already on campus. With graduating seniors and players leaving early for the NFL, Ohio State likely has just three or four remaining scholarships to offer.
Who will wind up accepting those offers? Which first-year players have the best chance of contributing early?
Here’s everything you need to know about Ohio State’s 2014 recruiting efforts leading up to national signing day.
Top Remaining Targets
5-star Defensive End Solomon ThomasPhoto via 247 Sports
Solomon Thomas
Despite a lot of young talent along the defensive line, Meyer and the Buckeyes are looking to build depth by bringing in three more big guys up front. Ohio State already has two commitments from 4-star defensive end Jalyn Holmes and 3-star defensive end Dylan Thompson, but they’re looking to get 5-star standout Solomon Thomas to join the fold.
As a strong-side defensive end, Thomas would bring a lot of speed to the Ohio State defense. The Buckeyes are in a three-way battle with Stanford and the home-state Texas Longhorns. Thomas will take his last official visit to Ohio State on January 30.
Brady Taylor
Ohio State’s biggest need in the 2014 recruiting cycle was for offensive linemen. The Buckeyes have four commits so far, but Meyer wants a fifth.
Ohio State will have the best shot at landing Brady Taylor, a 3-star offensive tackle from Columbus, Ohio.
Taylor is currently committed to Virginia Tech, but a recent offer from the Buckeyes shook things up. A number of recruiting analysts believe Taylor will flip to the Buckeyes after his official visit to the campus on January 17.
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football Recruiting: What You Need to Know for National Signing Day
