“We need these guys to come in and play.”
That was Urban Meyer, talking on a Columbus, Ohio, radio show about Ohio State’s 23-member 2014 recruiting class.
That group, which boasts one 5-star and 15 4-star prospects, ranks No. 3 nationally behind only Alabama and LSU. The Buckeyes used the 2014 recruiting cycle to fill huge roster holes, especially at linebacker, in the secondary and along the offensive line.
Now that the recruiting frenzy has finally ended, Meyer expects his freshmen to suit up and contribute immediately.
“We expect you to come play and we’re going to push that as hard as we ever have,” Meyer said on the same radio show.
The Buckeyes will push their freshmen because they failed to do so in 2013.
According to Tony Gerdeman of The-Ozone, Ohio State redshirted nearly half of its 25 freshmen last year, a number that doesn’t include the five first-year players who will qualify for medical redshirts.
That’s an incredible amount of talent that never saw the field, which certainly hurt the Buckeyes down the stretch. In back-to-back season-ending losses, Ohio State’s injury-plagued defense could have used an influx of young talent, but it was too late.
Seven of Ohio State’s 23 new freshmen enrolled early to get a head start on their collegiate careers. Two of those players have been singled out by Meyer.
Raekwon McMillan, a 5-star linebacker out of Hinesville, Ga., has already made a strong impression on Meyer, and he’s primed to fuel a…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football Recruiting: Urban Meyer Brings in Instant Impact 2014 Class
