COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Urban Meyer looked at his checklist on his fifth national signing day as Ohio State’s head coach, he likely saw everything he needed—and then some—from the Buckeyes’ 2016 class.
Four defensive backs for a depleted secondary. Signed.
Three of the country’s top defensive linemen for a unit losing three of its four starters? Got ’em.
A potential quarterback of the future (one Meyer called “the best” quarterback prospect he’s seen, per Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman)? Check.
The faction of offensive skill players that can often be found in a Meyer-recruited class? It’s on its way.
“Very excited about this class,” the three-time national champion head coach told reporters in a national signing day press conference. “Rankings aren’t important. As long as you’re keeping score, we like to do the best we can.”
By that measure, the Buckeyes did very well on Wednesday, with their 25-man haul ranking fourth in the country.
Several times throughout the 2016 cycle—including early on signing day—Ohio State laid claim to the nation’s top-ranked class, but it saw its ranking slip due to late surges from Alabama, Florida State and LSU.
“What I look at, even more than the rankings—because some people have 30 in their class, some people have 25—is the average,” Meyer said. “I think that’s kind of appealing to me to know that we’re one of the top teams in the country as far as quality of player.”
And yet despite the…
Continue Reading: Why Ohio State’s 2016 Class Is More Impressive Than It Seems
