Ohio State has to identify 16 new starters before kicking off its 2016 campaign against Bowling Green next September, and with that attrition, a number of underclassmen have a golden opportunity to earn spots in the starting lineup. Urban Meyer signed the country’s No. 7 recruiting class after winning the national title last year, but the Buckeyes redshirted 20 of their 25 freshmen because their roster was so loaded. Those redshirt freshmen could make a huge impact this fall, and Meyer vowed to play more of his first-year Buckeyes on national signing day—when he predicted that 18 of Ohio State’s 25 new players will see the field. Here’s a guess at which underclassmen will make the first team to start the year. Defense Despite the need for eight new starters on defense, only two will be underclassmen. The Buckeyes lost three starters on their defensive line and in the secondary, and that’s where the pair of underclassmen will emerge. But even those two players—defensive end Sam Hubbard and safety Malik Hooker—are entering their third years of the program as redshirt sophomores. Hubbard should be a familiar sight for Buckeyes fans. The converted safety prospect bulked up in his first year with the Buckeyes and moved to the defensive line, and during last year’s 12-1 run, he backed up Joey Bosa admirably and became a formidable force in the rotation. He ranked second on the team with 6.5 sacks, and with Bosa’s departure, he’s in…

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but there’s a quarterback controversy brewing in Columbus. OK, don’t stop me—it’s not the type of signal-caller battle that those who have followed the Ohio State program have become accustomed to in the past year. While J.T. Barrett is firmly entrenched as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback after spending the better part of the past 12 months competing with Cardale Jones for that right, Ohio State now finds itself with a shortage of experience on what’s been its most talked-about position on the depth chart. A year ago, the Buckeyes didn’t only seem poised to have the best backup quarterback in the country, but the most talented third-stringer as well, before Braxton Miller made his offseason move to wide receiver. Now? There’s Barrett at the front of the line—that’s no longer up for debate. But behind the Fiesta Bowl MVP sits nothing but unknown commodities, even for as well as head coach Urban Meyer has recruited since arriving to Columbus. The battle for Ohio State’s backup quarterback job won’t only be important for the future, giving the winner the inside track to replacing Barrett as the Buckeyes’ starter—something that could occur as soon as 2017—but for the upcoming season as well. After all, if there’s one program that understands the value of a backup quarterback, it’s the one that won a national championship just a year ago with its third-string…

Coveted defensive line recruit Haskell Garrett announced Tuesday that he’s going to play college football at Ohio State: Garrett is a 4-star prospect who rates as the No. 78 overall prospect in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He also checks in as the No. 4 defensive tackle and No. 3 recruit from Nevada among the incoming freshmen. The Bishop Gorman High School star has displayed an impressive combination of skills wrapped into an athletic frame (6’2”, 280 pounds). He’s established himself as a force against the run while also making himself a consistent pass-rushing threat. It’s raised questions about what role he’ll fill at the college level. Steve Hare of Scout passed along comments from the versatile tackle back in December about what teams have told him. “There’s a lot that are recruiting me as a defensive tackle or defensive end,” Garrett said. “I think most people are recruiting me as a three-technique.” All told, Garrett is a prospect with a lot of potential. His technique still needs quite a bit of polish and the transition to college is going to take some time after he simply overpowered a lot of linemen at the high school level. But the long-term outlook is extremely positive. Adding him to the equation certainly provides a nice boost to the 2017 class. Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

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…

Head coach Urban Meyer and Ohio State found themselves in a familiar spot on national signing day, pacing the Big Ten with the conference’s top recruiting class for the fifth consecutive year. The Buckeyes’ 25-member class ranked fourth nationally behind Alabama, Florida State and LSU and filled a number of big needs on the roster—primarily at wide receiver and in the secondary. With the number of holes to fill in Ohio State’s two-deep roster, Meyer envisions plenty of first-year players making an immediate impact. “I hope 18 of them play,” Meyer said of his 2016 recruiting class, according to Ari Wasserman of the Plain Dealer. Here’s a look at the newest Buckeyes. Cherry-Picking the State of Ohio Ohio State didn’t dominate the in-state recruiting scene like it usually does, but it did a good job of cherry-picking some of the top players from its own backyard. Since Meyer took over the Buckeyes in 2012, he’s managed to sign 21 of the state’s top 40 players, highlighted by nabbing the No. 1 overall Ohio prospect each year since 2012. This year, Ohio State only signed four of the state’s top 10 players—4-stars Jonathon Cooper (defensive end), Demario McCall (all-purpose back), Jake Hausmann (tight end) and Luke Farrell (tight end)—and failed to nab No. 1-ranked Tommy Kraemer (offensive tackle). In total, nine of the Buckeyes’ 25 new players hail from the state of Ohio, so Meyer and his coaching staff…

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…

For the fifth time in as many years, Urban Meyer and Ohio State have signed a top-10 class that’s filled with superstar potential and a number of players who can make an impact in their first year. The Buckeyes did most of their work before national signing day, but they still made a splash by picking up commitments from 4-star JUCO offensive tackle Malcolm Pridgeon and 3-star athlete Malik Harrison on Wednesday. That dynamic pair vaulted the Buckeyes up the rankings, where they finished with the No. 4 overall class. From Ohio State’s next great quarterback to a superstar defensive end in the mold of Joey Bosa, Ohio State’s 2016 class is absolutely loaded with potential. And with the Buckeyes looking for 16 new starters for their ’16 campaign, a number of first-year players will have an opportunity to make an impact right out of the gate. Begin Slideshow

Ohio State coaches and fans will have a more relaxing national signing day than many other top college football programs, with the Buckeyes knowing they have already brought in one of the top classes in 2016. From defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Jonathon Cooper to offensive stars Dwayne Haskins, Austin Mack and Demario McCall, there is no question why this group is currently No. 2 overall in 247Sports’ composite rankings, trailing only LSU for the best recruiting class in the nation. Of course, you can never have too much talent at this level, meaning head coach Urban Meyer and Company will keep things going to bring in some missing pieces before the end of the cycle on Wednesday. Although there aren’t many needs for this team, here is a look at the signing day announcements the Buckeyes are most interested in as well as a prediction for the final 2016 class. Top Uncommitted Players to Watch Mecole Hardman Jr., ATH Usually the top players have narrowed their decision by the time they get to signing day, but Mecole Hardman Jr. still has a lot of options available. The speedster (4.42 40-yard dash) officially has seven teams in the running before making his announcement, including Ohio State as well as Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee, according to Chad Simmons of Scout.com. We don’t yet know where he will end up, but Hardman has a lot of appeal as one of the fastest players in the class. He will likely play receiver at the…

Three starts, three wins, a national championship and a flirtation with the NFL draft; from Dec. 6 2014 through Jan. 12 2015, Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones became the most enigmatic NFL draft prospect in the country. Between his dominating victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game and his eventual announcement that he’d be returning to school, NFL evaluators and media members wrestled with Jones’ NFL draft value. After an erratic seven-game start to the 2015 season and a midseason benching, the 6’5, 250-pound passer slipped from Cam Newton comparisons to off-the-radar of those covering the draft. While Jared Goff, Paxton Lynch and Carson Wentz have risen, Jones has faded into “Day 3 consideration” talk. But quarterbacks like Cardale Jones don’t come around often. His positive attitude, arm talent, athleticism and remarkable upside don’t lend themselves to being pushed aside. And despite recent project passers like Jones slipping to Day 3 (Logan Thomas and Brett Hundley), he is a different, misunderstood NFL draft prospect. Arm Talent vs. Overconfidence Jones offers elite arm strength, and he knows it. He’s willing to take chances downfield, finish throws with defenders on him and make 20-plus-yard throws. His arm strength allows him to be late on throws and attempt vertical passes despite not being set, a skill set that excites NFL teams because he can get away with mistakes…

Ohio State Football should have been in the 2016 College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes entered the season primed to defend their title, coming in as the first-ever unanimous No. 1 in AP history. Head coach Urban Meyer boasted the most loaded roster in college football, with 16 of his starters likely set to be taken in this year’s NFL draft. After Ohio State opened its 2015 campaign with an evisceration of Virginia Tech, the tantalizing potential was almost palpable. But that potential materialized too late. It took a perfect storm to keep that Ohio State team out of the playoff—a lingering quarterback battle that hampered the offense, historic and unachievable expectations, a torrential downpour against Michigan State and a questionable offensive game plan that mysteriously excluded one of the best running backs in school history. All of those elements collided and netted Ohio State a defeat it shouldn’t have suffered, and it left the team on the outside looking in at college football’s biggest stage. The Buckeyes sat and watched the Spartans get obliterated by an Alabama team they were worthy of playing. That was obvious on New Year’s Eve, but it’s becoming more evident as former Buckeyes stars show out at Senior Bowl practices. The Cotton Bowl That Should Have Been It’s obvious that Ohio State didn’t deserve a berth in the playoff. It lost that right when it fell to Michigan State, giving head coach Mark Dantonio’s squad its deserving…