Photo courtesy of 24/7 Sports
The Buckeyes’ recruiting machine is quickly gaining momentum.
On Wednesday afternoon, Michael Hill, a 6-3/315 defensive tackle from Pendelton, SC, committed to Ohio State. He’s the fourteenth member of the class of 2013. Hill was rated by many recruiting gurus as the top prospect in South Carolina and one of the top defensive tackles in the country. His commitment is particularly significant for three reasons.
First, the Buckeyes’ “slump” is officially over. After nearly two months without a commitment, the team has pulled in three in a row, with more possible before the week’s end. At such a rapid pace, the class could fill up before the season starts in September (it’s projected to top off at approximately 20).
Second, Urban Meyer has been wildly successful in pulling top recruits out of states far away from Ohio. Hill is the seventh member of the 2013 class that isn’t from the Buckeye state. He’s also headed to Columbus from the middle of SEC country, a fact which is readily apparent with one glance at his offer list, which includes Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia Tech, LSU, South Carolina, Auburn, Michigan, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.
Third, the Buckeyes’ dominance along the defensive line continues to grow. In this class alone, the team had already received commitments from Joey Bosa, Tracy Sprinkle, and Billy Price. Last year’s defensive line group was rated one of the best in the country. Why is this important? Elite defensive line play is a seriously underrated factor in the SEC’s dominance. It’s good to see the Buckeyes catching up.
This is a big one. Enjoy days like today. And make sure to thank Urban Meyer before you go to bed tonight.
A brief highlight video can be found below the jump.
