ESPN released their initial iteration of the 2015 Top 300 today and it's a list full of Buckeye targets, players that Urban Meyer and his staff have already offered and more that they likely will. Minnesota's Jashon Cornell, a product of traditional Notre Dame-feeder school Cretin-Durhem Hall, currently resides at the top of the list and will be in attendance next Friday night at Ohio State's important Friday Night Lights camp.
Joining Cornell in the Top 10 are several players that Ohio State has made an early pitch towards, including Stonewall (Va.) DT Tim Settle, Suwanee (Ga.) OT Mitch Hyatt and East St. Louis (Il.) defensive tackle Terry Beckner, Jr., who lists the Buckeyes are one of his top schools early. Jacksonville Trinity DB Kevin Tolliver II is the second-ranked player and the highest-ranked player currently committed, he pledged to LSU in November of 2012.
The Buckeye state's highest-ranked player, Hjalte Froholdt is 14th, but the soon-to-be-junior who played at Warren G. Harding high school in Warren last year is currently back home in Denmark unsure where or if he'll play high school football in the United States this fall. Froholdt is followed by Canton McKinley star Eric Glover-Williams at No. 29, Lakewood St. Ed's star Shaun Crawford at No. 49, Cincinnati Moeller defensive tackle Elijah Taylor at No. 89, and Toledo Central Catholic linebacker Chris Green at No. 91, in the Top 100.
Key Buckeye targets on the list include Memphis OT Drew Richmond at No. 68, Pittsburgh OT Sterling Jenkins at No. 75, Virginia linebacker Ricky DeBerry at No. 139, Cincinnati St. Xavier star linebacker Justin Hilliard at No. 145 and Cleveland Benedictine linebacker Jerome Baker at No. 157.
ESPN lists Orlando Timber Creek High School star Jacques Patrick, with nearly 50 offers before he starts his junior season, as the 231st ranked player in the country.
The following players claim early offers from Ohio State:
1. DE Jashon Cornell
3. ATH George Campbell
4. OT Mitch Hyatt
6. OT Montez Ivey
7. DT Tim Settle
9. DE Terry Beckner Jr.
13. LB Jeffrey Holland
14. DE Hjalte Froholdt
15. LB Jahvoni Simmons
18. RB Soso Jamabo
20. RB Damien Harris
21. DT Shy Tuttle
24. RB Taj Griffin
25. ATH Torrance Gibson
26. RB Jordan Scarlett
29. ATH Eric Glover-Williams
36. DT Jacob Daniel
37. ATH Christian Kirk
38. CB Minkah Fitzpatrick
41. WR DaMarkis Lodge
48. DE CeCe Jefferson
50. WR Devante Peete
51. DE Joshua Alabi
56. CB Rico McGraw
57. S Kendrell McFadden
68. OT Drew Richmond
75. OT Sterling Jenkins
97. QB Kyler Murray
107. DT Christian Wilkins
108. ATH Jaason Williams
109. DE D'Andre Walker
122. RB Chris Warren
124. OT Matt Burrell Jr.
139. OLB Rick DeBerry
145. OLB Justin Hilliard
147. ATH Brian Cole
157. OLB Jerome Baker Jr.
158. OT Jake Fruhmorgen
162. OLB Sherrod Pittman
199. QB Lorenzo Nunez
200. TE Garrett Williams
204. ATH Jalen Christian
214. WR John Burt
230. ATH Jordan Whitehead
231. ATH Jacques Patrick
283. RB Natereace Strong
284. RB Traveon Samuel
294. RB Mike Weber
