It’s somewhat a gift and a curse for Urban Meyer and Ohio State.
On one hand, when huge classes leave early for the NFL Draft, the Buckeyes essentially have an infomercial for the program to help big-time when it comes to recruiting. Come play for Ohio State and you’ll be in that position one day.
On the other hand, it often leaves gaping holes on the roster. It’s very difficult to replace massive losses of talent each and every year.
The Buckeyes lost 15 players early to the NFL Draft over the last two seasons — nine last year, six this year — and with the way Meyer and Co. are currently developing elite talent, the rapid rate at which players are declaring early doesn’t appear like it will be slowing down anytime soon. That’s great for Ohio State on the recruiting trail, but not so great on the field for the following season.
On National Signing Day, however, Meyer admitted he has finally come to grips with this new reality.
“I don’t want to say it’s awful, but it’s tough,” he said. “It just makes you think. Imagine what this team would have looked like last year with those nine guys back.”
“But that’s the way it is,” Meyer continued. “I guess we are now of the mindset that will happen.”
So, how can Ohio State continue to replace all of the lost NFL talent? The answer is rather simple: Recruit ready-made players.
And the Buckeyes’ 2017 class certainly has a lot of them. Ohio State signed five five-star prospects and 14 four stars in its most recent class. Eleven of those signees were ranked as top-100 players and seven of those are already on campus as early enrollees.
One of those players is Jeffrey Okudah, a five-star cornerback out of Grand Prairie, Texas. Like many of his classmates, Okudah is expected to contribute early for the Buckeyes. But the 6-foot-1, 190-pound cornerback said on National Signing Day he doesn’t feel any added pressure to make an instant impact.
It’s sort of assumed.
“I’m not really pressured by it. I just feel like that’s the expectation,” Okudah said. “That’s what has to be done. That’s what’s expected from me if I’m coming to Ohio State.”
Shaun Wade, another five-star cornerback who enrolled early, said he’s been informed he needs to be ready to play in the fall for the Buckeyes.
“That’s what [cornerbacks coach Kerry] Coombs told me: I have to be ready now,” Wade said. “He’s telling me and Jeffrey we have to be ready to play and play right now.”
Meyer often says every year he doesn’t enjoy redshirting players. That’s not his intention. Ohio State always recruits players who it feels can help right away. But the reality is, the Buckeyes tend to redshirt more than they don’t. At least that’s the way it has been the last few seasons under Meyer.
The elite prospects, though, can help Ohio State right away and Meyer knows that. The players themselves may not feel additional pressure to play right away, but Meyer and his staff have certainly put an added emphasis on bringing in prospects who can help immediately.
It’s a result of the realization every year the Buckeyes are going to lose multiple players early to the NFL.
“Prepare for it to happen,” Meyer said. “Recruit guys that are ready-made as much you can.”
As long as Ohio State continues to churn out NFL talent at the current rate, selling that to elite prospects won’t be that difficult. The Buckeyes should be able to replace their departed players with top-flight recruits who are ready to contribute right away.
Ohio State’s 2017 recruiting class might be the first example.
“Deep down, I feel this is going to be an exceptional class with a bunch of them playing,” Meyer said. “They’re showing it right now.”
