Forecasting the Final Five Spots for the 2016 Recruiting Class

It's been a tumultuous couple months for Ohio State football recruiting, and the class took another step in the wrong direction when Kareem Walker announced his decommitment on Tuesday. Over the last three weeks, the Buckeyes have now lost pledges from Walker and four-star athlete George Hill. On a more positive note, Urban Meyer and Tony Alford were able to swoop in and nab the nation's No. 7 running back in one-time Wisconsin commit Antonio Williams.

We are now just three months away from national signing day, and the Buckeyes' class currently sits at 18 commitments. With a number of underclassmen expected to move on to the NFL, we figure 23-25 signees is a safe guesstimate for the 2016 recruiting haul. The high school football season is winding down and this is usually the time of year when things start to get a little crazy. Seniors whose schedules were booked up most weekends are now able to venture out and take some official visits, making the winter months a critical part of the recruiting process.

Under Urban Meyer, it seems like relatively new names are always popping up late in the process. For the 2015 class it was guys like K.J. Hill, Robert Landers, DaVon Hamilton, and Damon Arnette. Even someone like Isaiah Prince was thought to be a longshot until things took a turn in January. The latter part of the 2014 process featured Darius Slade, Brady Taylor, and Johnnie Dixon—who was long thought to be a Miami lock. Bottom line? Expect the unexpected. 

With a number of highly-rated targets still looking to make their decision, it will surely be an interesting home stretch for the 2016 campaign. Today, we take our best guesses on who rounds out the 2016 recruiting class.

Defensive back recruiting has seen its share of twists and turns. Things were looking good for Andrew Pryts until his father's alma mater got back into the picture and ultimately swayed him back their way. With several other defensive backs on the board, missing out on the Pennsylvania standout wasn't thought to be that big of a deal. As we sit here today, those other prospects also seem to be trending away from the Buckeyes.

It's never easy going into Pitt's backyard and securing one of Pennsylvania's top prospects, and it's looking like Damar Hamlin won't be leaving the state for college. Long rumored to be a package deal with 2017 safety Paris Ford, Ford's recent commitment to the Panthers has many thinking that Hamlin will follow suit. 

Jordan Fuller is one of the top athletes in New Jersey, and while his crystal ball currently favors the Buckeyes, things seem to be trending in the wrong direction here as well. Fuller has seemed very non-committal when asked about his plans to take an official visit to Ohio State. This recruitment definitely isn't looking as bleak as Hamlin's, but it would be nice to see a visit get scheduled in the near future. His brother playing at UCLA is also a concern. 

The lack of depth in the secondary has been a bit troublesome this season, so there's no doubt that the staff will be on the prowl if and when things go completely sour with Hamlin and Fuller. New offers have been extended recently and that may very well continue as we inch toward signing day. Tony Butler is someone that we've talked about in the past, but Ohio State seemed to move on despite frequent communication with the Lakewood defensive back. To me, it just seems like Butler is waiting for an Ohio State offer. We heard he was on the verge of committing to Michigan, then Clemson, then Arizona State; but it never happened. He may be a backup plan right now, but I have a feeling he finds his way into this class.

The Buckeyes' focus on Georgia has been impossible to miss. Isaiah Pryor is already in for 2017 and things are looking really good for Richard LeCounte as well. Peachtree Ridge safety Nigel Warrior is scheduled to visit Columbus for the Nov. 21 showdown with Michigan State. Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama are all in the mix, but this one just feels like it could be an Urban Meyer special. There are rumors that Mark Richt may be on his way out in Athens, and right now many think Georgia is the frontrunner. The Volunteers are probably the team to watch here, as Warrior is the son of former Volunteer standout Dale Carter. I just have this sneaking suspicion that the official visit will put Ohio State right in the thick of things.

Newly offered North Carolina defensive back Myles Dorn, who is likely to visit for the game against Michigan State, is a player who things could move quickly with, similar to Antonio Williams.

Cleveland's A.J. Rose (Garfield Heights) has been committed to Kentucky since February. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound athlete is being recruited primarily as a defensive back, but with the Buckeyes looking to add another linebacker, he could end up with an offer. Ohio State will be getting official visits from more highly-touted linebackers like Daelin Hayes and Mique Juarez, but right now they seem like longshots. Rose may end up being an early enrollee, so that could make things a bit tricky.

The Buckeyes are battling Auburn for Antwuan Jackson.

Antwuan Jackson and Binjimen Victor have been the top guys left on the board for a while now, and confidence seems to pretty high on both at the moment. Jackson has visited Auburn numerous times and is looking to check them out again in December. He is planning on visiting Ohio State again for the Michigan State game. Antwuan and his dad have built a great relationship with Larry Johnson and I think that will ultimately be what seals the deal for the Buckeyes. 

Long thought to be a Gator lock, things have drastically changed in the recruitment of Binjimen Victor. Florida has landed four or five wide receivers and they're continuing their pursuit of Nate Craig-Myers and Sam Bruce. Victor has already taken his official visit to Ohio State and still plans on taking one to Gainesville, but I look for the Buckeyes to win out on this one. Victor and Mack would be quite the haul at wide receiver.