Ohio State recruiting: State Secrets, 4/15 - Spring game draws good reviews

It was a great weekend to be a Buckeye fan. While Ohio State showcased their 2013 team in the spring game, recruits got a taste of what playing for the Buckeyes is really all about. Being up close and personal during their visit drew some excellent reviews from the prospects in attendance, which we have plenty of for you to see. A few of the names that we have already talked to, such as '14 WR/TE Austin Roberts, '14 DE Shane Roy and '16 WR Cameron Chambers shared their thoughts with Land-Grant Holy Land yesterday, which you can see here, here and here.

Roberts is looked at more like a hybrid-type of player, in that he can play both tight end and wide receiver. His stature, 6'3", 210-pounds, makes him a nightmare mismatch at either position. In case you were too lazy to click on the link above, Roberts mentions that Ohio State is actually recruiting him as an H-back, something that has become a staple of Coach Meyer's offense. Roberts goes on to say that coach (Kerry) Coombs would be by his school in the next month to talk to him. Roberts holds offers from Alabama, Florida, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and many other BCS-level schools. In 2012, Roberts hauled in 34 passes for 413 yards for three touchdowns and earned Junior All-State and All-MIC honors.

'14 TE Daniel Helm was another recruit impressed with Ohio State over the weekend. The 4-star tight end out of Illinois, but is thought to be favoring Michigan after his visit following the visit to Columbus on Friday. Helm spent Saturday in Ann Arbor, but before that, Land-Grant Holy Land caught up with him to get his thoughts on the Buckeyes:

"The visit went well. Mr. Pantoni showed my mom and I around the campus and we also got to talk a little bit with coach Meyer and coach Vrabel, but primarily spent our time with coach Hinton. They liked me on film a lot and would like me to come back up. I liked the visit as a whole a lot but I really wouldn't say there was anything that really stuck out to me. It was pretty cool to meet coach Meyer. Coach Hinton told me to wait until some time after the spring game for the staff's full evaluation in regards to an offer"

It sounds like until Helm receives an offer from Ohio State, the Wolverines will lead for his services. We'll be sure to keep a close eye on Helm's recruiting in the next few months.

4-star Rivals100 lineman Quenton Nelson has a Top 5, in order: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Rutgers, BC and Penn State

— Matt Hladik (@MattHladik919) April 13, 2013

It wasn't too long after the spring game that Ohio State found itself on yet another top five list. '14 OL Quenton Nelson listed Ohio State behind only Notre Dame in his recent favorites. The 6'5", 295-pound behemoth didn't attend the spring game, as he was visiting Rutgers, but even after the fact, the Buckeyes are still near the top of his list. Nelson is ranked as the No. 9 offensive tackle in the country and the 2nd-best player out of New Jersey.

'14 FB/RB L.J. Scott took a visit to Ohio State on Friday, but wasn't at the spring game. Scott provided passed some knowledge on to Land-Grant Holy Land that was one of the more interesting things of the weekend to hear about, concerning his visit to Columbus:

"It was unique, a very special atmosphere and a ton of positive energy!! What stood out the most to me, besides the top notch facilities, was the staff's hospitality and honesty. They told me what was real whether it was music to my ears or not. I respect that a lot"

Sounds like the staff is telling the players how it is, which is how we prefer it. Scott hails from Marion, Ohio, and stands 5'10", 210-pounds. His freshman season (2010), Scott rushed for 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns. Scott is rated as the No. 3 fullback in the country, and the No. 29 player out of Ohio.

Here's someone off the radar for you: '14 DL John Lewis from Trotwood-Madison in Ohio, visited Ohio State for the spring game. Lewis' recruiting process has been very quiet thus far, having received no offers. Despite this, Lewis had good things to say about his trip to see the spring game, which he told to Land-Grant Holy Land:

"The visit went great! The coaches loved me and they said they will keep in touch with me. I also got a chance to talk to some of the players there. I really didn't expect to get so much love from fans, coaches and players"

'13 Buckeye commit Cameron Burrows played for Trotwood-Madison as well, which may end up being a good thing for Lewis, as Burrows could help keep the connection between Lewis and the staff.

When '14 WR Drake Harris gave his commitment to the Wolverines on Sunday, many Buckeye fans were a bit bummed, which is understandable. Harris is one of the top recruits in the country, and rated as the No. 2 wide receiver in America. Coming from the state of Michigan, Harris was ranked as the second-best player and in 2012 hauled in 91 receptions for 2,015 yards and 25 touchdowns. He earned all-state honors in both football and basketball as a sophomore. As a sophomore, he averaged 19 points, five rebounds 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals.

Finally, with Harris out of the picture, however, perhaps '14 WR Derek Kief can ease some of the discomfort. Kief, a 6'5", 197-pound receiver from the state of Ohio, has had plenty of attention thrown at him from top level programs, including Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State and a bevy of other schools. Kief was on hand for the Buckeyes spring game this past Saturday, and reinforced his previous statements that Ohio State was among his favorites. Kief received his offer on February 14, and since, his recruiting has picked up tremendously. In 2012, Kief had 65 receptions for 907 yards and nine touchdowns. Ranked as the No. 21 wide receiver and eighth-best prospect out of Ohio gives some hope for Buckeye fans that are hoping to sign a potential big play receiver.