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Ohio State recruiting: State Secrets - What Matthew Burrell's commitment means

Get caught up with the latest in the world of Ohio State recruiting, including today's big commitment.

By Ian Cuevas
Ohio State offered 2016 running back Antonio Williams on Monday.
Ohio State offered 2016 running back Antonio Williams on Monday.
Student Sports

It was a fairly busy Monday for Ohio State and the recruiting staff, as the Buckeyes received a big-time commitment from '15 offensive tackle Matthew Burrell. Burrell committed somewhat abruptly after tweeting earlier on Monday evening that he was ending his recruitment and would be announcing early. Obviously, Ohio State was the team selected, as Burrell picked the Buckeyes over fellow finalists LSU, Penn State, and Tennessee.

The 6'5, 302-pound offensive lineman is currently the fifth-highest ranked offensive guard, and 91st-overall prospect in the 2015 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Land-Grant Holy Land's very own Christopher Jason broke down what Burrell brings to the program:

Matthew Burrell is very strong, standing at 6'5, 302 pounds with even more room to add additional strength. He plays with an edge, or a nasty streak on the field, something that has been hard to find recently when it comes to offensive line recruits.

He paves the way as a run blocker and once he gets a hold, he puts the defender on skates and drives him into the ground. He displays good leg power which allows him to drive his defender. He is pretty quick off the ball for his size, which allows him to get a good initial pop before driving the defender off the ball.

In pass protection, Burrell does a good job of getting to his base and anchoring himself to ward off pass rushers. Like in his run block, he uses his arms well to pop the defender and throw him off of his pass rush.

As with most players his age, he will only get better with technique once he lands on campus but he has a solid foundation to build on. His aggressive mindset and body will allow him to compete for the two-deep as a freshman but we will see how the depth chart works out. Burrell is a joy to watch on film, as he is an old-school offensive lineman who shows tenacity and goes hard until the whistle blows.

Buckeyes offer 2016 RB prospect:

'16 running back Antonio Williams received an offer from Ohio State on Monday, marking the 15th offer in the early stages of Williams' recruitment. Williams has received offers from Wisconsin, Auburn, Duke, Notre Dame, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Penn State, Vanderbilt, Clemson, Michigan State, N.C. State, and South Carolina, while also receiving high interest from Tennessee and Florida State.

Williams stands at 5'11, 210-pounds and is rated as a four-star under the 247Sports Composite. The North Carolina native is also ranked as the ninth-best running back in the country and third-best prospect overall from his home state. This season for his high school, Williams has rushed for 2,852 yards and an astounding 36 touchdowns on 226 carries.

OSU trying to snag 2016 teammates McDoom and Barrett:

Another recruit offered to by Ohio State on Monday was '16 wide receiver Eddie McDoom. Sporting one of the best names in the game, McDoom also is rated as a three-star under the 247Sports Composite and is ranked as the 50th-best prospect from the state of Florida at any position. McDoom holds offers from Clemson, Kentucky, Boston College, Rutgers, and South Carolina and checks in at 5'11, 170 pounds.

His high school teammate and class of 2016  quarterback, Ervin Barrett, also received an offer. Barrett is a three-star prospect, the No. 29 athlete, and No. 51 player in Florida per the 247Sports Composite. Barrett is also nicknamed 'Woody', which is just begging destiny to pair the young athlete and Ohio State together.

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