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The defending national champions start their season in just a couple of weeks, but the recruiting world never rests for Ohio State and Urban Meyer's ridiculous task of trying to repeat a championship season while maintaining the highest recruiting levels the program has seen for some time. The impossible seems possible due to the coaching staff continuing to work its way into the minds of recruits across the country.
The latest on that list is '17 cornerback Lamont Wade. The 5'10, 185-pound athlete is rated as a four-star under the 247Sports Composite, and is ranked as the 52nd best player in the country, the seventh best cornerback, and the second best prospect at any position from the state of Pennsylvania. Wade will be entering his junior season this fall, and while he's focusing on delivering excellent performances each week, Wade pointed out that his recruiting has five teams he considers the favorites.
Those teams included Ohio State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, UCLA, and West Virginia. As of now, the Buckeyes currently have a solid edge over their competition in the 247Sports Crystal Ball expert predictions:
Wade currently holds offers from Auburn, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northwestern, UCLA, Virginia Tech, and is receiving interest from Michigan, as well as a few other programs.
2018 Lawrence North (IN) forward Kevin Easley will visit Ohio State on Sept. 12, per AAU coach Mike Saunders.
— Jeff Rabjohns (@JeffRabjohns) August 25, 2015
In some basketball news, it looks like Thad Matta and the Buckeyes could have some interest in '18 forward Kevin Easley, who will be visiting Ohio State on Sept. 12, to see what the campus and beyond has to offer. The 6'6, 210-pound Easley could make a nice addition to the team depending on when or if he signs with Ohio State. With the popular one-and-done system in today's rules, Matta is always looking for a chance to get to know some younger prospects to help them sway towards the Buckeyes.
Easley currently holds offers from Bradley, Butler, Cincinnati, Indiana, IUPUI, Purdue, and Temple. It's still fairly early in the process to try and guarantee a signing, so for now, the visits will have to do for Matta and his staff.
Lastly, Ohio State's team might be loaded right now with all of the young talent they had carry over from last season. But it's possible that these recruits will contribute right away or build a solid resume to earn some playing time via special teams this season. Every season it seems like Urban Meyer just does a great job of motivating his players to buy into his philosophy.
What's scary is that the '16 team might even be better than the current team, if Rivals' latest football recruiting rankings have any sway in the matter, that is. Five future Buckeyes made the list, including Nick Bosa (15th), Kareem Walker (21st), Jonathon Cooper (57th), Jake Hausmann (62nd), and DeMario McCall (77th).