ESPN's updated 2019 rankings feature future Ohio State lineman

Urban Meyer has cemented his status as one of the best recruiters in college football during his time at Ohio State. One of the reasons he and his coaching staff have been able to compile top-rated recruiting classes year after year is their ability to recognize talent in the early stages of recruiting.

With this year’s recruiting class already having 16 verbal commitments, there are only a handful of targets that Ohio State can realistically add. Because of this, Meyer and the other Buckeye coaches have begun to shift more of their focus towards the future. And while Ohio State currently has just one commitment in its 2019 class, the list of recruits they are after is looking more and more impressive.

ESPN revealed its initial ESPNJr300 on Monday morning and the list included Ohio State’s lone commit in the 2019 recruiting class, along with multiple Buckeye targets.

In the top 100 alone, Ohio State is in play for multiple elite prospects, including:

• No. 2 Four-star DE Zach Harrison
• No. 3 Four-star LB Owen Pappoe
• No. 9 Four-star OT Devontae Dobbs
• No. 10. Four-star WR Marcus Washington
• No. 13 Four-star S Josh Sanguinetti
• No. 16 Four-star LB Brandon Smith
• No. 18 Four-star ATH Daxton Hill
• No. 20 Four-star S Brian Williams
• No. 23 Four-star RB Noah Cain
• No. 25 Four-star LB Ge’Mon Eaford
• No. 27 Four-star ATH Isaiah Williams
• No. 30 Four-star ATH Ja’shawn Sheffield
• No. 32 Four-star ATH Horace “Bru” McCoy
• No. 34 Four-star OG Keiondre Jones
• No. 38 Four-star LB Shane Lee
• No. 41 Four-star LB Marcel Brooks
• No. 44 Four-star WR Julian Barnett
• No. 58 Four-star OT and Ohio State commit Doug Nester
• No. 63 Four-star WR Ronnie Hickman
• No. 66 Four-star QB Michael Johnson Jr.
• No. 79 Four-star DT Jowon Briggs
• No. 86 Four-star OT Quinn Carroll
• No. 96 Four-star LB Shammond Cooper

While ESPN does not assign a fifth star to recruits until later on in the process, it is apparent that Ohio State has hit the ground running in efforts to build another impressive recruiting class in 2019.

In-state LB commits to Buckeyes as preferred walk-on

Ohio State sent out multiple preferred walk-on offers to recruits in the previous week and the program is already beginning to reap the rewards.

Ohio native Jack Cappabianca committed to the Buckeyes Monday just days after being offered by the program.

Bill Kurelic of 247Sports spoke to Cappabianca yesterday and the linebacker didn’t appear to waver on the offer once presented with it.

“It will be an honor to play for Ohio State,” Cappabianca said in his conversation with Kurelic. “There is no hesitation.”

While it is easy to get caught up in star rankings while following college football recruiting, it is important to note that walk-ons make up the backbone of a college football program and Ohio State doesn’t take the opportunity lightly. Check out the video the official Ohio State Football team released via Twitter recently of this year’s walk-ons.

Ohio State’s 2019 recruiting class receives its moniker

Ohio State’s Assistant Director of Player Personnel took to Twitter over the weekend to announce the Buckeyes' 2019 nickname, and it's one of the best in the country (in our opinion).

Selecting #DYN19STY as the motto for a recruiting class comes with high expectations, but Ohio State’s recent history should be enough to prove the team is up for the challenge.

Ohio State’s previous three recruiting classes all were ranked in the top ten in the 247Sports class rankings and this year’s class currently sits at No. 1. While the Buckeyes have only one verbal commit in next year’s class, the recruits they are targeting are all seen as blue-chip prospects and if history repeats itself, the University will not be stretching in its moniker for next year.