Since 2012, the Buckeyes have put together some highly ranked classes most notably the '13, '17 and '21 classes. Every four years during odd-numbered years, the Buckeyes seem to do something historic with a recruiting class. However inbetween, there've been some that weren't as much.
But starting with the '12 class and one Meyer played a key part in finishing down the stretch after his arrival just two months prior to the February Signing Day and one that finished in the top 5, turned out to be a huge disappointment. Even with all the flips he was able to get. 15 guys from that class did not pan out at all. Most of them such as Se'Von Pittman, David "Boom" Perkins, Warren Ball, Najee Murray and Kyle Dodson either left, transferred out or just never saw the field period whether here or elsewhere.
We know about the greatness of the '13 class which only had four guys who never panned out including elite LB prospects Mike Mitchell and Trey Johnson. Remember at that time the whole goal was to bolster the inept LB roster here. Mitchell went back to Texas never to be heard from again and unfortunately Johnson was on IR for most of his time here. In '14, Meyer sought to continue in addressing the lack of elite LBers on the roster so he nabbed Raekwon McMillan. In that class there were probably also about four guys who didn't pan out including QB Stephen Collier, Brady Taylor, Dylan Thompson and Darius Slade. In 2015, only about three who didn't in Nick Conner, Alex Stump and Eric Glover-Williams.
However with the 2016 class we began to see some real cracks. It was in this class of 23 where about 13 panned out and would go on to have good to great careers here while the remaining 10 not so including Malik Barrow, Kierre Hawkins, Wayne Davis, Rodjay Burns and Jahsen Wint. Then of course came 2017 where really it was just Elijah Gardiner, Jaylen Harris and Isaiah Pryor who didn't. We had hope for Trevon Grimes but he transferred out before we ever got to see his potential here.
But it was in 2018 where things really went off the rails recruiting wise. This in spite of the fact that that class finished #2 and if you were to reclassify Justin Fields to that class instead of UGA where he initially signed, then we had the #1 class that year. I believe it was a class of 24 but about 15, 16 of those guys did not live up to expectations. The most notable names from that class included Teague, Togiai, Olave, Proctor, Matt Jones, Ruckert and NPF. However the "BUSTS" if you will include Brian Snead, Tyreke Johnson, Dallas Gant, Matt Baldwin, L'Christian Smith, Marcus Hooker, Taron Vincent, Tyler Friday, Max Wray, K'Vaughn Pope, Sevyn Banks just to name a few. Most of these guys are the ones who made up the core of a CFP team and several wins here. That class was also put together by some inept recruiting after Coombs and Fickell departed. The likes of Taver Johnson, Alex Grinch and Zach Smith's hands were all over that class and again, we're still paying the price for missing so majorly even in spite of the lofty final recruiting ranking.
The 2019 class had some of those same fingerprints on the talent however there were far fewer busts outside of Ryan Jacoby, Jaden McKenzie, Noah Potter and Cormontae Hamilton. The next year in 2020 Jacolbe Cowan, Darrion Henry-Young, Jakob James, Trey Leroux and Grant Toutant were the ones who didnt pan out or who have yet still to step up production wise. Time will tell how this '21 class will pan out but so far so good. It's a class where more members of that class saw time on the field this past season probably more than either of the previous two elite classes in '13 and '17. Either way, the lesson here is that the Buckeyes must treat recruiting like an SAT where guessing or making the wrong choice for an "answer," may ultimately cost you in the end.
This '22 class is one of the smaller ones but appears to have quality. I think the best we can hope for is that the ones we missed out on such as Terrance Brooks, Jaheim Singletary, Nwankpa, Branch, Goodwin, Miller, Ewers, McCullough don't go on to great fame at our expense while the guys we did sign, play second fiddle to them the way our current receiving corps has to transfer Jameson Williams this past season. We want to make sure we picked most of the right guys and that the ones who spurned us are the ones who'll second guess their decisions and once they enter the Portal, try crawling back this way begging for entry.
But starting with the '12 class and one Meyer played a key part in finishing down the stretch after his arrival just two months prior to the February Signing Day and one that finished in the top 5, turned out to be a huge disappointment. Even with all the flips he was able to get. 15 guys from that class did not pan out at all. Most of them such as Se'Von Pittman, David "Boom" Perkins, Warren Ball, Najee Murray and Kyle Dodson either left, transferred out or just never saw the field period whether here or elsewhere.
We know about the greatness of the '13 class which only had four guys who never panned out including elite LB prospects Mike Mitchell and Trey Johnson. Remember at that time the whole goal was to bolster the inept LB roster here. Mitchell went back to Texas never to be heard from again and unfortunately Johnson was on IR for most of his time here. In '14, Meyer sought to continue in addressing the lack of elite LBers on the roster so he nabbed Raekwon McMillan. In that class there were probably also about four guys who didn't pan out including QB Stephen Collier, Brady Taylor, Dylan Thompson and Darius Slade. In 2015, only about three who didn't in Nick Conner, Alex Stump and Eric Glover-Williams.
However with the 2016 class we began to see some real cracks. It was in this class of 23 where about 13 panned out and would go on to have good to great careers here while the remaining 10 not so including Malik Barrow, Kierre Hawkins, Wayne Davis, Rodjay Burns and Jahsen Wint. Then of course came 2017 where really it was just Elijah Gardiner, Jaylen Harris and Isaiah Pryor who didn't. We had hope for Trevon Grimes but he transferred out before we ever got to see his potential here.
But it was in 2018 where things really went off the rails recruiting wise. This in spite of the fact that that class finished #2 and if you were to reclassify Justin Fields to that class instead of UGA where he initially signed, then we had the #1 class that year. I believe it was a class of 24 but about 15, 16 of those guys did not live up to expectations. The most notable names from that class included Teague, Togiai, Olave, Proctor, Matt Jones, Ruckert and NPF. However the "BUSTS" if you will include Brian Snead, Tyreke Johnson, Dallas Gant, Matt Baldwin, L'Christian Smith, Marcus Hooker, Taron Vincent, Tyler Friday, Max Wray, K'Vaughn Pope, Sevyn Banks just to name a few. Most of these guys are the ones who made up the core of a CFP team and several wins here. That class was also put together by some inept recruiting after Coombs and Fickell departed. The likes of Taver Johnson, Alex Grinch and Zach Smith's hands were all over that class and again, we're still paying the price for missing so majorly even in spite of the lofty final recruiting ranking.
The 2019 class had some of those same fingerprints on the talent however there were far fewer busts outside of Ryan Jacoby, Jaden McKenzie, Noah Potter and Cormontae Hamilton. The next year in 2020 Jacolbe Cowan, Darrion Henry-Young, Jakob James, Trey Leroux and Grant Toutant were the ones who didnt pan out or who have yet still to step up production wise. Time will tell how this '21 class will pan out but so far so good. It's a class where more members of that class saw time on the field this past season probably more than either of the previous two elite classes in '13 and '17. Either way, the lesson here is that the Buckeyes must treat recruiting like an SAT where guessing or making the wrong choice for an "answer," may ultimately cost you in the end.
This '22 class is one of the smaller ones but appears to have quality. I think the best we can hope for is that the ones we missed out on such as Terrance Brooks, Jaheim Singletary, Nwankpa, Branch, Goodwin, Miller, Ewers, McCullough don't go on to great fame at our expense while the guys we did sign, play second fiddle to them the way our current receiving corps has to transfer Jameson Williams this past season. We want to make sure we picked most of the right guys and that the ones who spurned us are the ones who'll second guess their decisions and once they enter the Portal, try crawling back this way begging for entry.
