Hines Cleared to Play by the NCAA
September 28, 2007 8:30 am EST
Jermale Hines of Cleveland Glenville was given the go-ahead from the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse yesterday, according to Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel. Hines had been sitting out since August 30th as the team awaited the NCAA decision. He will begin practicing next week. Hines, 6 feet 2, 205 pounds, was rated the No. 6 recruit in Ohio last year.
Early in fall camp, Tressel commented on how impressive Jermale performed.
"He was looking great," Tressel said. "I was amazed at how he picked up what we we're doing on defense, because what we do is pretty complicated, and he's out there making checks, making calls, correcting people. I was like, 'Wow, this is a freshman?' I was amazed."
Tressel cautioned, though, that Hines will be way behind. He was not allowed to watch practice or attend any meetings while sitting out.
OSU Recruits to Participate in All-Star Games
June 14, 2007 5:45 am EST
Several incoming freshman from OSU's 2007 Class will participate in up coming All-Star games. For the North-South Classic to be played at Columbus Crew Stadium this coming Saturday at 7:00, Rocco Pentello, Bo Delande, and Solomon Thomas will participate on the South team. The North roster includes Jermale Hines, Nate Oliver, and Drew McIntyre. Devon Torrence is also recognized on the North squad but may not play due to his baseball draft situation.
Also, this Saturday at the Big 33 game pitting Ohio seniors against Pennsylvania stars, Eugene Clifford is included on the Ohio roster.
2007 Recruit Devon Torrence Drafted by Houston Astros
June 11, 2007 6:15 pm EST
Devon Torrence was no-show for participation in Saturday's Grange Insurance Ohio North-South Classic All-Star Game. This comes a couple of days after he was selected by Houston in the 16th round of the baseball draft, with the 501st overall pick. Torrence is a 6-foot, 190-pound all-around athlete. He signed a letter of intent with Ohio State in February as a defensive back, and plays center field in baseball. Torrence said he had a dollar figure in mind for a signing bonus, which he declined to reveal. If the Astros meet it, he would spurn his football scholarship and play baseball. As we know from the basketball merry-go-round this year with Oden, Conley and Cook, Torrence cannot sign with an agent without forfeiting his NCAA eligibility, but he is being advised by Columbus agent Jeff Chilcoat. Chilcoat said Torrence may have slipped in the draft because teams knew he might play college football.
Eugene Clifford Arrested
April 27, 2007 9:00 am EST
According to court records, OSU defensive back recruit Eugene Clifford was cited for possession of marijuana and paid a $105 fine. Clifford, 19, a defensive back from Cincinnati Colerain High School, signed a letter of intent with the Buckeyes in February and will be a freshman in the fall.
He was cited March 25 in Colerain Township and paid the fine April 5. The charge was a minor misdemeanor.
Because he is not an OSU student, Clifford does not fall under the school's drug and alcohol policy. An OSU spokesman said, though, that if a player shows any prior warning signs, he might be subject to more stringent drug testing once he enrolls.
2007 Recruiting Notes
February 8, 2007 8:00 AM EST
Straight from our Forum pages, 'Progolfer' provides some of his insights. Be sure to link to our Forum and join today!
The 2007 Ohio State Buckeye football recruiting class has been a hot topic for debate.debate. I personally feel that this class will produce many outstanding players. Here is the class and a little info on each player.
Evan Blankenship 
OL 6-3 310 5.1 Monaca, PA
OL 6-3 310 5.1 Monaca, PAMost likely will redshirt and in my eyes is a bit of a project.
He will fill some needs in the future with some work on
technique.
Eugene Clifford DB 6-2 190 4.45 Cincinnati, OH
DB 6-2 190 4.45 Cincinnati, OHSuperstar in the making. May seem some action next
year early if Russell is not completely healthy.
Donnie Evege DB 5-11 185 4.4 Huber Heights, OH
DB 5-11 185 4.4 Huber Heights, OHIncredible athlete that will see the field early. He has some
much needed speed.
Daniel Herron RB 5-10 190 4.52 Warren, OH
RB 5-10 190 4.52 Warren, OHI think he may redshirt, but with the lack of depth at RB
that may not fall true. Power and speed.
Cameron Heyward DT 6-5 264 5.17 Suwanee, GA
DT 6-5 264 5.17 Suwanee, GAI think he plays early next year in the DL rotation. I think early on
will be by committee with the best unit playing more regularly.
Jermale Hines LB 6-2 205 4.59 Cleveland, OH
LB 6-2 205 4.59 Cleveland, OHMaybe the best athlete of them all. If he can get his test
scores squared away he may see the field as a true freshman.
Nate Oliver DB 6-0 199 4.85 Lakewood, OH
DB 6-0 199 4.85 Lakewood, OHFaster than his documented 40 time, he will work well with Clifford,
just not next year.
Rocco Pentello DB 6-0 188 4.45 Westerville, OH
DB 6-0 188 4.45 Westerville, OHDiamond in the rough type of guy. Surely a Tressel guy, loves
being a Buckeye. He is a fantastic athlete. Do not sell this
one short.
Brian Rolle LB 5-10 202 4.47 Immokalee, FL
LB 5-10 202 4.47 Immokalee, FLFlat out stud that will knock you straight in the mouth and ask
if you want more. Do not let his size fool you, he is a monster.
True linebacker that can stop the run and cover. He is one that
all of the Florida schools will be asking, "how did we let him
get away?"
Brandon Saine RB 6-0 200 4.4 Piqua, OH
RB 6-0 200 4.4 Piqua, OHGet used to his name being called early. He will take on some
of Ginn's plays. He is super fast, but also big enough to tough
out some yards. Ginn only bigger? Time will tell. He is the next
guy to get us all excited when he touches the ball.
Dane Sanzenbacher WR 5-11174 4.64 Toledo, OH
WR 5-11174 4.64 Toledo, OHAnother Tressel type player. Very smart on the field and very
hard working. He tore up the all star games he played in and I
am sure there are some high school coaches that are glad to
see him graduate. Sleeper for some playing time next year. He
will be in the mold of Gonzo.
James Scott DB 5-10 163 4.59 Daytona Beach, FL
DB 5-10 163 4.59 Daytona Beach, FLVery good player. Faster football speed than his 40 time. Great
cover corner.
Solomon Thomas DE 6-4 210 4.82 West Chester, OH
DE 6-4 210 4.82 West Chester, OHNeeds to get bigger. He is going to be a good weakside DE.
Devon Torrence ATH 6-0 200 4.4 Canton, OH
ATH 6-0 200 4.4 Canton, OHAmazing athlete with amazing speed. If he ends up at OSU and
not in major league baseball, he will contribute early. Can flat
out play the game. It may be up to where he gets drafted to
decide OSU or MLB.
Taurian Washington WR 6-0 167 4.5 Orchard Lake, MI
6-0 167 4.5 Orchard Lake, MIHe may get some looks early to help fill the void left at WR.
I will be updating the board when signed LOI show up.
Do not look past the players in this class, they are all very good talents. Look for Tressel to get a couple of early commits for 2008, starting with Mike Adams on February 10th. The class of 2008 could be the best ever at OSU, and will certainly be Tressel's best. - Progolfer
January 31, 2007 2:30 PM EST
Defensive Line prospect Cameron Heyward from Suwanee, Georgia has announced that he will sign with the Buckeyes a week from today. Heyward is rated as the 20th best DT prospect nationally (for the 2007 class) by Scout.com and the 13th best DT prospect by Rivals.com. Heyward's father was the late Craig "Ironhead" Heyward who played college ball at Pittsburgh and spent most of his NFL career with the Chicago Bears and the Atlanta Falcons. Craig died from brain cancer in May of last year.
This commitment will help many Buckeye fans who follow recruiting closely breathe a little easier with the lack of numbers on the Buckeye interior D-line. Heyward is certainly a quality commitment, being ranked as a four star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. And he chose the Buckeyes over offers from LSU, Florida and Georgia, obviously some big-time programs.
This may very likely signal the finish to the Buckeye recruiting 2007 class, a number that currently stands at 15 verbal commitments, although there is still room for more if the coaches wish to leave the door open. 14 of the 15 commitments appear to be very likely to sign on the dotted line on February 7th, but the Buckeyes are still trying to hold onto Brian Rolle who still seems to have his eye on Urban Meyer's Gators. Florida may not have room for Rolle in this class, but if an offer is extended, it seems likely that Rolle will spurn the Buckeyes and stay closer to home.
January 30, 2007 1:00 PM EST
New updates are available (see January 21 list below) as we are now a week away from the signing date.
January 26, 2007 7:00 AM EST
A new face was added to the 2007 class as linebacker Jermale Hines made his verbal commitment last night to OSU. He becomes the latest Division I recruit from the talent rich Cleveland Glenville High School program. Confirmation came from his brother Berchard late yesterday evening. Hines, 6 feet 2, 200 pounds, with 4.5-second speed over 40 yards, became the 14th member of the class, but the first to join since December.
Glenville has produced eight Buckeyes players in the past five years. Seven were on the 2006 team, including senior quarterback Troy Smith, the Heisman Trophy winner, and junior receiver Ted Ginn Jr., who has declared for the NFL draft. Two other Glenville seniors signed with Wisconsin yesterday.
Hines ranked as the 12th best overall prospect in the state by Bill Kurelic’s Ohio Football Recruiting News. Though Michigan and Iowa among others had shown interest, Kurelic said Hines would have been more in demand had there not been questions about him academically. Hines, despite a near 3.0 grade-point average, reportedly still needs an adequate score on a pre-enrollment test to become eligible.
Jermale Hines was rated as a top 5 prospect in Ohio by some of the gurus before concerns about qualifying caused him to drop on most lists. He could play several positions at Ohio State and by all accounts, the kid is a "football player". Despite the naysayers posting their complaints about OSU's '07 recruiting class daily on Internet message boards, the Hines commitment means the staff has nabbed 9 of the 10 Ohio prospects the staff extended offers to, with the lone miss being Ben Martin. Not to mention the fact that Michigan appears to have struck out in Ohio while Ohio State landed a top 10 prospect from the state up north. Also, Rivals.com only rates three schools ahead of Ohio State in terms of their average prospect rating. Although this class may not live up to what most thought it would look like after the Michigan win, there's few questions about the talent of the guys that have committed. And the scholarship openings that are not filled this year will certainly help the 2008 recruiting efforts, a year where the talent in Ohio may rival the 2002 talent. Now, if Tressel and his staff could just pull a blue chip defensive tackle out of the hat in the next two weeks.... .
January 24, 2007 2:00 PM EST
Devon Still is headed for Penn State. The defensive end from Wilmington, Del., made that declaration today during a noon news conference at his school, Howard High School of Technology, a secretary there said. Still had listed Penn State and Ohio State as his top two candidates.
January 21, 2007 - Original posting (Updates)
OSU still appears to have a shot at a number of uncommitted prospects. It’s likely the staff will take 2 to 4 more commitments. Here is a summary of the guys still on the radar:
(measurements, ratings by state – Scout.com)
Dionte Allen, CB, Orchard Lake, MI (St. Mary's), 6-0/170/4.4 , #3 Michigan prospect – Committed to Florida State but has been looking elsewhere. OSU would seem to have an outside shot here. This would be a huge get if OSU could somehow pull Allen out of the hat. 1/30/07 Update - Allen unfortunately will not end up at OSU.
Kevin Bryant, OL, Lauderdale Lakes, FL (Boyd H. Anderson), 6-6/375/5.8, #39 Florida prospect – grades/test scores probably mean Bryant does not end up at OSU. 1/30/07 Update - Bryant no longer on OSU’s radar screen.
Patrick Grant, OLB, Lauderdale Lakes, FL (Boyd H. Anderson), 6-4/195/4.7, #88 Florida prospect – Committed to Nebraska during the season, but may now have an OSU offer. Somewhat of a project who needs to add muscle weight, yet Grant has received some nice offers as of late. OSU seems to have decent shot here. 1/30/07 Update - It does not appear that Grant will end up at OSU.
Broderick Green, RB, Little Rock, AR (Pulaski Academy), 6-1/230/4.57, #3 Arkansas prospect – Green committed to USC, but appears to be headed elsewhere. OSU appears to have a decent shot here with Pittman moving on; this would be a huge get. 1/30/07 Update - OSU still in the hunt, but chances of landing Green appear to be less than 50%.
Cameron Heyward, DT, Suwanee, GA (Peachtree Ridge), 6-6/280/4.9, #9 Georgia prospect - LSU, OSU, FL and GA all involved. Hard to tell who has the best shot here. OSU would really love to land a DT in this class with the numbers the way they are right now. 1/30/07 Update - OSU still in the hunt. 1/31/07 Update - He declares he will sign with Ohio State.
Jermale Hines, LB/S, Cleveland, OH (Glenville), 6-2/200/4.55, #6 Ohio prospect – The holdup on the offer apparently was grades/test scores which Hines now is said to have in order. Sounds like Hines will be a Buckeye if he is indeed okay with grades/test scores. Looks like OSU would bring Hines in as a safety. This would be a solid late get. 1/26/07 Update - Now appears to be official that he will sign with OSU.
Kyle Jefferson, WR, Cleveland, OH (Glenville), 6-5/170/4.50, #19 Ohio prospect – OSU in contact but has not extended an offer. If OSU strikes out on the likes of Rojo and Thompson, which is likely, Jefferson could end up with an offer. If that happens, it would appear to be likely that Jefferson would jump on it. 1/25/07 Update Kyle has now given his verbal commitment to Wisconsin. 1/30/07 Update- Committed to Wisconsin. If OSU offers, Jefferson would probably consider changing his commitment, but an offer is not likely forthcoming
Mike Johnson, QB, Durham, NC, (Hillside), 6-2/210/4.7, Not rated – OSU has been in contact, but it is not likely Johnson gets an offer. 1/30/07 Update - Still little chance OSU offers.
Ronald Johnson, CB/WR, Muskegon, MI (Muskegon), 6-0/185/4.4, #1 Michigan prospect – Rojo likely ends up staying up north. OSU is a real long shot here. 1/30/07 Update - Looks like Florida leads Michigan with OSU out of the picture. 2/4/07 Update - Ron announced at his church that he will be attending USC.
Ben Martin, DE, Cincinnati, OH (LaSalle), 6-5/225/4.65, #1 Ohio prospect. Committed to Tennessee. I have listed him here (as still on the radar) but the chances of Martin changing his mind appear to be slim to none. 1/30/07 Update - Probably a 99% chance Martin will sign with Tennessee.
Robert Marve, QB, Tampa, FL (Plant Senior), 6-2/190/4.7, #13 Florida prospect – Committed to Alabama, but it may end up signing elsewhere. OSU is in contact, but it is unlikely Marve ends up at OSU. 1/30/07 update - Marve will not end up at OSU. 1/30/07 Update - Marve will not end up at OSU.
Devon Still, DL/OL, Wilmington, DE (Howard), 6-5/250/4.90, #3 Delaware prospect – Deciding between OSU and Penn State. Some insiders saying OSU likely wins out here, but many think he’s Penn State bound. We shall see. Apparently, Still will announce on Wed. 1/24/07 Update - It is now being reported that Devon has verbally committed to Penn State.
Eric Thomas, DT, Cleveland, OH (Glenville), 6-5/250/4.75, #67 Ohio prospect – Appears to be in the same shoes as teammate Kyle Jefferson. Could get a late offer if OSU cannot land a DT elsewhere. 1/30/07 Update - Unlikely an offer is forthcoming.
Deonte Thompson, WR, Belle Glade, FL (Glades Central), 6-0/186/4.35, #3 Florida prospect – OSU may have a shot with the recent announcements by Ginn and Gonzo, but it appears to be a long shot. Would be a huge get if OSU could land Thompson, who may be the top WR prospect nationally. 1/30/07 Update - OSU could still have a shot here, although he still seems like a long shot.
Major Wright, S, St. Fort Lauderdale, FL, (Thomas Aquinas), 6-1/204/4.55, #7 Florida prospect – Miami (FL) now looks like the school to beat. OSU was thought to be the leader up until recently. OSU would really like to land this to highly touted big hitter. Wright apparently will announce his decision on signing day. 1/30/07 Update - Verbally committed to Florida.
Buckeye 50 Football
Recruiting 2007
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This page was last updated: October 25, 2007
2007 Class - Considered the Buckeyes
Sean Baker S 6-0 180 Canfield, OH
Bobby Barnes WR 5-10 165 Lacey, WA
Fitzgerald Bobo WR 6-4 190 Duquesne, PA
David Bradley QB 6-2 170 Cincinnati, OH
Michael Brewster OG 6-6 277 Orlando, FL
Zack Brown WR 5-10 160 Hugo, OK
Tyree Bullock CB 5-11 168 Raleigh, NC
Zachariah Busch DT 6-2 240 Holt, MO
Ryan Carlock OT 6-4 258 Mishawaka, IN
Antoine Carter DE 6-4 228 Fort Lauderdale, FL
Zach Clark DE 6-4 220 Grove City, OH
Gavin Cooper ILB 6-3 220 Oakland, CA
Rudell Crim RB 6-1 190 Tallahassee, FL
Joey D'Andrea DE 6-2 250 Columbus, OH
Brady Demell DE 6-3 225 Mentor, OH
Andrew Durbin QB 6-5 200 Carmel, IN
Zachary Easterly OLB 6-3 200 Detroit, MI
Dewey Elliot ILB 6-1 205 Fairfield, OH
Mike Flood OG 6-4 295 Westlake, OH
Stephen Ford RB 5-10 175 Cambridge, OH
Doug Furman OLB 6-2 190 Twinsburg, OH
Perci Garner QB 6-1 185 Dover, OH
Ben Graeff OLB 6-3 215 Massillon, OH
Dan Grimsley QB 6-0 180 Canton, OH
Eric Haislah CB 5-9 170 Cleveland, OH
Richard Havins RB 5-11 188 Austin, TX
Robert Hughes RB 6-0 220 Chicago, IL
Jatavious Jackson OG 6-4 270 Belle Glade, FL
Aaron Johnson WR 5-11 165 Baton Rouge, LA
Sheldon Johnson QB 6-2 195 Deptford, NJ
Warner Jones CB 5-9 165 Hillsborough, NJ
Ben Jurevicius CB 6-0 175 Cleveland, OH
Alfa Kaba ILB 6-0 190 Evanston, IL
Tony Kennedy RB 5-11 190 Lakeland, FL
Pat Lazear ILB 6-1 225 Bathesda, MD
Josh Lewis RB 5-8 175 Cypress, TX
Chase Mason RB 5-11 200 Elyria, OH
Lamar Mason CB 6-1 185 Pittsburgh, PA
Jovan Miller S 6-1 190 Syracuse, NY
Matt Moody QB 6-3 205 Fairburn, GA
Derrick Morgan DE 6-4 260 Coatesville, PA
Andrew Nowels QB 6-4 210 Clearwater, FL
Marcus O'Hara OT 6-6 310 Hubbard, OH
Blake Pacheco ILB 6-2 220 Salinas, CA
Ridge Riebold ILB 6-0 205 Powell, OH
Pete Rolf OLB 6-4 220 Piqua, OH
Joe Scott DT 6-2 260 Louisville, KY
Matt Simmons OT 6-6 310 Racine, WI
Hossa Simpson RB 5-8 180 Cincinnati, OH
Marquis Singleton DE 6-4 225 Decatur, IL
Spencer Smith FB 6-3 220 McMurray, PA
Gino Sturdivant CB 5-9 175 Cleveland, OH
George Tabron OLB 6-3 Canton, OH
Eric Thomas DE 6-4 250 Cleveland, OH
Joshuelle Tuesno RB 5-9 185 Reserve, LA
Michael Vaughn OT 6-5 260 Columbus, OH
Cameron Wade OC 6-2 265 Bedford, OH
Donovan Warren CB 5-11 185 Long Beach, CA
Kenneth Watley Jr. S 5-9 180 Cleveland, OH
Morgan Williams RB 5-11 191 Canton, OH
Mark Woolridge RB 5-7 175 Stow, OH
Lee Zamos OT 6-4 240 Chagrin Falls, OH
2007 CLASS
Nate Oliver - S
Evan Blankenship - OG
Eugene Clifford - S
Donnie Evege - CB
'Boom' Herron - RB
Cameron Heyward - DT
James Scott - CB
Jermale Hines - LB
Rocco Pentello - S-QB
2007 Recruiting Page Visitors - Thank you from Buckeye 50
