Scarlet Sunrise: Committed Buckeyes, top targets reshuffled in rankings

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Committed Buckeyes, top targets reshuffled in rankings

Ohio State is recruiting at an unbelievable pace, even amid the ongoing dead period caused by the pandemic.

And it appears the Buckeyes won’t be slowing down for the 2022 class, either. Some of the top prospects in the country are considering the Buckeyes, and three others are already Ohio State pledges. On Wednesday, 247sports.com updated its top 247 in the class of 2022, and there was plenty of movement regarding the Buckeyes commitments and top targets.

The new No. 1 player in America is Quinn Ewers, a quarterback from Southlake, Texas, who was offered by the Buckeyes before he ever played high school football. Another top Buckeyes target, Marysville linebacker Gabe Powers, stayed in the top 50 despite dropping down four slots to No. 47. Now the No. 1 outside linebacker in the country, he’s expected to choose Ohio State. Shawn Murphy, another one of the top linebacker targets, is No. 55. Plenty more targets are highly-ranked players.

And the three committed prospects are all in the top 247. C.J. Hicks, a linebacker from Dayton, checked in at No. 101, up 61 spots from the last rankings update. Offensive line commit Tegra Tshabola slipped down to No. 238, while cornerback commitment Jyaire Brown is at No. 115.

Ohio State reels in plenty of prospects from the top 247 every year, and 2022 figures to be no different.

ICYMI: Urban Meyer, former Buckeyes break down historic 2012 season

Urban Meyer had quite a few great teams at Ohio State. But no team was more important to the program than the undefeated 2012 team.

The Buckeyes defied the odds throughout the entire 2012 season, Urban Meyer’s first at Ohio State, pulling off a couple thrilling escapes, overcoming scholarship reductions, tuning out the bowl ban and eventually capping the undefeated season with a physical win over rival Michigan in the Horseshoe.

There are countless stories from that journey that still haven’t been told, and five members of that team joined Meyer at Urban Meyer’s Pint House to tell a few in a conversation sponsored by our partners at Byers Auto. C.J. Barnett, Evan Spencer, Reid Fragel, Jack Mewhort and Jake Stoneburner joined Lettermen Row to reflect on that season — and raise a glass to the Ohio State Team of the Decade.

Bobby Carpenter breaks down Baron Browning

Baron Browning has the ability to change games from any position on the Ohio State defense. The versatile defender can be a force in the middle at linebacker. He can drop back into coverage and run sideline to sideline to make plays. And he can certainly create havoc in the backfield as a edge rusher for the Buckeyes.

The results are clearly trending the right way for Browning, who battled through a core-muscle injury last year to still finish with 10 tackles for loss and 5 sacks in the best statistical season of his career with the program. There’s still more room to grow there, and Browning’s dynamic ability and the chance to possibly rush the passer even more this year should allow him to top those numbers even in a shortened season.

What makes Baron Browning such a disruptive force for Ohio State? Where is the best place to unleash his athleticism on the Buckeyes defense? How high is the ceiling for the senior linebacker? Former Ohio State and NFL star Bobby Carpenter popped in some film and answered those questions in the latest episode of BuckIQ.

Roll the tape!

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