Big 33: OSU Impact Players
By Adam
We spend our entire lives hearing and supporting the phrase “no player is bigger than the game.” However, when it’s a high school all-star game that really only serves one purpose, letting you see how your recruits perform against top competition in the area, we’ll make an exception to that rule. In the case of the Big 33 game, in which Ohio HS standouts take on Pennsylvania HS all-stars, I hope all of the OSU recruits are, in fact, bigger than the game. Team Ohio won this year 50-14 over Team PA…
So how did the future Buckeyes fare in this year’s game?…
A couple of soon-to-be Buckeyes played without much press or mention, namely Antonio Underwood and Nick Vannett, but 5 others made headlines in the game, a good sign for Buckeye Nation.
Chase Farris, a 6’6″ and 265 lbs Defensive Lineman from Elyria, OH, was played at DT during the game and looked a bit uncomfortable in the role. He has the frame to grow into a DT in the upcoming years, but look for him to be a DE at OSU. ESPN lists Farris as a 4 star recruit (bench press – over 300 lbs, 4.9 sec 40 yard dash), so he could certainly have an impact in years to come at OSU. I don’t foresee him making up much ground this year on a depth chart that already features John Simon, Nathan Williams, Garret Goebel, Jon Lorenz, and eventually Solomon Thomas. However, when you have the natural talent that he clearly has, the sky is the limit for this Elyria giant.
Steve Miller, a DE from Canton McKinley, measures in at 6’3″ and 226 lbs. He is listed, by ESPN, as the #6 DE in the country and the #30 recruit overall in the 2011 class. Miller has tremendous athletic ability and potential, as witnessed by his play in the Big 33 game in which he chased down a receiver for about 50 yards on one of PA’s few good plays. Expect him to be another one to redshirt this season, put on some muscle weight, and make an impact in the next couple of years filling in on the end of the line in the 4-3 system.
Staying on the defensive side of the ball, a recruit that many OSU fans have been looking forward to seeing in scarlet and gray, Doran Grant, made a HUGE play in the Big 33 game. Grant read and reacted perfectly to a fade route, intercepted the pass, and took it 101 yards the opposite way for a TD. Grant, along with Braxton Miller and Curtis Grant (no relation), hope to make immediate impacts on the OSU squad this year, whether it be in starting roles or special teams. DG, listed at 5’11” and 175 lbs, is another ESPN Top 150 recruit, and was ranked as their #3 overall CB in this class. With a little added size and strength, Grant could be a name to remember for years to come with his playmaking abilities.
We, at Scarlet and Game, have mentioned a few dozen times that the wide receiver situation at OSU this season is up for grabs. Normally, I’d say that a prospect like Devin Smith (6’1″, 175 lbs out of Massillon High School) might redshirt his freshman year and attempt to gain some playing time in 2012, but this year…who knows! Smith pleaded his case for OSU playing time in the Big 33 game by catching 2 TDs and making a PA defensive back look like he was in the wrong game. He blew by his DB to make his first TD grab (minute 3:45 of the video at the bottom of this article) so fast that the poor kid looked like he had been up against Randy Moss (in the 90s). Devin has great hands (check out his 2nd TD grab – with one hand at the 6 minute mark of the video below), no fear in traffic, deceptive speed, and a great reach for the ball. I don’t know what his 2011 future holds, but I expect him to be a top-selling Buckeye jersey in a couple of years.
Last, but certainly not least, of the OSU incoming class to make a mark on the Big 33 game, is someone that I am extremely excited about. Cardale Jones, a QB recruit from OSU JR. (aka Cleveland Glenville), has tremendous size, athleticism, and a powerful arm, which were on full display during the game as he completed passes all over the field (see minutes 2, 3:45, and 5:30 of the video below).
Jones is 6’5″, 225 lbs, and can outrun most players on the field, if need be, but before you watch his highlight clip and get apprehensive (see Terrelle Pryor), you should know that this kid is proud and ready to be a Buckeye. He has his head on straight and has a plan for himself. Jones plans on attending a prep school (similar to Carlos Hyde) in the fall and entering OSU with the 2012 class. After that, you’d imagine that a redshirt year would be in place for him to get used to the class schedule and offensive scheme, thus placing him 2 years behind Braxton Miller, and next in line to leave his mark at OSU. Give Cardale 2 years to mature and work on his game and he WILL be a force on the field for the Bucks.
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