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Ohio State Football: Urban Meyer is unstoppable recruiting force

By Connor Muldowney

LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes watches player warm up before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes watches player warm up before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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Urban Meyer and Ohio State football landed the nation’s No. 1 tackle in the 2020 class, proving the Buckeyes are nearly unstoppable on the recruiting trail.

When you think of elite college football recruiters, the first name that comes to mind is Nick Saban. He could sleepwalk through his recruiting trips and still land the No. 1 or No. 2 class in the nation, it seems. A lot of the lure is playing for powerhouse Alabama, but he’s also an excellent coach who knows how to win national titles and get his guys to the NFL.

However, Urban Meyer doesn’t quite get the respect he deserves. No, I’m not saying his recruiting goes without praise, but his dominance in the recruiting circuit is truly underrated.

Take Dwan Mathis for example. The four-star quarterback from Oak Park, Mich., had been committed to Michigan State since September and reiterated he was 100 percent committed to the green and white — multiple times. Even after received an offer from the Buckeyes, he claimed he was all green and white. One official visit later and he’s a Buckeye.

Not a good enough example of Meyer’s recruiting prowess? Take a look at the 2020 class. He landed two four-star prospects early on, both in the top-200 nationally, reigning from Florida and Georgia. If that wasn’t a good enough start to the class, he reeled in five-star, and No. 1 tackle in the 2020 class, Paris Johnson Jr. from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sure, he was an in-state target and the Buckeyes may have had to completely blow his recruitment to miss out on him, but landing the nation’s top tackle for 2020 this early in the process is impressive, nonetheless.

Just how good has Meyer been at recruiting since taking over at Ohio State? Take a look at his recruiting class ranks:

  • 2012: No. 5 in nation, No. 1 in Big Ten
  • 2013: No. 2 in nation, No. 1 in Big Ten
  • 2014: No. 3 in nation, No. 1 in Big Ten
  • 2015: No. 7 in nation, No. 1 in Big Ten
  • 2016: No. 4 in nation, No. 1 in Big Ten
  • 2017: No. 2 in nation, No. 1 in Big Ten
  • 2018: No. 2 in nation, No. 1 in Big Ten
  • 2019: Currently No. 5 in nation and No. 1 in Big Ten

Yes, Ohio State has a string of eight straight classes as the Big Ten’s best — nine if you include the one season before Meyer.

His recruiting dominance should not be overlooked, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to end any time in the near future. As long as he’s in town, the Buckeyes are going to be that premier team in the Big Ten and there may not be a more consistent coach in the country (outside of Saban).

Next: Ohio State: 5 breakout candidates for 2018

National title No. 2 with the Buckeyes may be coming soon for Meyer if he keeps this up.

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