At Halfback:

Boom Herron, SO-RS – Boom was more than serviceable in his time this past season, but his talent is not at the same level as a “Chris Wells” or “Maurice Clarett” -type of back. Boom’s hard-nosed running style reminds me of Antonio Pittman. If we can get the type of production out of Boom that Pittman provided in 05 and 06 (2,606 yards, 21 TDs) I would be ecstatic.

Brandon Saine, JR – Saine came in as a highly-touted prospect, but is yet to find his niche on the team. The coaching staff was working him at the fullback position during the second half of the season. With Pryor’s tendency to toss it to fullback Brandon Smith this past year, I would love to see Saine in that role next season.

*Jamaal Berry, FR – Berry (a five star commit) ran a 4.31 second 40-yard dash at the Miami Scout combine last year. Scouts praise his running power and vision. If the coaching staff moves to the shotgun a bit more (similar to the offense we ran with during Troy Smith’s junior and senior seasons), Berry has the ability to be an explosive ball-carrier as soon as he sets foot on campus.

*Carlos Hyde, FR – Hyde is a much larger back (Scout considers him the top fullback in the country) and is arguably the most prepared for the college game at this point. I don’t think he will ever play a down as a traditional “fullback” because he is the only bruiser we have on the roster and he showed excellent athleticism in high school at tailback.

*Jordan Hall, FR – Hall (hails from the same high school as Pryor) is not as highly-touted as Berry, but given the right role on this team could be another explosive athlete.

Position Grade: B

So Beanie made the right decision and declared for the NFL Draft. His hard-nosed running style makes him prone to injuries, so I fully support his decision. He has given this team three dedicated seasons of play, and I will be following his career in the NFL. That being said, losing Beanie is a HUGE blow to the Ohio State running game. Without Beanie in our backfield, we lack the experienced BIG running back that is so vital in the Big Ten. Incoming recruits Jamaal Berry, Carlos Hyde, and Jordan Hall could all potentially have an impact on this offense as early as next season. This position really depends on the development of the players by next year.

At Fullback:

Jermil Martin, FR-RS – Martin (a Glenville native) has had a year in the system and should see some playing time next year. He is cut out of the same mold as former fullback Dionte Johnson.and there has been talk of Smith’s hard work in practice the past two years.

Spencer Smith, SO-RS – There has been talk the past two years of Smith’s hard work in practice. I don’t expect him to see the field much other than special teams.

*Adam Homan, FR – Homan is the younger brother of linebacker Ross Homan and provides some excellent blocking skills at the position. He may also get a chance at linebacker.

*Carlos Hyde, FR – (See above halfback analysis.)

Position Grade: DNE

It never seems that the coaching staff makes an effort to get the fullback involved in the game. That is why I couldn’t give an accurate position grade here. Truthfully, this position is a hard one to grade. If Coach Tressel brings in an innovative offensive coordinator in the offseason, there may be a chance the fullback will get involved in our gameplan. Otherwise, I say this position will be virtually invisible as it has been in years past.

At Offensive Tackle:

Bryant Browning, JR-RS – We all saw the struggles of Browning at the right tackle position this past season. He needs to cut some weight and work on his foot speed if he wants to see significant playing time next year. He will add depth and experience to the position.

Josh Kerr, JR-RS – Josh (brother of former Buckeye inside linebacker John Kerr) has worked hard but lacks the skills to start on our offensive line. He adds depth and leadership.

Mike Adams, FR-RS – Big Mike was praised for his play at the Army All-American Bowl last year. Many compare him to Orlando Pace (which is quite a comparison). I expect him to replace Boone at left tackle and shore up that spot on the line for the next four seasons.

JB Shugarts, SO – Though injuries kept him sidelined for most of the season, JB looked impressive (for a freshman) in his limited time on the field. He will likely move ahead of Browning on the depth chart at right tackle.

Connor Smith, JR-RS – Smith (a promising five-star prospect coming out of high school) has yet to find his niche on the team. I list him here as a tackle, but he could very well see time at any spot on the offensive line.

*Sam Longo, FR – Longo will likely redshirt because scouts say he needs work on his technique as a blocker.

Position Grade: B

Last year, losing Alex Boone seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. He decided to return for his senior season and ended his career in rather disappointing fashion. His draft stock took a nosedive, as he was a sure-fire first round pick last year and will be lucky to go on the first day in this year’s NFL Draft. As long as we can avoid any injuries at this position, I expect Adams and Shugarts to surprise any doubters next year. These two linemen will be a force to be reckoned with for Ohio State for years to come.

At Offensive Guard:

Jim Cordle, SR-RS – Expect Jim Cordle to be an offensive captain of this team next year. He has been a staple on our line for the past several seasons, and was probably the most reliable lineman we had this past year. He transitioned well from the center to the guard position. You can pencil him in now as the starter at one of the guard slots (probably left guard).

Justin Boren, JR-RS – The other guard position will likely be manned by ex-Wolverine Justin Boren (“Those who stay will be champions?”). Boren started his first two years for scUM under the coaching of Lloyd Carr and left the program soon after the arrival of “mastermind coach” Rich Rodriguez. He has experience and plays with tenacity. Despite his past, expect Boren to be a fan favorite next year.

Andy Miller, JR-RS – Miller is an ex-tight end prospect that has had his share of difficulties making the switch to a full-time lineman.

Evan Blankenship, SO-RS – He was not highly-touted coming out of high school and scouts warned of his lack of quickness. He will provide some depth at the position.

Andrew Moses, SR-RS – Moses is a former walk-on that has worked very hard in his Buckeye career. He has seen time at both guard and center in the past.

*Corey Linsley, FR – Incoming commit Corey Linsley is a top-notch wrestler as well as football player. Hopefully his skills on the mat will translate to pancakes on the football field down the road for this team.

**Marcus Hall – Hall is another prospect from Glenville High School (the school that graduated the likes of Troy Smith, Donte Whitner, Ted Ginn, Ray Small, Robert Rose, Jamario O’Neal, Jermale Hines, Bryant Browning, among others). Though he has not committed, most consider him to be as close to a lock as you can get. He is listed as an offensive tackle prospect, but I feel he has more potential at the guard position. As far as the offensive line goes, your best five traditionally find their way onto the field, and if Hall commits, he will likely be among our best five by his second year in the program. Nothing is a sure thing, but I would put our chances at 99% with Hall.

Position Grade: B+

With two experienced starters at the guard positions and excellent depth behind them, I expect this to be a much improved area from last year’s team. I wish Steve Rehring the best in his life beyond Buckeye football, but his lead feet allowed too much defensive penetration the two seasons.

At Center:

Mike Brewster, SO – Brewster looked great for a freshman in his starts this past season. Given another offseason with the team and an opportunity to hit the weight room, he should be excellent next season. Mike plays with a mean streak, which I think is something this team lacks.

Jim Cordle, SR-RS – If an injury would strike Brewster, Cordle would be the first candidate to slide over and take his place.

*Jack Mewhort, FR – Mewhort is another commit native to the 419-area code. He will need to work on his foot speed before he can be considered for playing time on this line, however. Recruited as a tackle, it seems likely that he will transition to the center position in college.

Position Grade: B

The real question here is who will back up Brewster at center? If Mewhort redshirts, Andrew Moses will probably step in as the second team center. We lack depth at the center position, so it would not surprise me to see the coaching staff move someone else to this position to add some depth (possibly Connor Smith).

As a complete offense, I would award this unit with a grade of “B.” This is probably a very safe grade at this point. There are so many variables that predicting the success of our offense next year is near impossible. If Pryor improves like we all expect him to, if a couple of receivers establish themselves as the elite ones out of our group of guys, and if a halfback emerges as our “go-to” guy, this offense has the capabilities of being one of the most prolific in the nation.

We have plenty of talent waiting to make a statement to the college football world. As Kirk stated in his post following the Texas loss, we don’t rebuild at Ohio State, we RELOAD. Expect us to reload and be ready to make a run at the Big Ten next year. My next post will focus on what to expect next year on the defensive line.

Go Buckeyes!

-Chris