We have now passed the National Signing Day and all (except Bryce Brown) of the top high school prospects have committed (and signed letters of intent) to schools for next year. I’ve already broken down the offense for next year in my previous posts, so I’m going to shift gears and take a look at the defense. I’ll start it off by giving my comments and insight on what we will be seeing upfront on the defensive line.

At Defensive End:

Ø Lawrence Wilson, SR-RS – The 6-5 274-pound fifth-year senior has not completed either of the past two seasons due to injury. He broke his right leg in 2007 against Youngstown State, and tore his right ACL this past season against Ohio University. His name is consistently mentioned amongst the players expected to have “breakout seasons.” A prized recruit of the 2005 recruiting class from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (home of King James), Wilson has the potential to be a first-day draft pick a year from now if he can stay healthy.

Ø Thaddeus Gibson, JR-RS – Gibson was converted to defensive end from outside linebacker last summer. His intensity on the field helped him to excel, but also caused him to miss tackles and make mistakes (penalties). With another offseason of grooming at the position, expect him to make a name for himself and establish himself as one of the premier pass rushers in college football. He is one of the more likely candidates to leave early for the NFL following next season.

Ø Rob Rose, SR – At 6-5 and 285 pounds, Rose isn’t your typical defensive end. Every year there is talk about whether he should slide inside to defensive tackle or remain at the end position. Size and strength are clearly not the reasons he hasn’t molded into a tackle, so the coaches must see something in his ability at defensive end that has yet to translate to the field. He has suffered nagging shoulder injuries, but I expect Rose to go out with a bang in his final year as Buckeye and possibly get a late round look from an NFL team willing to take a risk on a player with great potential.

Ø Nathan Williams, SO – Williams played well his first year on campus and was one of the more surprising first year players for the Buckeyes in 2008. He has the speed and strength to exceed at the defensive end position in the Big Ten. Though Gibson and Wilson are the anticipated starters, I would not be surprised to see Williams push them for playing time. There has also been talk of seeing him at the middle linebacker position as well.

Ø Keith Wells, FR-RS – At 6-5, Wells has the size to mold into a fantastic athlete at the position, but at just 210 pounds, he needs to add some weight before he can contribute consistently. He was a prized recruit coming out of high school because of his athleticism and long wingspan. After a year in our S&C program, he might add enough size to warrant some playing time next year.

Ø Willie Mobley, FR-RS – Mobley reinjured his shoulder early on in last year’s campaign and spent the season rehabbing. He was another big-time prospect out of high school, and might see the field some in passing downs if he can stay healthy next year.

Ø Melvin Fellows, FR – Fellows, the number three rated defensive end (according to Scout), stands 6-5 and weighs in at 245 pounds. He is an excellent pass rusher, but will need to work on his technique before he will see the playing field. I expect to see Fellows on the field early next season and possibly contributing a good deal of playing time once the season wraps up.

Ø Jonathan Newsome, FR – The signing of Newsome adds a second Glenville-native (Rob Rose) to our defensive end rotation. Newsome is a hybrid-DE/LB type of player (ala Bobby Carpenter). He will likely redshirt next year.

Position Grade: B+

We don’t lose anyone at this position, but gain one of the top recruits (Fellows) and a potential All-American (Wilson). If this deep unit can stay healthy, fans will be pleasantly surprised with their play on the field next season.

At Defensive Tackle:

Ø Cameron Heyward, JR – Heyward was a standout defensive end his freshman year, but he had some difficulties adjusting to the defensive tackle position last year. He is arguably the most ferocious player on the team and he has a heart to match that intensity. He split time at DT and DE last year and may do the same again if we experience any injuries to our front four.

Ø Doug Worthington, SR-RS – Dubbed “the next Will Smith” four years ago when he committed to the program; Worthington has the tools to light it up on defensive. He just hasn’t been able to put it all together for an entire season. I expect him to surprise some people and have a stellar 2009 campaign.

Ø Todd Denlinger, SR-RS – Denlinger reminds me of Tim Anderson from the ’02 National Championship team. He is super strong and has a motor that doesn’t stop. If he can avoid injuries, he has a good chance to take over Doug’s spot as the starter.

Ø Dexter Larimore, JR-RS – Larimore is an interesting player. He has great physical tools, but for some reason they haven’t translated to success on the field. He is another guy that may surprise some people next year, but I don’t expect him because he is playing behind some real talent in CH, DW, and TD.

Ø Garrett Goebel, FR-RS – Goebel was a terrific wrestler in high school and a highly sought after recruit two years ago. He redshirted last year but could see some playing time in 2009 if he manage to crack the two-deep rotation.

Ø John Simon, FR – Simon is cut out of the same mold as Mike Kudla. The 6-4 274-pound Army All-American bench presses 425 and squats 700. Clearly a workout warrior, it remains to be seen how well his Hulk-ish strength will translate to success on the football field.

Ø Adam Bellamy, FR – A bit of a “project player” at DT, Bellamy could potentially be moved to the offensive guard position, but will likely redshirt in 2009.

Position Grade: B

We don’t lose anyone here, either, so we have our entire defensive line unit returning. Denlinger and Larimore were banged up for parts of 2008, but if they can stay healthy, we have a lot of experience and leadership at the all important DT position. This has been our biggest weakness the past couple of years, but I feel optimistic that their play will improve in 2009.

The front four is the anchor of every defense, and I expect the guys we have to anchor the Buckeye D quite well. Losing two-thirds of our starting linebackers means we need the defensive line to step up and play well to help the new starters on defense. My next post will take a look at the open competition for the three linebacker spots for next season.

GO BUCKEYES!

-Chris

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