The backbone of any college football program is recruiting. If you want to compete for bowl games, conference titles and national championships, you have to convince the right players to come to your school and then develop them in your system and culture.
But it all starts with talent.
For Ohio State football, recruiting is a way of life. The Buckeye program is consistently in the top five programs when it comes to signing the best high school prospects in the country.
Because of it, OSU is one of the blue blood programs of the sport and seems to always be in the Big Ten and national title picture.
We decided to take a look through all the recruits that have come through Ohio State in recent memory and pick out the four best we consider the Mount Rushmore of Buckeye recruits. It doesn’t necessarily mean the highest-rated or who turned out to be the best player in college, but those that had a lot of buzz and were expected to turn into something special.
Also, even though the Buckeyes have been pulling in some of their best-ever recruits over the last few years, we’re not taking into account players that have yet to officially sign because that status can always change.
So, here we go, the Mount Rushmore of Ohio State football recruiting prospects. We’ll start with four honorable mention prospects and then get into the fab four.
More Mount Rushmore’s from the College Wire Network:
Bama / Aub / Fla / LSU / Tenn. / UGA // Mich. / Mich St. / Ohio St. / Wisc. // Okla. / Texas // ND // USC
NEXT … Honorable mentions
Honorable mentions
Chase Young, Defensive End
Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Recruiting Profile
Class: 2017
Hometown: Hyattsville, Maryland
High School: DeMatha Catholic
247Sports Rankings: Five-Star (No. 1 DE, No. 7 overall)
Noah Spence, Defensive End
Recruiting Profile
Class: 2012
Hometown: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
High School: Bishop McDevitt
247Sports Rankings: Five-Star (No. 1 DE, No. 5 overall)
Julian Fleming, Wide Receiver
Recruiting Profile
Class: 2020
Hometown: Catawissa, Pennsylvania
High School: Southern Columbia
247Sports Rankings: Five-Star (No. 1 WR, No. 2 overall)
Jeff Okudah, Cornerback
Recruiting Profile
Class: 2017
Hometown: Grand Prairie, Texas
High School: South Grand Prairie
247Sports Rankings: Five-Star (No. 1 DE, No. 7 overall)
NEXT … The Mount Rushmore of Ohio State recruits
Nick Bosa, Defensive End
Recruiting Profile
Class: 2016
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
High School: St. Thomas Aquinas
247Sports Rankings: Five-Star (No. 1 DE, No. 8 overall)
The Buzz
Nick Bosa came to Ohio State after his older brother, Joey, had already made a name for himself as a three-year starter in Columbus. Prior to his arrival, many considered Nick further along the development curve than Joey and possessing a higher ceiling. He struggled with injury early and late in his Ohio State career, but he was still an All-American and First-Team Big Ten performer.
Career Stats at Ohio State
| Year | Games | Solo | Assisted | Total Tackles | TFLs | Sacks |
| 2016 | 12 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 7.0 | 5.0 |
| 2017 | 14 | 19 | 15 | 34 | 16.0 | 8.5 |
| 2018 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 6.0 | 4.0 |
Where Bosa is now
Bosa was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2019 NFL draft as the No. 2 overall pick. He took the NFL by storm, winning the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. He was expected to take the next step into superstardom in 2020, but he suffered a season-ending injury in Game 2 of the season. He is rehabbing, and you’ll hear more from him very soon.
NEXT … A “Beanie” baby
Chris “Beanie” Wells, Running Back
USA TODAY Sports
Recruiting Profile
Class: 2006
Hometown: Akron, Ohio
High School: Garfield
247Sports Rankings: Five-Star (No. 1 RB, No. 7 overall)
The Buzz
Wells was widely regarded as the best running back in the country in 2006 and was an almost lock to attend the home state school of Ohio State. His quickness and explosiveness for a guy his size were legendary in high school, and he was known as a can’t miss prospect.
Career Stats at Ohio State
| Year | Games | Carries | Yards | YPC | TDS | Rec. | Yards | YPR | TDs |
| 2006 | 13 | 104 | 576 | 5.5 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 13 | 274 | 1,609 | 5.9 | 15 | 5 | 21 | 4.2 | 0 |
| 2008 | 10 | 207 | 1,197 | 5.8 | 8 | 8 | 47 | 5.9 | 0 |
Where Wells is Now
Wells was taken by the Arizona Cardinals at No. 31 in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. His career was up and down. He showed flashes of talent, but he also suffered through injuries. He became Arizona’s starting running back in 2010, but his relationship with the organization did not end well. He suffered a torn Achilles in 2013 and never played football again. He is a business owner and media personality in Columbus.
NEXT … The need for speed
Ted Ginn, Jr., Wide-Receiver
Recruiting Profile
Class: 2004
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
High School: Glenville
247Sports Rankings: Five-Star (No. 1 WR, No. 2 overall)
The Buzz
Ginn was well-regarded as the top player in a football-crazed state. He was most known as an athlete with blazing speed who played cornerback. It was unclear how the Buckeye program would use him, but Jim Tressel and staff slotted him in space as a wide receiver and return specialist. He might be the fastest guy to ever play for the Buckeyes.
Career Stats at Ohio State
| Year | Games | Rec. | Yards | YPR | TDS | Carries | Yards | YPR | TDs |
| 2004 | 12 | 25 | 359 | 14.4 | 2 | 13 | 113 | 8.7 | 2 |
| 2005 | 12 | 51 | 803 | 15.7 | 4 | 12 | 83 | 6.9 | 1 |
| 2006 | 13 | 59 | 781 | 13.2 | 9 | 3 | 17 | 5.7 | 0 |
Where Ginn is now
Ginn’s blazing 4.28 speed in the 40-yard dash caused NFL scouts and executives to drool. He reportedly beat Usain Bolt in a race in high school and claims that he would have won an Olympic gold medal if he hadn’t taken the football path. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins ninth overall in 2007 and has put together a pretty nice 13-year NFL career. He signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears for 2020, but was released on Nov. 4 and remains a free agent.
NEXT … In a “Pryor” life
Terrelle Pryor, Quarterback
Recruiting Profile
Class: 2008
Hometown: Jeannette, Pennsylvania
High School: Jeannette
247Sports Rankings: Five-Star (No. 1 Dual-Threat QB, No. 2 overall)
The Buzz
Pryor’s recruitment was a strange and highly public affair. Many recruiting services regarded him as the top quarterback in the country, and he originally shunned his home state school, Penn State, to commit to Ohio State. On national signing day, however, there appeared to be a difference of opinion between him and those close to him on which school he should attend. Michigan put on the full press with new head coach Rich Rodriquez, but in the end, Pryor chose the Buckeyes about six weeks later. He drew comparisons to Vince Young and showed elite athleticism in the running game.
Career Stats at Ohio State
| Year | Games | Att. | Comp. | % | Yards | TDs | INT | Carries | Yards | YPC | TDs |
| 2008 | 13 | 100 | 165 | 60.6 | 1,311 | 12 | 4 | 139 | 636 | 4.5 | 7 |
| 2009 | 13 | 165 | 295 | 56.6 | 2,094 | 18 | 11 | 162 | 779 | 4.8 | 7 |
| 2010 | 13 | 210 | 323 | 65.0 | 2,772 | 27 | 11 | 135 | 773 | 5.6 | 5 |
Where Pryor is now
Pryor was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the NFL’s 2011 supplemental draft because of issues stemming from an investigation that led to his departure from Ohio State. After bouncing around a bit, he eventually switched to wide receiver and had over 1,000 yards receiving for the Cleveland Browns in 2016. It didn’t last. Pryor signed a one-year deal with the Redskins but suffered an ankle injury that resulted in surgery. He hasn’t been the same since. Last November, he was involved in a bizarre stabbing that resulted in dual assault charges for him and his girlfriend. It landed him in the ICU and he was subsequently released. He is a free agent, and his career could be over.
More Mount Rushmore’s from the College Wire Network:
Bama / Aub / Fla / LSU / Tenn. / UGA // Mich. / Mich St. / Ohio St. / Wisc. // Okla. / Texas // ND // USC
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