Drew Thurman (2:06 pm)

Now that the Buckeyes have another Michigan win in their pocket and a Rose Bowl berth to look forward to, the focus now will turn towards recruiting for Buckeye Nation. Things on the recruiting front have been pretty quiet over the last several months, with the last commitment coming in early September. Most of the biggest names are still out there though, and the staff will look to close this class out in style.

While that means some excitement awaits in December and January, you better believe there are some anxious Buckeye fans out there. Ever since the recruiting meltdown at the end of the 2007 class, fans have been increasingly focused on closing each class out. The staff has responded to that debacle with two stellar classes in '08 and '09, and they will look to continue that momentum to finish this class out. So, let's take an in depth look at some of the names still out there, and who the experts are saying the Buckeyes have the best chances at. In this edition, lets start with the offense...

On the offensive side of things, the Buckeyes have realistically brought in most of the position players they will in 2010. With Taylor Graham at quarterback, Roderick Smith at running back, and the big trio at wideout (Brown, Louis, and Williams), the staff has stock piled talent to already deep positions. They didn't bring in a big name quarterback or any tight ends, both of which will be high priorities in 2011.

Outside of an unforeseen late offer, which Tressel has become famous for, the main focus the rest of the way will be the offensive line. The Buckeyes have already locked up tackle Andrew Norwell, but still have some huge names on the board they are pursuing. The staff will always looked to bring 2-3 offensive linemen in every class no matter, because as we have learned this season, you can never have enough of them. The names to watch: 

OL Seantrel Henderson (6'8'', 310) - If you haven't heard Henderson's name, you have been under a rock for the last six months. He is ranked the top offensive lineman by almost all the recruiting services, and his list of offers backs that up. The Buckeyes are obviously going to be in a dogfight until the end to try to pick up Henderson. While Oklahoma, Florida, USC, Notre Dame, Minnesota, and Miami (FL) are all listed as possibilities for his services, Bill Kurelic and others think it could very well come down to the Ohio State, Notre Dame, and USC. This is one to watch, but the Buckeyes are a major player. Just watching this interview convinces me!

OL Matt James (6'8'', 280) - The recruitment of James has been very quiet, mostly because he shut things down during his football season. Now things will start to heat up as James starts to take his visits. Count on him exhausting his potential visits before even thinking of making a decision. At this point, it appears as if things will come down to Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati. Obviously what ends up happening with both Charlie Weis and Brian Kelly could have a huge factor in James making his decision. I personally don't have a great feeling about him becoming a Buckeye at this point, and I think Kelly heading to Notre Dame would solidify his decision for the the Irish. 

Other names with outside chances: OL Chaz Green & OL Brandon Linder

So overall, outside of the offensive line don't plan on seeing anyone commit to the Buckeyes on the offensive side of the ball. The bulk of the remaining commitments should come on the defensive side of the ball, where the Buckeyes are in the hunt for lots of guys on the defensive line and in the secondary. We will take a look in depth look at them in part two.