Drew Thurman (1:30 pm)
With the 2013 class winding down already and the staff shifting their focus to 2014, we thought it would be a good idea to start introducing some of the key prospects in this class. We'll start with arguably the best player in the state next year, Dante Booker...
Name: Dante Booker
School: St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, OH)
Position: Linebacker
Height/Weight: 6-3/210
Offers: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State
Rankings: No. 1 Ohio 2014 Prospect (247Sports), No. 1 OLB 2014 Prospect (247Sports), No. 1 Ohio 2014 Prospect (OhioPreps.com)
Background:
Dante Booker Jr. is the son of Dante Booker Sr., a former Auburn defensive tackle and Canadian Football player. His father still plays a huge part in his life, and has been a great role model for him. He's also inherited a ton of measurables and athleticism from his father as well. At 6-3 210 pounds, Booker already has great size for a player just entering his junior season. Last year as a sophomore at St. Vincent-St. Mary, Booker amassed 157 tackles, 14 sacks, eight pass breakups, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown. He also plays tight end as well.
With the 2013 class winding down already and the staff shifting their focus to 2014, we thought it would be a good idea to start introducing some of the key prospects in this class. We'll start with arguably the best player in the state next year, Dante Booker...
Name: Dante Booker
School: St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, OH)
Position: Linebacker
Height/Weight: 6-3/210
Offers: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State
Rankings: No. 1 Ohio 2014 Prospect (247Sports), No. 1 OLB 2014 Prospect (247Sports), No. 1 Ohio 2014 Prospect (OhioPreps.com)
Background:
Dante Booker Jr. is the son of Dante Booker Sr., a former Auburn defensive tackle and Canadian Football player. His father still plays a huge part in his life, and has been a great role model for him. He's also inherited a ton of measurables and athleticism from his father as well. At 6-3 210 pounds, Booker already has great size for a player just entering his junior season. Last year as a sophomore at St. Vincent-St. Mary, Booker amassed 157 tackles, 14 sacks, eight pass breakups, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown. He also plays tight end as well.
Booker has impressed on the combine circuit too. At the Massillon Nike Sparq combine on March 17, he finished with a SPARQ rating of 92.88, the best day of any 2014 linebacker in attendance. To grab that score he rattled off a 4.72 laser timed 40 yard dash, 4.60 shuttle time, jumped 27.1 inches in the vertical, and threw the power ball 42 feet.
Urban Meyer was the first to give Booker an offer, and the Buckeyes have thankfully been out of front of his recruitment. Booker reminds many of Jordan Hicks and Trey DePreist, both top Ohio linebackers who headed elsewhere, something that the new staff doesn't want to repeat. He was on campus three months ago for a spring practice, and plans on returning to Columbus soon. He's also the former teammate of current Buckeye cornerback Doran Grant, something that could help in the end.
Booker has also been on campus at Michigan, and is hearing from all the B1G schools and Notre Dame. While he's received no offers from SEC schools to date, he does have a lot of interest in possibly following in his father's footsteps down south. He's talked tentatively about deciding before his senior season.
What He's Said:
To Tyler Waddell (Auburn Reporter):
Urban Meyer was the first to give Booker an offer, and the Buckeyes have thankfully been out of front of his recruitment. Booker reminds many of Jordan Hicks and Trey DePreist, both top Ohio linebackers who headed elsewhere, something that the new staff doesn't want to repeat. He was on campus three months ago for a spring practice, and plans on returning to Columbus soon. He's also the former teammate of current Buckeye cornerback Doran Grant, something that could help in the end.
Booker has also been on campus at Michigan, and is hearing from all the B1G schools and Notre Dame. While he's received no offers from SEC schools to date, he does have a lot of interest in possibly following in his father's footsteps down south. He's talked tentatively about deciding before his senior season.
What He's Said:
To Tyler Waddell (Auburn Reporter):
"I'd really like to play in the SEC," said Booker. "My dad played for Auburn, so it'd be cool to go either there or LSU."
"I am interested in any school that is interested in me. Right now I am open to anywhere".
"The visit went great. I got to meet all the coaches which was nice, and of course it was real cool to meet and talk to Urban Meyer. The environment at Ohio State really impressed me. I've talked to Coach Vrabel and I hope to get down there again this summer."
“Ohio State being in-state and of course with Urban Meyer, they’re definitely up there in my favorites,” Booker said. “I met the coaches. They all seem like good people. I have a real good feel about the whole campus and the environment.”
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