2013 College Football Recruiting Rankings No. 2: Ohio State Buckeyes

College football's 2013 National Signing Day is in the books and Athlon Sports kicks off its 2013 team recruiting rankings countdown with an in-depth look at the best classes in the nation.

Ohio State and Michigan are poised for another memorable head-to-head run at Big Ten greatness and it starts with recruiting. Urban Meyer has made no friends in his first two romps through the Big Ten recruiting trail and it has netted him two elite classes. And with 10 Athlon Consensus 100 prospects, good for second nationally, the Buckeyes might be the top challengers to Alabama outside of the SEC.

No. 2: Ohio State Buckeyes

Big Ten Rank: First
Athlon Consensus 100 Signees: 10
National Signees: 14
Total Signees: 24

Where They Got 'Em:

One thing is for sure, Meyer knows where the good players are. Talent-rich states Ohio (10), Texas (3), Florida (2) and Georgia (2) provided more than 70 percent of this class, including seven of the 10 top 100 recruits. California also shipped an AC100 prospect to Columbus while New Jersey, Missouri, Indiana, North and South Carolina each sent one prospect to Ohio State as well. 

Areas of Focus:

The Buckeyes had a clear plan during this recruiting cycle. Defense, defense and more defense. Of the 24 signees in this class, as many as 16 could end up playing on the defensive side of the ball. Five of the top six players in this class are locked in to the defense. In particular, Meyer focused on his defensive line and secondary.

Three of the top six players in this class are defensive backs. Safety Vonn Bell is the top prospect in the class and will be joined on the backend of the defense by Jayme Thompson and Christopher Worley. This gives Meyer one of the best safety classes in the nation. On the outside, AC100 cornerbacks Eli Apple and Cam Burrows provide elite cover skills. This set of five defensive backs is one of the best in the nation and could also feature more talent should one of the three “athletes” land in the secondary.

Along the defensive front, Ohio State is watching Jonathan Hankins and John Simon leave campus for the bright lights of the NFL. To help combat the losses, the Buckeyes are bringing in six highly rated D-linemen. This group is led by AC100 end Joey Bosa and tackle Michael Hill. Early enrollees Tracy Sprinkle and Tyquan Lewis bring speed to the edge and both could be ready to play quickly with one spring practice under their belts before fall. Billy Price and Donovan Munger bring over 600 pounds of presence to the interior of the line. After the best defensive line class in the nation a year ago, Meyer has made it clear his front line will be a constant area of focus. Especially, if Ohio State wants to win a BCS title game against the SEC.

A pair of elite linebackers in superstar Mike Mitchell and Trey Johnson adds great depth to the roster.

The offense wasn’t ignored by any means, however. National recruit J.T. Barrett is the heir apparent to Braxton Miller at quarterback and should fit perfectly in Meyer’s spread scheme. Jalin Marshall, the nation’s No. 5 wide receiver, James Clark and Corey Smith add some much-needed play-making ability on the outside. The No. 4-rated tight end, Marcus Baugh, should also help the passing game as well.

Top 100 signees Evan Lisle and Ezekiel Elliott lead small offensive line (2) and running back (1) classes. This could change when Lone Star State running back and AC100 prospect Dontre Wilson eventually has a position. He should play a Percy Harvin-type of role for Meyer as he can score from anywhere on the field.

Two other athletes, Gareon Conley and Darron Lee, could play a variety of positions. 

Positional Breakdown:

Offense: QB: 1, RB: 1, WR: 3, TE: 1, OL: 2
Defense: DL: 6, LB: 2, DB: 5, ATH: 3

AC100/National Recruits:

Early Enrollees:

Athlon Sports 2013 Recruiting Classes:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide
2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Related: National Signing Day 2013 Winners and Losers