Entries from June 2007 ↓

Contributor: Adam Kiefaber
Web address: Buckeye Lane
Last Year Record: 12-1
Last Year Summary: Ohio State won all 12 of their regular season games and was the favorite to win the National Championship. In the first 11 games, the Buckeyes out scored their opponents 394 to 86. Then in a classic match up, #1 Ohio State defeated #2 Michigan 42 to 39. The Florida Gators shocked the non-SEC football world and dismantled the Buckeyes by a score of 41 to 14 in the BCS National Championship. The question mark coming into the ‘06 season was the defense, which returned only two starters and lost stars OLB A.J. Hawk, SS Donte Whitner, OLB Bobby Carpenter, CB Aston Youboty, ILB Anthony Schlegel and FS Nate Salley to the NFL draft. However, MLB James Laurinaitis emerged and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Also, CB Malcolm Jenkins and OLB Marcus Freeman were impressive. The offense was the strength of the team, led by QB Troy Smith, RB Antonio Pittman, WR Ted Ginn Jr., WR Anthony Gonzalez and true freshman Chris “Beanie” Wells.
Returning Starters: 4 Offensive - 6 Defensive
Players to Watch (possible awards) This Season: RB Chris “Beanie” Wels, MLB James Laurinaitis, OLB Marcus Freeman, CB Malcolm Jenkins, DE Vernon Gholston, OT Alex Boone, OT Kirk Barton
Players to Watch (breakout players) This Season: A QB? (Todd Boeckman, Ron Schoenhoft or Antonio Henton), WR Raymond Small, OLB Larry Grant, DE Robert Rose, SS Jamario O’Neal, DT Doug Worthington, RB Maurice Wells
Offensive Strengths: Running backs Sophomore Beanie and junior Maurice Wells will carry the load while the Buckeyes look for a consistent starting quarterback. Beanie is the power back and Maurice is the speed. Maurice Wells should have his best season yet. Also, Ohio State added two great RB recruits this year in Brandon Saine and Daniel “Boom” Herron.
Offensive Weaknesses: Ohio State is losing their best quarterback of all-time in Heisman winner Troy Smith. Junior Todd Boeckman is the projected starter and knows the offense the best. Sophomore Rob Schoenhoft has the strong arm, while freshman Antonio Henton has the scrambling ability. All three should get snaps early on, but look for head coach Jim Tressel go with one by midseason.
Defensive Strengths: Linebackers James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman and Larry Grant will start for a loaded line-backing core. Laurinaitis and Freeman are on Bednarik watch list for this season. Grant, who was a big-time junior college recruit last year, is expected to have a breakout season. In the spring game, Grant had two sacks and forced two fumbles (One of those fumbles he recovered and returned 80 yards for a touchdown). Backup seniors Curtis Terry, Curt Lukens and sophomore Ross Homan are more than ready to step in.
Defensive Weaknesses: The defensive line production could be down a little, but there are many highly recruited players that are ready to step up. Three starters DT Quinn Pitcock, DT David Patterson and DE Jay Richardson are now in the NFL. Little is known about sophomores Doug Worthington and Todd Denlinger, but both are expected to start at DT. The DE position is loaded with talent that includes junior Vernon Gholston, junior Lawrence Wilson, sophomore Robert Rose and junior Alex Barrow.
2007 Season Summary: The Buckeyes are blessed with a relatively easy schedule that includes Wisconsin and Michigan State at home. The challenging road games include Washington, Purdue, Penn State and Michigan. Ohio State should easily win home games against Youngstown State, Akron, Northwestern, Kent State and Illinois. If the Buckeyes get good production from their quarterback position it isn’t hard to believe that they could run the table and make a run at the National Championship. Coach Jim Tressel will try to run it down his opponents throats with the Wells duo. If I was to make an objective prediction for the Buckeyes in 2007: I predict OSU to start the season 8-0 before a loss at Penn State. Then Wisconsin will best OSU for the fourth straight time at the Horseshoe. The Buckeyes will follow that up with wins at home against Illinois and on the road against Michigan.
Big Games of the Year: Oct. 27 @ Penn State, Nov. 3 vs. Wisconsin, Nov. 17 @ Michigan.
2007 Projected Record: 10-2
2007 Projected Bowl (if applicable): Capital One Bowl or Orange Bowl

Projected Victories and Conference Standings:

OSU Schedule 

Youngstown St. (Win)
Akron (Win)
@Washington (Win)
Northwestern (Win)
@Minnesota (Win)
@Purdue (Win)
Kent St. (Win)
Michigan St. (Win)
@Penn St. (Loss)
Wisconsin (Loss)
Illinois (Win)
@Michigan (Win)

Conference Standings (projections) 

1 Ohio State
1 Wisconsin
3 Michigan
4 Penn St.
5 Iowa
6 Purdue
7 Michigan St.
8 Illinois
9 Indiana
10 Northwestern
11 Minnesota

(I’m going to email my fellow OSU bloggers and have them post a preview, which will be seen on both sites)

The Portland Trail Blazers made Greg Oden the first Ohio State Buckeye to be taken first overall in the NBA Draft and the first Buckeye to be drafted in the first round since 1992 (Jim Jackson). Thanks in large part to the new rule that forced high school seniors to play one year before being eligible for the draft, this was the first year for the rule.

Texas freshman Kevin Durant could only smile as Oden was selected first. Durant went second to the Seattle Supersonics and will forever be linked to Oden. Who will be better?

In college Durant averaged 25.8 points per game and 11.1 rebounds per game. Oden averaged 15.7 points per game, 9.6 rebounds per game and 3.3 blocks per game. In Oden’s defense, he was not 100% healthy this past season.

The Sonics were so confident in Durant that they traded away Ray Allen to the Boston Celtics.

Blog by Adam Kiefaber

Last night and into the morning ESPN claims that Greg Oden has been told that he will be the first pick selected first overall in the NBA Draft.

However, foxsports.com reports that the Portland Trail Blazers haven’t annoucned that yet.

ESPN’s source is from ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher and foxsports’ source is Oden’s agent.

I think ESPN needs to clam down, but Oden should still be the first overall pick.

A ESPN report

Oden or Durant. Durant or Oden. Looks like we have an answer.

ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher reported on Wednesday night that Greg Oden’s camp has been notified by the Portland Trail Blazers that they will take him with the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft.

It was not an easy choice. Oden tested better at predraft camp; Kevin Durant had the sharper workout in Portland.

Dominant big men are usually impossible to pass up, and Oden could be a great one. He has been compared to Bill Russell for his rebounding and shot blocking, and he led Ohio State to the national championship game even while never at full strength after surgery on his right wrist.

“You can see why he’d be a No. 1 pick,” Durant told reporters. “I think he’s one of the best centers to come out of college. He’s quick and agile, he’s 7-feet, 250. I’ve never seen that in a center before.”

a FOXSPORTS.com report

Greg Oden to the Blazers? Maybe, but the team says there are no guarantees.

Oden’s agent and Portland’s general manager refuted an ESPN report Wednesday that said Oden’s camp had been informed the former Ohio State phenom will be the top pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.

“We haven’t been told that,” Mike Conley, Sr. told The Oregonian late Wednesday night. “(ESPN) can have their opinion, but the Blazers haven’t told us anything.”

The Oregonian report said Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard was “emphatic” that the ESPN report was premature.

“Nobody has been promised or told anything. Nobody,” Pritchard told the paper.

Oden and Kevin Durant are all but assured to be the top two picks in the draft — the only question is in what order.

By Adam Kiefaber

The best NBA Draft party this year has to Daequan Cook’s, which will be held draft night (Thursday June 28 at 7:00pm) in Dayton Ohio at the Holiday Inn on Dryden Road.

It is open to the public and has a $20 admission charge. The party is to include Cook and 150 of his closest friends, so it might not be smart to roll over on the carpet laughing if Cook isn’t chosen in the first round.

The atmosphere should be tense since Cook has fallen in most recent mock drafts. Some of the mock drafts have Cook climbing up the first round. However, it should be one interesting party.

“It will be a light atmosphere,” Dunbar assistant coach Albert Powell told the Dayton Daily News. “There will be finger food, soft drinks and a big-screen TV.”

That sounds like Powell, who scheduled Cook’s NBA workouts, is trying to downplay the event.

Here is what some of the mock drafts are saying:
NBA.com (just posted- 6-26)- Doesn’t have Cook picked in the first round
Chris Ekstrand of SI.com (updated 6-26)- Cook going 23rd to the Knicks
Chad Ford (ESPN The Magazine)- Cook going 30th to the 76ers
- (Ford comments ‘…he has no clue on how to play the game…weak work ethic and massive ego.’
Tony Mejia of CBS.Sportsline (updated 6-18)- Cook going 23rd to the Knicks
- (Mejia ranks Cook as the 8th best shooting guard and comments read: ‘he has the skills, but needs more experience. An up-and-down freshman season ended with around the league suggesting he return to school.’)
Gary Parrish of CBS.Sportsline (updated 6-18)- Cook going 24th to the Suns
Jeff Goodman of foxsports (updated one day ago)- Cook going 25th to the Jazz
Peter Schrager of foxsports (updated two days ago)- Cook going 25th to the Jazz
Draftexpress (updated 6-26)- Cook going 22nd to the Bobcats
TSX (updated 6-25)- Cook going 27th to the Pistons

Ex-college coach Fran Fraschilla said, on ESPN radio this past Monday, that he wouldn’t draft Cook in the first round unless he had a “gun to his head.”

It seems to me that most mock drafters are just throwing Cook in the later portion of the first round. Everyone seems to agree that Cook was the best player at Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando, but he wasn’t playing against or with any other first-round talent. Also, his performances at the camp were up and down.

It’s easy to throw Cook in the first round of any mock draft.

However, it could be uneasy to watch Cook on draft night at the Holiday Inn.

It is fitting that the creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, of the comic book hero Superman attended Glenville high school in Cleveland.

Glenville alumni quarterback Troy Smith and wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. provided Ohio State with performances that rivaled the super hero in games against Michigan.

Currently, Ohio State has five players that played for Glenville. Many of those players are unknown to the average Buckeye fan, but should make a big impact on Ohio State’s future.

Wide Receiver Raymond Small (Sophomore)
- The impact Small had the 2006 Ohio State was minimal. As a true freshman, Small caught eight balls for 68 yards and had only one touchdown. However, he could become the Buckeyes’ best player in this year or the next. Ted Ginn Sr., coach of Glenville, has been quoted as saying that Small is the most talented receiver he has coached. Also, former OSU defensive tackle David Patterson has said that Small would be the next great wide receiver at Ohio State. I expect big things from Small in 2007. In the spring game he returned kickoffs and took one 40 yards.
Defensive End Robert Rose (Sophomore)
- Rose like Small didn’t get the opportunity to make a significant difference. Both did manage to see the field as true freshmen. Rose finished with only seven tackles, but over half (3.5) were for sacks. As part of the 2006 class, Rose was considered a five-star recruit and as the best defensive end prospect in the nation, according to rivals.com. Ohio State is losing three starters along the defensive line in DE Jay Richardson (fifth-round pick by Oakland), DT Quinn Pitcock (third-round pick by Indianapolis) and DT David Patterson (signed by Atlanta). Right now, Lawrence Wilson is listed ahead on the depth chart, but Rose should get the opportunity to make more plays this season.
Strong Safety Jamario O’Neal (Junior)
- O’Neal was a big recruit in 2005. Scout.com and Rivals.com considered him the third best cornerback in the nation. Coaches decided against redshirting O’Neal in ’05 and saw the field in limited duty (like Small and Rose last season). O’Neal was moved to safety and started at the strong spot for the second half of the season. Watching him play, you could tell that he wasn’t ready to be a superstar yet as he struggled on his tackling. He definitely has the potential to become one of the better Buckeyes on defense.
Linebacker Curtis Terry (Senior)
- Terry like his fellow Glenville alumni was redshirted. The past three seasons, Terry has been playing on special teams. He started three games and had 17 tackles last year. Right now Terry is the backup OLB behind Larry Grant. Grant hasn’t started yet for the Buckeyes, but is expected to have a breakout season. Look for Terry to become the starter if Grant isn’t an immediate success.
Offensive lineman Bryant Browning (Redshirt Freshman)
- Currently, Browning is listed as the backup to junior Ben Person at right guard. Person, who takes over for T.J. Downing, is an unproven starter. Browning could get the opportunity to play early this season in mop-up duties against Youngstown State and Akron.

Currently in the NFL from Glenville include ex-OSU safety Donte Whitner (Buffalo Bills) and ex-Michigan linebacker Pierre Woods (New England Patriots).

By Adam Kiefaber

With the NBA Draft less than a week away, I got to thinking who are the best NFL prospects on Ohio State’s 2007 roster?

In the 2006 NFL Draft five Buckeyes were chosen in the first round. In 2007, Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Gonzalez and Antonio Pittman left early to pursue NFL careers. Those three were among eight Buckeyes that were drafted. Also, a record fourteen Buckeyes were taken in 2004.

The point is, Ohio State’s draft history is rich and we shouldn’t get all worked about a couple of freshmen basketball players.

We all know what is important in the state of Ohio.

FOOTBALL!

Isn’t it fitting that Buckeye fans rooting for Troy Smith to win the Heisman Trophy have to pray that he fails as a Baltimore Raven. Many Buckeye fans high-five each other on Saturdays, but when the day becomes Sunday they turn on one another. However, whether you are a Bengie or a Brownie, everybody hates Baltimore.

For the most part, all OSU fans root for their own kind in the professional ranks. For instance, it is very hard to find a Buckeye fan that will root against Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk. However the Ohio State faithful cringed when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Santonio Holmes.

Below I have listed the top NFL-ready prospects currently on OSU’s roster.

Malcolm Jenkins CB (Junior)
- Jenkins started all 13 games last season finishing with 55 tackles and four interceptions, including a 61-yarder for a touchdown in the Penn State game. Has good size for a corner at 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds. Should be in the running for the Jim Thorpe award, which is given to the top defensive back in the country. Hopefully for Buckeye fans, Jenkins will stay for his senior season in 2008. However, he could be ready to make the leap to the NFL. If Jenkins has an expected solid ’07 season, I could see him being selected in the mid-to-late first round. He reminds me of Bengals first-round pick Leon Hall of Michigan.
James Laurinaitis ILB (Junior)
- Laurinaitis could be the most marketable linebacker since the days of “The Boz” (Brian Bosworth). His marketability stems from his father Joe, who was a professional wrestler in the ’80s and ‘90s. Vince McMahon, known as the boss of WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), has offered the Animal’s son an opportunity to wrestle if professional football doesn’t work out. However, there is no reason to think that it won’t. In 2006, Laurinaitis became the first player from Ohio State to win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The Football Writers Association of America gives the award to the best defensive player in nation every year since it started in 1993. He finished the season with 115 tackles, four sacks and five interceptions. Laurinaitis could stay for his senior season. However, with a solid season Laurinaitis should be a first round pick in the 2008 Draft and seems to be a great marketable player for a team like the Oakland Raiders.
Chris “Beanie” Wells RB (Sophomore)
- Fortunately for Buckeye fans, Wells is only two years removed from high school and cannot leave for the NFL after this season. Scout.com ranked Wells as the top recruit in the nation last year. As a true freshman, he rushed for 576 yards on 104 carries (5.5 yards per carry) and rushed for seven touchdowns. Many remember his 52-yard touchdown run against Michigan. Last season, Antonio Pittman gained 1,233 with 14 touchdowns on 242 carries. Since Wells will be getting those carries this season, he is Ohio State’s top candidate to win the Heisman Trophy.
Alex Boone OT (Junior)
-Like Jenkins and Laurinaitis, Boone is another junior that could decide to forgo his senior season next year and become a first round pick. However unlike Jenkins and Laurinaitis, Boone doesn’t need a career year and should be drafted based on size (6-foot-8 325 pounds) and skill (top recruit from Ohio in 2005). Last season, Boone didn’t seem ready for the NFL and could come back for his senior season.
Marcus Freeman OLB (Junior)
-Freeman is one of my favorites and could be the most successful pro from this bunch. Only a junior, Freeman should be a senior this year. In 2005, he was injured in the season opener and lost his starting position, but was redshirted. Last year, Freeman had 71 tackles, broke up six passes and had two interceptions. In the spring game, Freeman scored the first touchdown when he picked off Antonio Henton and returned it 49 yards. Freeman needs a breakout season in ’07 to be drafted in the first day of the 2008 NFL Draft and should be overshadowed by Laurinaitis. However, I believe Freeman has the skill set to be a great outside linebacker in the NFL.
Kirk Barton OT (Senior)
- Barton is the one of only three seniors who will begin the season as a starter. Only Barton has started before while fullback Dionte Johnson and linebacker Larry Grant are the other ’07 starting seniors. Barton will be entertaining his fourth season as the main starter at right tackle and should be an All-American candidate. It’s hard to know where Barton could be drafted, which will depend on the combine.
Vernon Gholston DE (Junior)
- Gholston surprised many last season when he broke out and led the team in tackles for loss (15) and sacks (8.5). When Gholston was recruited as part of the 2004 class, he was considered as a linebacker or a small defensive end. However, Gholston impressed coaches by learning the system and by bulking up. With further development, Gholston could turn out to be a first-round talent. I believe Gholston will stick around for his senior season.

Others to keep an eye on:
Sophomore WR Raymond Small
-Not eligible to go the to the NFL after this season, but could become an OSU fan favorite.
Junior WR Brian Robiskie
-Should stick around after this season. Will be the #1 receiving option this year.
Junior DE Lawrence Wilson and sophomore DE Robert Rose
-Both should split time at defensive end. Both are great prospects (Rose has to stay).
Senior OLB Larry Grant
-I expect Grant to have a breakout season. If he does, he will be a first-day pick.
Junior SS Jamario O’Neal
-Has been a disappointment so far, but you have to expect him to breakout.

By Adam Kiefaber

The NBA Draft will take place a week from today on June 28th. The coverage will start at 7:00 p.m. (eastern) on ESPN.

Normally, the Buckeyes are not known for producing NBA talent. In the last five drafts Ohio State has not had a single player taken in either the first or second rounds of the draft. Also, no Buckeye in the last 14 drafts has been taken in the first round.

This year’s draft is practically guaranteed to have the first ever Ohio State player to be taken first overall in Greg Oden. Another Buckeye, Mike Conley Jr., should be selected in the top ten. Also, Daequan Cook is expected to go in the first round while Ron Lewis might be picked in the second round.

The last first round pick from Ohio State was in 1992 when the Dallas Mavericks picked Jim Jackson fourth overall. The last Buckeye to be drafted was in 2001 when the Miami Heat took Ken Johnson 49th overall. Johnson played in only 16 games in his NBA career. In 2000, Ohio State had two players taken in the second round. Michael Redd was taken 43rd overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and now is an NBA all-star. Scoonie Penn was the second to last pick of that draft and couldn’t make the Atlanta Hawks roster.

NBA.com features a consensus mock draft that lists 16 different mock drafts from all over the Internet. In all 16 mock drafts, Greg Oden is listed as the first overall pick, which belongs to the Portland Trail Blazers. At worst Oden could end up being the second overall pick if Portland chooses Kevin Durant.

In the 16 mock drafts, Conley’s draft position ranges from third to 11th overall. The Atlanta Hawks hold the third and 11th picks in the first round. There is no chance that Atlanta will pass on Conley twice.

Many Buckeye fans question the choice Daequan Cook has made by leaving Ohio State for the NBA (see Should Daequan Cook Dip Out of NBA Draft?). According to the mock drafts (14 of 16 have listed picks past the top 14), Cook’s draft position ranges from 23rd overall to not being taken in the first round. Four mock drafts have Cook going to the New York Knicks (23rd overall). Other mock drafts have Cook going to Philadelphia (21st overall), Phoenix (24th and 29th overall), Utah (25th overall) and Houston (26th overall). Two mock drafts have Cook being passed over in the first round.

In my mind, Ron Lewis could be the steal of this draft. In Ohio State’s last 10 games (including the NCAA tournament) Lewis averaged 17 points a game. Also, he scored 27 points in the overtime win over Xavier in the NCAA tournament as well as 25 points in the one-point win over Tennessee in the Sweet 16. However, Lewis could be the steal of the draft because no one thinks that he will be drafted. Only five of the 16 mock drafts list a complete rundown of the second round and none of them have Lewis being selected.

ESPN.com lists 100 prospects in their draft database and Ivan Harris is not among them. There are only 60 picks in the draft.

The following is breaking news - and was posted on The Plain Dealer’s website

Ohio State University basketball player David Lighty and two of his former teammates from Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School pleaded guilty today to charges related to them shooting a jogger with a toy BB gun that fired plastic pellets.

Lighty fired the shot that pelted St. Joseph alumnus James Nugent in the lower back on July 7, 2006. Nugent yelped and hopped in surprise. Lighty and pals Jimmy McLeod and Darryl Rushton, perched in the athletic-field bleachers scores of feet away, doubled over in hilarity.

Nugent, 55, told Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Kenneth Callahan he felt a sting, then heard, “I hit him! I hit him!”

“They laughed — they just thought it was a joke,” Nugent recalled.

Also from CBS Sportsline.com wire reports

CLEVELAND — Ohio State basketball player David Lighty pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge and was fined $250 in a case involving a jogger who was shot with a BB gun last year.

Two of Lighty’s former teammates at Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School in Cleveland also entered pleas in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas on Tuesday. Jimmy McLeod and Darryl Rushton each were fined $100 after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct, a minor misdemeanor.

James Nugent, 55, was not seriously hurt last June when he was hit in the back by at least one plastic BB while jogging on the high school track. In Cleveland, BB and pellet guns are considered firearms and it is illegal to have them in public places.

Nugent said Tuesday he had forgiven the 19-year-old defendants and thought the sentences handed down by Judge Kenneth Callahan were fair.

After he was sentenced, Lighty shook Nugent’s hand. Lighty told the judge he wanted to apologize “to Mr. Nugent, to my family, my community and my school.”

Lighty started seven games last season for the Buckeyes, who set a school record for victories at 35-4. Ohio State reached the national championship game before losing to defending champion Florida.

By Adam Kiefaber

The Ohio State basketball program has recently lost two recruits.

DeShaun Thomas of Fort Wayne, Ind., recently backed off a recent commitment to be a part of Ohio State’s 2010 recruiting class.

Thomas is considered to be the top recruit in the nation in 2010. He averaged 29 points and 13.3 rebounds per game during his freshman year at Bishop Luers High School.

The other recruit, Luke Babbitt, committed to Ohio State in February and was expected to sign this November to part of the 2008 class. However, Babbitt decided to remain close to home and will play for Nevada.

Babbitt, a 6-foot-8 power forward from Reno, Nev., was born in Cincinnati and moved to Nevada in the fifth grade. As a junior, he led his team to a state championship by averaging 28 points and around 11 rebounds a game.

Rivals.com has Babbitt ranked as the 45th best player in it’s top 150 recruits in 2008. Scout.com ranks Babbitt 33rd in it’s top 100. According to Scout.com, the lefty had offers from Arizona, Gonzaga, Michigan, Syracuse, UCLA, UNLV, USC, Washington and obviously Ohio State.

Babbitt decided to ditch the Buckeyes, while Thomas just seems to be delaying his decision.

“I know what school I want to go to,” Thomas told his local paper, the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. “The other schools didn’t think it was fair I made the choice so quick. My father just wanted me to look at other schools.”

Thomas might visit Indiana, Purdue, North Carolina and Duke before making his final decision. Indiana University really wants Thomas after Ohio State stole Indiana-state recruits Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. last season. However, the Hoosiers did land top in-state recruit Eric Gordon in this year’s class. Gordon is ranked second overall in the nation by Rivals.com, while scout.com has him ranked fourth. Gordon had offers from Ohio State, Notre Dame, Missouri, Miami (FL), Illinois, Duke, and Arizona.

By Adam Kiefaber

In February, Devon Torrence signed a letter of intent to play defensive back for Ohio State. However, earlier this month Torrence was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 16th round.

Torrence expressed that his first option was to play college football, but listened to offers from the Astros with the guidance from Columbus agent Jeff Chilcoat.

“On talent alone, he was a high pick,” Chilcoat was quoted by the Columbus Distpatch. “But some teams might have been hesitant to take him because in the backs of their minds, they knew it might be a wasted pick.”

When following this story it seemed as if Torrence was going to pick Ohio State over a career in baseball. However, Torrence recently decided to play both.

The Astros signed Torrence (with agent Joe Speed) yesterday in a deal that will allow him to play minor-league baseball, then be able to report for Ohio State football practice in August.

The NCAA allows a player to be a professional in one sport and maintain amateur status in another.

The Canton South High School centerfielder held a .420 batting average through 29 games. Also, he had 43 runds, 23 RBIs, nine triples, 20 stolen bases and 28 walks.

Torrence will report to the class-A Greenville (Tenn.) Astros later this week. His season will be cut short and will report to Ohio State on August 5th. He will miss spring training and the start of baseball season next year as he completes the spring quarter.

Devon Torrence is part of Ohio State’s 2007 recruiting class and is not to be confused with 2008 recruit DeVoe Torrence. Devon is ranked as the eighth best 2007 recruit from Ohio according to Rivals.com and had offers from Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Michigan and Penn State.

DeVoe is Devon’s younger brother and is considered a top recruit and an early edge favorite to win Mr. Football in Ohio for the upcoming season. DeVoe, like his brother is considered an all-around athlete. Rivals.com has DeVoe ranked as the fourth best athlete in the nation and as the 31st best player in the Rivals100 for the 2008 recruiting class.

Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel promised DeVoe that the school was recruiting him as a running back and if he committed early he would be the only running back the Buckeyes will sign in their 2008 recruiting class.