Wednesday morning, Buckeye Nation breathed a sigh of relief when they learned they'd be keeping one major linebacker in-state, along with a 4-star defensive end - the top-rated player from the state of Minnesota. This major momentum boost is expected to help swing other big name recruits for Coach Meyer's 2015 class.
What do Wednesday morning's recruits bring to the table?
Let's break it down:
Justin Hilliard
Hilliard (Cincinnati St. Xavier) is projected to play as a weakside linebacker for the Buckeyes. At 6'2", 225 pounds, he's the top linebacker in his class. He chose to stay in his home state over offers from virtually anywhere, including Michigan, Notre Dame and Alabama.
All eyes are now on Cleveland-native Jerome Baker, another huge name who makes his decision on July 11.
Check out Hilliard's junior year highlight reel:
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id4iP4sgZt4[/embed]
Jashon Cornell
Cornell (St. Paul, MN) is a four-star defensive end listed at 6'2", 261 pounds. As the nation's 76th ranked player according to Rivals, he's a great fit with the current Buckeye system.
Don't be alarmed when he takes the two trips to Penn State and Michigan State later this month - he insists it's a matter of respect to the coaches.
See for yourself:
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imKwIpOhMf0[/embed]
At the end of the day, it was the camaraderie and the coaching staff that sealed the deal for the two, who announced their decisions from their respective schools within minutes of each other.
"When I went up there, the guys were really cool, especially Raekwon (McMillan) and (Sam) Hubbard -- some of my really good friends right now. That really came in to play and I think that was one of the biggest things."
-Justin Hilliard
"He's sent seven draft picks to the NFL," Cornell said of assistant coach Larry Johnson. "I know going to him, I'm going to work and he's going to make me a better player.
-Jashon Cornell
Every MUST-READ Buckeyes story begins here:
