1999 Ohio State Buckeye Football Recruiting – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/3/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
February 3, 1999
COLUMBUS, Ohio —Head football coach John Cooper announced today that 24 student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to attend The Ohio State University and play football next fall.%^$
%^$”On paper this looks like another good, solid recruiting class,” Cooper said. “Our job is to replace the good players who move on from here with more good players. We were able to sign the in-state players that we went after and we were able to secure some out-of-state student-athletes that other major schools were after.” %^$
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%^$The 1999 class includes 23 high school seniors and one from a prep school. It features 17 recruits from the state of Ohio, three from talent-rich Florida, two from Michigan and one each from Virginia and Illinois. The breakdown by position is four receivers, four defensive backs, three offensive linemen, three running backs, three linebackers, two quarterbacks, two defensive linemen and one tight end, fullback and punter/kicker, respectively. %^$
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%^$Hear Coach Cooper’s Comments on This Year’s Class
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%^$1999 OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY RECRUITNG CLASS%^$
%^$Name Pos. Hgt. Wgt. Hometown/High School%^$Tim Anderson DL 6-4 270 Clyde, Ohio/Clyde%^$Bryce Bishop OL 6-5 310 Miami, Fla/Killian%^$Ricky Bryant WR 6-1 165 Farmington H., Mich./Harrison%^$Drew Carter WR 6-4 187 Solon, Ohio/Solon%^$Adrien Clarke OL 6-5 315 Shaker Hghts, Ohio/Shaker Hghts%^$Curtis Crosby DB 5-11 175 Columbus/Eastmoor%^$Mike Doss DB 6-0 185 Canton, Ohio/Canton McKinley%^$Richard Hall RB 6-0 205 Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming%^$Maurice Harris WR 6-2 200 Jacksonville, Fla./Raines%^$Ben Hartsock TE 6-4 250 Chillicothe, Ohio/Unioto%^$Jesse Kline RB 6-2 210 Columbus, Ohio/U. Arlington%^$Craig Krenzel QB 6-4 215 Utica, Mich./Ford%^$Maurice Lee WR 5-10 170 Cleveland/South%^$Kelton Lindsay RB 6-1 195 Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon%^$Scott McMullen QB 6-4 195 Granville, Ohio/Granville%^$Richard McNutt DB 6-0 175 Park Forest, Ill./Rich East%^$Pat O’Neill LB 6-4 215 Cuyahoga Falls, Oh/Walsh Jesuit%^$Fred Pagac Jr. LB 6-2 230 Dublin, Ohio/Coffman%^$B.J. Sander P 6-3 195 Cincinnati/Roger Bacon%^$Nate Stead FB 6-0 255 Marion, Ohio/Harding%^$Fred Sturrup DL 6-4 270 Plantation, Fla/Plantation%^$Ziyier Walker DB 6-1 195 Patterson, NJ/Fork Union MA%^$Matt Wilhelm LB 6-5 240 Elyria, Ohio/Elyria Catholic%^$Matt Zahn OL 6-7 360 St. Henry, Ohio/St. Henry%^$%^$
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%^$THE 1999 OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY RECRUITING CLASS%^$
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%^$DEFENSIVE BACKS (4)
%^$CURTIS CROSBY: 5-11, 175, Columbus
%^$Considered a top five Ohio prospect and the No. 1 defensive back in the state according to The Ohio Football Recruiting News…a USA Today honorable mention All-American…The National Recruiting Advisor had him listed as the nation’s No. 2 defensive back prospect entering his senior season…recorded 100 tackles, 12 pass break-ups and two interceptions as a senior and had seven interceptions as a junior…rushed for more than 1,500 yards as a junior…reported to have a 40 inch vertical leap…coached by Marv Bohannon.
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%^$MICHAEL DOSS: 6-0, 185, Canton, Ohio
%^$Selected first-team Division I all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior…a USA Today honorable mention All-American and the No. 6 prospect in the midwest by the Detroit Free Press…rushed for 143 yards and scored four touchdowns in the state championship game, helping Canton McKinley to its second-consecutive Division I state title, 12-1 final record and No. 17 final ranking in the USA Today poll…has a school record 14 career interceptions…rushed for 1,454 yards as a senior with 22 touchdowns…had 111 tackles and three interceptions as a senior…recorded nine interceptions and 97 tackles as a junior…high school teammate of current Buckeyes Kenny Peterson and Jamar Martin…coached by Kerry Hodakievic.
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%^$RICHARD McNUTT: 6-0, 175, Park Forest, Ill.
%^$Considered one of the top five defensive back prospects in the nation by The National Recruiting Advisor and Superprep…named No. 3 prospect overall in the midwest by the Detroit Free Press…a standout defensive back, receiver and kick returner… a USA Today honorable mention All-American…did not play as a senior due to a foot infection…was a preseason Parade Magazine All-American prior to senior season…recorded 14 interceptions as a junior and five as a sophomore… long jumps 23 feet and finished second in the state meet as a junior in the triple jump with a 47-foot leap…coached by Alan Greenberg.
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%^$ZIYIER WALKER: 6-1, 195, Patterson, N.J.
%^$A hard-hitting safety prospect from Patterson, N.J. who spent the last year at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia…recorded 47 solo tackles and one interception and rushed for 800 yards and one touchdown as a high school senior at Patterson Catholic High…coached by John Schuman at Fork Union.
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%^$RECEIVERS (4)
%^$RICKY BRYANT: 6-1, 165, Farmington Hills, Mich.
%^$The younger brother of Michigan senior-to-be wide receiver Kevin Bryant… considered the No. 3 prospect in the state of Michigan and the No. 4 prospect in the midwest by the Detroit Free Press…the first ever four-year starter for Harrison High…caught 51 passes for 951 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior for 13-0 team, which won back-to-back Michigan state championships and 26-consecutive games…had 34 receptions for 705 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior…finished career with Michigan state records of 2,665 receiving yards and 33 touchdown receptions…also scored two touchdowns on kickoff returns and one rushing as a senior…lived for a time in Centerville, Ohio…coached by John Herrington.
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%^$DREW CARTER: 6-4, 187, Solon, Ohio
%^$Did not play high school football as a sophomore or junior (concentrated on basketball and averaged 19.0 points per game as a junior), but came on as a senior, averaging a marvelous 27.0 yards every time he made a reception…ended up catching 33 passes for 890 yards and 13 touchdowns for an 8-2 Solon High team…three touchdown receptions in his second game as a senior hiked the interest from major schools…brother, Grant, will be a red-shirt sophomore at Minnesota…selected honorable mention Division I all-district…coached by Byron Morgan.
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%^$MAURICE HARRIS: 6-2, 200, Jacksonville, Fla.
%^$Heavily recruited by southern powers…has terrific combination of size and speed…caught 52 passes for 900 yards (17.3 yards per catch average) and 14 touchdowns as a senior, helping Raines to a 12-2 record and a berth in the Florida state semifinals…all-state and all-Northeast Florida…had 28 receptions for 882 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior while helping Raines to a 15-0 record and the state title…listed among the top 100 overall prospects and a top 12 receiver prospect by the National Recruiting Advisor…coached by Welton Coffey.
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%^$MAURICE LEE: 5-10, 170, Cleveland
%^$High school option quarterback who was recruited as a receiver…had 500 passing yards and 750 rushing yards as a senior, and he also caught 18 passes for an additional 426 yards…had over 2,200 all-purpose yards as a junior at Cleveland South High, including 1,030 rushing yards…No. 9 rated player in the midwest by the Detroit Free Press…ranked as the number one “athlete” in the state by The Ohio Football Recruiting News entering his senior year…No. 15 prospect in the state by Bill Kurelic…coached by Patrick Snee.
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%^$RUNNING BACKS (3)
%^$RICHARD HALL: 6-0, 205, Wyoming, Ohio
%^$Rushed for 7,376 yards and scored 121 touchdowns during his career at Wyoming High…the No. 1 player in the state according to Prep Football Prospects of Ohio…athletically, considered one of Ohio’s top five prospects by The Ohio Football Recruiting News…selected as Ohio’s Division IV Offensive Player of the Year as a senior after rushing for 2,855 yards (the second-highest single season total in Ohio state history) and scoring 46 touchdowns…ranked second in the state in scoring as a senior…rushed for 2,251 yards and 35 touchdowns as a junior and 2,098 yards and 36 touchdowns as a sophomore…coached by Bernie Barre.
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%^$JESSE KLINE: 6-2, 210, Columbus
%^$Injured for part of his senior season with a hamstring pull, he still rushed for 1,100 yards and scored 15 touchdowns…rushed for over 200 yards in a state quarterfinal game for 13-1 Upper Arlington…considered the No. 2 running back in Ohio by The Ohio Football Recruiting News and received high national mention as a college fullback…rushed for 1,051 yards as a sophomore and bulled his way to 2,315 rushing yards with 33 touchdowns as a junior and was named Division I all-state by the Associated Press…a USA Today honorable mention all-American as a junior…recipient of the Larry Larson award for excellence in athletics, academics and community service…coached by Darrell Mayne.
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%^$KELTON LINDSAY: 6-1, 195, Lebanon, Ohio
%^$Considered the top running back in the state of Ohio by many and a top 10 back nationally…committed to Ohio State in January of 1998…has tremendous speed…selected first-team Division II all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior after rushing for 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns…a USA Today honorable mention All-American…led Lebanon to the 1998 Division II state championship with a 27-21 win over Chardon…scored the winning touchdown in the title game on a 41-yard dash with just 46 seconds remaining…rushed for 1,462 yards as a sophomore and 2,194 yards as a junior…scored 41 touchdowns as a junior and was the Ohio Player of the Year in his division while leading Lebanon to a 12-1 record and state playoff berth…coached by Dave Brausch.
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%^$LINEBACKERS (3)
%^$PAT O’NEILL: 6-4, 215, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
%^$The Ohio Division III Defensive Player of the Year as selected by the Associated Press following his senior season…a USA Today honorable mention All-American…recorded 93 solo tackles, 22 tackles-for-losses and six quarterback sacks as a senior for a 13-1 Walsh Jesuit team that finished as the state runner-up…had 90 tackles and five sacks as a junior…rated by Bill Kurelic as the second-best linebacker in the state of Ohio…from school that produced current Buckeye Darik Warnke and defensive line great and All-American Mike Vrabel…coached by Gerry Rardin.
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%^$FRED PAGAC JR.: 6-2, 230, Dublin, Ohio
%^$The son of Ohio State defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Fred Pagac…selected first-team Division I all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior…considered a top 10 linebacker prospect nationally by The National Recruiting Advisor…rated as the No. 3 prospect in the state of Ohio by The Ohio Football Recruiting News…No. 16 prospect in the midwest by the Detroit Free Press…a USA Today honorable mention All-American…recorded 98 tackles with eight sacks as a senior in leading Dublin Coffman to an 8-2 record and the Ohio Capital Conference divisional title…had 110 tackles and six sacks as a junior…coached by Eric Tudor.
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%^$MATT WILHELM: 6-5, 240, Elyria, Ohio
%^$Selected first-team Division IV all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior…recorded 100 tackles with 26 tackles-for-losses and 11 quarterback sacks as a senior for Elyria Catholic High…called a “super sleeper” by recruiting publications…excellent athlete who wasn’t on recruiting lists but who was recruited by virtually all the Big Ten schools…played tight end and running back at Elyria Catholic in addition to linebacker…coached by Kris Diaz.
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%^$OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (3)
%^$BRYCE BISHOP: 6-5, 310, Miami, Fla.
%^$Widely considered one of the top offensive line prospects in the nation by virtually all the recruiting services and one of the top offensive lineman in the state of Florida…a USA Today first-team All-American…the No. 8 offensive lineman in the nation according to Super Prep…possesses excellent athleticism and footwork…a three-year starter for Miami Killian and a terrific blocker who could play either guard or tackle…coached by Sam Miller.
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%^$ADRIEN CLARKE: 6-5, 315, Shaker Heights, Ohio
%^$Selected first-team Division I all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior…one of the nation’s top 10 offensive line prospects according to The National Recruiting Advisor…considered Ohio’s eighth-best prospect by The Ohio Football Recruiting News and the No. 1 offensive line prospect by Prep Football Prospects of Ohio…explodes off the line of scrimmage…recorded 25 pancake blocks as a junior…high school teammate of OSU sophomore-to-be Nate Clements…competed in both the shot put and discus throws for high school track and field team…coached by David Sedmak.
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%^$MATT ZAHN: 6-7, 360, St. Henry, Ohio
%^$Recruited by all the midwest heavyweights…has excellent footwork, speed and agility for a man of his size, according to his high school coach, Tim Boeckman…also played basketball (started) at St. Henry High, which has also produced such notable Buckeyes as Jim Lachey and Bob Hoying, who both went on to play in the NFL…Bill Kurelic’s No. 19 player in Ohio prior to senior season…an honorable mention all-midwest selection by the Detroit Free Press…coached by Tim Boeckman.
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%^$QUARTERBACKS (2)
%^$CRAIG KRENZEL: 6-4, 215, Utica, Mich.
%^$Rated as the No. 6 prospect in the state of Michigan by the Detroit News and one of the state’s top quarterbacks…completed 110 of 200 passes for 1,760 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior for Ford High… a USA Today honorable mention All-American…completed 114 of 220 passes for 1,350 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior…brother, Brian, plays football for Duke…listed among the top 100 prospects by the National Recruiting Advisor prior to senior season…also started for high school basketball team…coached by Greg Desmet.
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%^$SCOTT McMULLEN: 6-4, 195, Granville, Ohio
%^$A top 20 prospect in Ohio by The Ohio Football Recruiting News…threw for 6,100 yards during his career at Granville High with 58 touchdown passes…he completed 62 percent of his attempts (118-of-191) as a senior in 1998 while throwing for 2,577 yards (second in the state) and 24 touchdowns with only
%^$five interceptions…selected first-team Division IV all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior…limited by a back injury as a junior, he still threw for 1,442 yards and 14 touchdowns with just four interceptions…passed for 2,081 yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore…believed to be first ever OSU football recruit from Granville…coached by Mike Hensley.
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%^$DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (2)
%^$TIM ANDERSON: 6-4, 270, Clyde, Ohio
%^$Selected first-team Division III all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior…a USA Today honorable mention All-American…recorded 59 tackles and seven sacks as a senior…had 48 tackles and five sacks as a junior at Clyde High School…undefeated state wrestling champion as a junior… listed among the top 100 prospects by the National Recruiting Advisor prior to senior season…Ohio Prep Football Scouting’s eighth-rated player…coached by Bob Bishop.
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%^$FRED STURRUP: 6-4, 270, Plantation, Fla.
%^$Highly regarded Florida recruit…considered a top 10 defensive line prospect by The National Recruiting Advisor…recorded 100 tackles, 25 tackles-for-losses including 15 quarterback sacks as a senior for 11-1, state playoff-qualifying Plantation High team…recorded 103 tackles and nine sacks as a junior for 12-1 team which also advanced to the state playoffs…coached by Frank Hepler.
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%^$TIGHT ENDS (1)
%^$BEN HARTSOCK: 6-4, 250, Chillicothe, Ohio
%^$Selected first-team Division IV all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior…recorded 86 receptions for 1,562 yards during his career…rushed for 356 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior…also recorded 61 tackles including 19 sacks on defense as a senior with four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries…coached by Wayne Horsley.
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%^$FULLBACKS (1)
%^$NATE STEAD: 6-0, 255, Marion, Ohio
%^$Fullback missed four games as a senior due to a strained medial colateral ligament at the start of the season…a powerful blocker, he still managed to gain 500 yards in eight games and help lead Harding High to the state playoffs…coached by Tim Hinton.
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%^$PUNTER/KICKER (1)
%^$B.J. SANDER: 6-3, 195, Cincinnati, Ohio
%^$Recruited as a punter, he could have the opportunity to place kick down the road as well…a left-footed kicker and punter, he is considered one of the best dual specialists in the state this decade…selected first-team Division II all-Ohio by the Associated Press as a senior…kicked a state record 60-yard field goal in 1998 win over Kettering Alter…averaged 40.0 yards per punt as a senior and averaged 43.5 yards per punt as a junior at Roger Bacon High…was 9-of-10 in field goal attempts, including field goals of 54, 51, 47, 47 and 43 yards as a junior…a four-year varsity kicker…coached by Dan Starkey.
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%^$– GO BUCKS –
