Athlete Danny McCarthy best of Ohio defensive prospects
By Craig HaubertOhio is Football! There may be some residents in the South who snicker at that comment, but Ohio natives are well in their right to shout that claim.
| Top '08 Ohio defensive prospects | ||
| Name | Pos | Grade |
| Danny McCarthy | ATH/S | 80 |
| Nathan Williams | OLB | 79 |
| Michael Zordich Jr. | OLB | 79 |
| Steve Gardiner | ILB | 78 |
| Fred Craig | S | 78 |
This Midwestern state loves its football and is very supportive of two NFL franchises and one of the most historic programs in college football, The Ohio State. The Buckeyes not only have a rich history of winning, but also a rich tradition with their monster sized stadium and the dotting of the I.
Ohio is also home to Big East rising star Cincinnati, where new head coach Brian Kelly and his "Cat Attack" offense are opening eyes. This state also boasts six non-BCS College Bowl Subdivision programs in addition to one of the top I-AA programs in the land in Youngstown State and D-III powerhouse Mount Union. High school football is also strong in this state with several excellent programs like St. Xavier and Colerain, among many others.
When it comes to high school prospects, Ohio is arguably the best among states above the Mason-Dixon. The 2008 class is good, but offense-heavy, with seven of the top 10 prospects on that side of the ball. Defense has been a strong point in past classes, though; defensive back Kurt Coleman (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont) from the 2006 class who is playing in Ohio State's secondary, and defensive end Ben Martin (Cincinnati/LaSalle) is a promising pass rusher at Tennessee. So while the pickings are a bit slimmer in this class, Ohio is still worth a look when it comes to defensive talent.
Danny McCarthy, Athlete
Cardinal Mooney (Youngstown, Ohio)
Verbal committment: Notre Dame
McCarthy will admit that he likes playing both ways but is ready for the challenge of becoming a college safety.
"At the college level, it is much more demanding. I am excited to turn my focus to one side of the ball and excel at the safety position," said McCarthy.
While he will be leaving the quarterback position behind, he feels like that experience will serve him well as a defensive back in college.
"You see the game from a different perspective. On the defensive side of the ball, you know what the quarterback is thinking, and that is a benefit."
His experience as a quarterback will not be the only thing that helps his full-time transition to safety, as his older brother Kyle is currently a red-shirt sophomore safety at Notre Dame. He says his brother has taught him a lot and plans to help him learn the Notre Dame defense this off-season so he will have a jump when he hits South Bend next fall.
Despite the rough start for the Irish, McCarthy says he is firm in his commitment.
"I think the future is bright for Notre Dame."
He plans to take his official on December 8th.
Steve Gardiner, Linebacker
Coffman (Dublin, Ohio)
Considering: Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Northwestern, Ohio State, Michigan State
Dublin-Coffman High School has proven it can produce some excellent football talent, as the home of 2007 first-round draft pick QB Brady Quinn and also where ESPN 150 prospects offensive lineman Mike Adams and tight end Jake Stoneburner play.
Beyond the spotlight is Gardiner, another fine prospect. On Recruiting Insider on ESPNU, we cover different under the radar players for each position, and when we covered linebackers, Gardiner was an obvious choice.
He needs to add bulk to his frame to play inside linebacker but is well-rounded at the position. Despite a lack of ideal size, he is tough versus the run by playing downhill and taking precise pursuit angles. He is a good tackler who can explode into a ball carrier and can also handle his own in coverage, reading the quarterback's eyes well and possessing excellent ball skills. He displays the frame to add the needed size, and if he can get bigger and keep his athleticism, he could be a sleeper in this class.
He may not end up at Ohio State with his teammates, but programs like Pittsburgh, Northwestern, and West Virginia are in position to possibly nab this underrated prospect.
Ohio has six non-BCS programs within its borders, and all have landed at least one prospect so far. The Akron Zips, trying to get back to a bowl game after staying home last season, currently have five verbal commitments to this point, three in-state.
Bowling Green also has five verbal commitments, all from Ohio and four of them offensive linemen.
Miami-Ohio has been the most active so far with nine commitments. They have plucked talent from several states, like center Nick Kemper (Lake Howell, Fla./Winter Park) from Florida and running back Dan Green (Melrose, Ill./Walther Lutheran) from Illinois. The Redhawks have also been busy landing in-state prospects, like linebacker Luke Kelly (Cincinnati/Turprin).
The Frank Solich-led Ohio Bobcats have two commitments so far. Neither are Ohio natives, but both are offensive line prospects. No. 21-rated center Rich Bell (Salisbury, Conn.) hails from Connecticut.
Toledo has one commitment at this point, as does Kent State, which has a verbal from guard Charles Walls (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood).
Ursuline-Youngstown (7-1) at No. 13 Cardinal Mooney-Youngstown (8-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET
The cross-town rivalry is renewed at Youngstown State University's 20,630-seat Stambaugh Stadium. The Cardinals eked out a 21-17 victory over St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron) for its 22nd straight win but needed to rally from a 17-0 deficit. Notre Dame-bound QB Dan McCarthy's 23-yard TD to TE Mike Gemma late in the fourth avoided the upset. The Fighting Irish have won four straight since losing 14-3 to Massillon Washington on Sept. 14. Ursuline, No. 6 in Ohio's Division V, is fresh off a 28-0 win over Beaver (Lisbon), registering its third shutout. --Lawlor
Craig Haubert is recruiting coordinator for Scouts Inc. Drop Craig a line in his mailbag.
