The good news keeps rolling in for Ohio State this recruiting season.
On Thursday, linebacker Andrew Sweat issued a verbal commitment to the Buckeyes at a ceremony at Trinity High School in Washington, Pa. He picked the Buckeyes over Notre Dame.
"This has been a dream since I started playing football,” Sweat said on his high school football field on Thursday evening following a practice. "I'd like to say thanks to (head coach Jim) Tressel and Ohio State."
Sweat did his announcment a little different. After a few opening remarks from Trinity head coach Ed Dalton and Sweat, the scoreboard at Trinity's football field revealed that OSU was Sweat's choice at 5:18 EDT and it was met with a thunderous roar from the roughly 100 fans, family and friends in attendance.
“Andrew is the most heavily recruited football player in Trinity history and is the first four-year starter since I’ve been here," Dalton said. "He is a tackling machine and was named first-team all-state last year. His father (Gary) played for Syracuse and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. Andrew has a 4.3 grade-point average. He has the total package.”
Sweat (6-3, 230) racked up 165 tackles (91 solo), 13 tackles-for-loss, four sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries as a junior in 2006. He is considered one of the top prospects in the country at his position and is on the ESPN 150 Watch List.
He becomes the ninth member in OSU’s 2008 class, joining Westerville Central kicker Ben Buchanan, Dublin Coffman offensive tackle Mike Adams, Cincinnati LaSalle wide receiver DeVier Posey, Massillon Washington running back DeVoe Torrence, Dublin Coffman wide receiver Jake Stoneburner, Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater offensive lineman Michael Brewster, Washington C.H. Miami Trace defensive end Nathan Williams and Klein (Texas) offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts.
The class will be small in quantity (expected to have 16 players) but high in quality and will likely be ranked as one of the nation’s best.
Sweat becomes the second player from Trinity High School to commit to OSU in the last two years. Andy Miller is a redshirt freshman tight end for the Buckeyes. Ohio State is expected to take just two linebackers this year, leaving one spot open. Williams can also play linebacker, but is projected as a rush end.
Sweat talked much more about his decision in a one-on-one interview with Bucknuts following the announcment.
“I pretty much knew I wanted to be a Buckeye the whole time," Sweat said. "All the trips to the other colleges just verified it.
“A huge reason I picked Ohio State was my linebackers coach Luke Fickell. I think he’s awesome. And Coach Tressel obviously as well. He’s the man. I think he’s the best coach in the country and just an unbelievable man. I just got off the phone with him and my mom is talking to him right now.
“And also just the tradition of Ohio State. I mean, their fans love football. That really caught my eye and I really wanted to be part of that.”
The Ohio State coaching staff put the all-out blitz on Sweat, but so did the other members of the '08 recruiting class.
“Michael Brewster called me and texted me every day," Sweat said with a laugh. "I would get texts from other people in his family like his mom. But that really meant a lot to me. I talked to Mike Adams a lot too. Pretty much everyone except the kicker Ben Buchanan and Nathan Williams so far. But I'm sure I will get to know those guys really well very soon. We have a great class.”
So who is a better recruiter? Brewster or Tressel?
“That would be a tough call," Sweat said. "But it would be tough to beat Brewster texting me every morning.”
Sweat is also a standout baseball player and will lead his team into the state semifinals this weekend.
* Gary Housteau was live on location and contributed to this story. Stay tuned for a photo gallery from Housteau in the coming days.
* For the full one-on-one interview with Sweat, tune in to next week's edition of the Bucknuts Radio Hour. We will also be joined by Craig Haubert from ESPN's new High School All-American Game.
* Click here for video footage of Sweat in action, courtesy ScoutingOhio.com!
