Since last posting about three weeks ago (apologies), the Buckeyes have hauled in perhaps the most high profile recruits in such a short time period since recruiting became a major point of interest to fans.  Including the exodus of one-time Wolverine Justin Boren to Columbus, Jim Tressel has brought in six total future Buckeyes, only one of whom (RB Jordan Hall) is ranked outside of the top 10 nationally at his position.  Here's a quick look at the newest Buckeyes, and an outlook for the rest of the 2009 recruiting class which is sure to rival last year's as the best in the Tressel era:

Darrell Givens, #9 CB Nationally
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The stunner of all the Spring game commitments, Givens actually pulled the trigger shortly before the kickoff.  As it stands now, this may be the biggest upset that the Buckeyes pull all year in terms of recruiting, as it appeared that Miami (FL) held a tight lead over the Maryland product, and just about every program in the country sought after his attention.  He has good size and speed for the likely cornerstone of the secondary in years to come, standing at 6'1" with a sub-4.5 40 time.  It may have been his close friendship to 2008 signee and fellow Maryland native Lamaar Thomas that sealed the deal for Givens, and his commitment very well may have opened up a new pipeline for Jim Tressel in the Old Line State.

Jordan Hall, #18 RB
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Although Hall is lowest ranked recruit of the newest bunch of Buckeyes-to-be, his verbal to Ohio State may prove to be invaluable considering the glaring need at the running back position.  Hall, a Jeannette, PA native, played his high school ball with Terrelle Pryor, so it's hardly a surprise that he followed his teammate to Columbus.  At 5'9" and 185 lbs., Hall's build is very similar to that of a young Antonio Pittman.  His stature, speed, and chemistry with Pryor all make Hall a perfect fit for the spread offense that should hopefully find its way to central Ohio pretty soon, but he will likely be one of at least two running backs in this recruiting class.

Dorian Bell, #1 SLB
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Dorian Bell was the bona fide blue chip stud that the 2009 recruiting class lacked prior to his verbal.  Sure, watching John Simon's film screams "sure thing" along the defensive line, but many recruiting services have offered mixed reviews toward the Youngstown product.  Bell, on the other hand, is a consensus 5-star player that will be viewed as the cornerstone prospect of the class.  Everywhere you look, Bell's name is followed by five shiny stars and either a "1" or "2" (as in, his position ranking).  Bell seemed to be a heavy Buckeye lean for quite some time, and his commitment really came as no surprise.  He will be a linebacker at the next level, but he's as athletic as a safety and as aggressive as a pass rushing defensive end.  No matter how you slice it, Bell is the star of this class.

Melvin Fellows, #10 Defensive End
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It can be argued that Fellows was the "must-get" prospect in this class.  He has been considered by many to be the top prospect in the state of Ohio, and after his early commitment to the Illini, many Buckeye fans were panicking and beginning to believe that Illinois could get any kid out of Ohio at will.  Shortly after the commitment, though, Tressel extended a scholarship offer to Fellows (Gentlemen's agreement, you say?), and he reopened his recruitment, despite remaining committed to the Zooker.  A couple of visits to Columbus later spelled the end of the Illinois chapter of Fellows' recruitment, as he officially switched over to his original love.  Fellows is the second defensive line prospect in 2009 (John Simon being the other), but is the first true rush  end in the class.

Corey Linsley, #4 OG
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The most recent of the commitments, Linsley gave Tressel a call just this morning to officially become a Buckeye.  Although only given three stars by Scout.com, Linsley is likely to skyrocket in the rankings after racking up scholarship offers from Michigan, Notre Dame, and Miami Florida in recent weeks.  Also, it's hard to imagine that any recruiting service's #4 player at a given position being ranked anything lower than four stars.  Instead of getting caught up in rankings, though, it's important to see the type of player that Ohio State is getting in Linsley.  For starters, he projects as a guard at the next level, but his 6'4" frame could allow him to move to the outside if need be.  He is incredibly quick off the line, and adds impressive strength to that quickness to create some nasty explosion.

Justin Boren, #7 OL Nationally, Honorable Mention All-Conference
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Although Boren was actually a high school senior three years ago, he will not be able to suit up in Scarlet and Gray until the fall of 2009, so I'm considering him a member of this recruiting class.  After controversially defecting from Michigan to archrival Ohio State after Lloyd Carr departed Ann Arbor, Boren has (and will continue to have) a bullseye on him with every step he takes.  Michigan fans no longer want anything to do with him, Ohio State fans aren't sure what to think of him, and you can't help but wonder: if he left Michigan because the spread offense was too difficult to work, then how effective will he really be when Pryor and Saine are the primary weapons in '09? Fortunately, Boren did not redshirt at Michigan, so this season will not be considered one of lost eligibility, and he will begin his Ohio State career as a fourth year junior.  Other than that, Boren will have to make a name for himself before we hand him a starting spot.  He was, after all, a Wolverine for quite some time.

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With 13 total commitments to date, the 2009 recruiting class is shaping up to be perhaps the deepest in memory.  Currently, there are 9 scholarships remaining, but when Beanie jets off for greener pastures at the end of the season, that will open up a tenth spot.  Right now, the word on BuckeyePlanet is that at least three Florida-based studs are on the verge of committing after visiting Columbus for the spring game: DB Vladimir Emilien, RB Jaamal Berry, and DB Brandon McGee.  Additionally, WR Duron Carter -- Cris Carter's son -- could also commit in the near future.  All four seem to posses that ever sought after "Southern Speed," which of course means Jim Tressel will lose two BCS Championships over the next four years, instead of just one.  If all four commit, which appears to be a legitimate possibility at the moment, that leaves six spots for the rest of the class.  You have to imagine that Zach Boren (Justin's younger brother) and Marcus Hall (One of the premier OT prospects in the country) will almost certainly nab two of those slots, with the remaining four up for grabs.  Of course, this is all speculation, but considering the information all comes from reliable sources, it's worth speculating about.