If there's one thing Pennsylvania is notorious for besides the Steelers, it's their all-star recruits that Ohio State keeps sweeping up.
Dorian Bell, a 220-pound outside linebacker from Monroeville, Pa., is one of three players from the keystone state that will be making an impact on Buckeye football in coming years.
Ranked 33 overall and third in his position by rivals.com, Bell will add to the depth of the linebacker roster. He averaged almost nine tackles per game as a senior and led the Monroeville Gateway High School team to a 12-1 record. In addition, he's already played in two National All-Star games: the U.S. Army All-American Game and the Hawaii-U.S. Mainland All-Star Game.
Kevin Noon, a recruit analyst from rivals.com, said that with the stats and athleticism Bell brings to the table, he could have gone pretty much anywhere.
Schools such as Penn State, Boston College and Tennessee were interested in Bell, and recruiting competition for the all-star was nothing less than fierce. But Ohio State's strategy is to find and sign recruits early on, which may be why he was already committed weeks before national signing day.
"They've done a really good job at covering spots that needed covered, and they have guys across a lot of positions," Bucknuts.com Managing editor Steve Helwagen said. "There are a lot of schools they keep going back to."
Some of these schools notorious for breeding top athletes include Cleveland Glenville and Lakewood St. Edward, both in Ohio. But Pennsylvania is becoming more popular with OSU recruits, especially after freshman success Terrelle Pryor.
Joining Bell from Pennsylvania will be Monroeville Gateway High School teammate Corey Brown (wide receiver/defensive back) and Jordan Hall, a running back from Jeannette, Pa., Pryor's hometown.
Helwagen said Gateway has one of Pennsylvania's best teams, and the stats show it. The Gators have won 21 conference titles and two state championships.
In Bell's senior season, he made 113 tackles, seven sacks, four forced fumbles and rushed for 860 yards, numbers that Noon says will make him a key player.
"You want a guy who is going to get in there and smack some people around," Noon said. "Dorian's got drive, speed and ability, making him an all-around player."
With Bell's superior athletic ability, he's sure to see some playing time, but how much remains uncertain.
Even with the departure of James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, the linebacker roster remains crowded.
Bell will join other linebacker recruits Zach Boren, Storm Klein and Jordan Whiting; sophomores Tony Jackson, Andrew Sweat and Etienne Sabino; juniors Thaddeus Gibson, Jermale Hines, Ross Homan, Tyler Moeller and Brian Rolle; and senior Austin Spitler.
"There are a lot of people who think Bell might be just a situational player starting out," Helwagen said. "That's just because there are a lot of kids in his position."
Margaret Stahl can be reached at stahl.104@osu.edu.
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