Urban Meyer talks to the media on National Signing Day Feb. 5 at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Credit: Shelby Lum / Photo editor

Urban Meyer talks to the media on National Signing Day Feb. 5 at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Credit: Shelby Lum / Photo editor

Another National Signing Day, and another top recruiting class for Ohio State.

Football coach Urban Meyer announced Wednesday 23 players who signed National Letters of Intent to become Buckeyes this fall.

Meyer’s most recent recruiting class is currently ranked third by rivals.com and Yahoo! Sports and seventh by ESPN.

Among the signees are seven players who enrolled in classes early and have been on campus since January. Those players include quarterback Stephen Collier, wide receiver Johnnie Dixon, offensive lineman Marcelys Jones, linebacker Raekwon McMillan, kicker Sean Nuernberger, H-back Curtis Samuel and offensive lineman Kyle Trout.

McMillan is the lone five-star commitment, according to rivals.com, and the top-ranked linebacker in the country. He is looked to bring stability to a unit that lost a first-team AP All-American in junior Ryan Shazier, who led the Big Ten in tackles this past season with 143.

McMillan is one of four linebackers Meyer brings to Columbus, the others being Kyle Berger, Dante Booker and Sam Hubbard.

“The linebacker position is one that we’re going through an overhaul. Too many mistakes have been made due to lack of development or whatever,” Meyer said Wednesday. “I’m putting pressure on myself and (defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Luke) Fickell to (have them ready to) play next year. They have to be ready to play for us.”

In all, OSU’s class includes four wide receivers, three defensive linemen, five offensive linemen, four defensive backs, one quarterback and one H-back in Samuel.

This is the third year in a row Meyer has signed a top 10 class.

“I think we won today,” Meyer said. “I’m very pleased with their effort today. This isn’t a good class, it’s a great class.”

The 2014 Ohio State Recruiting Class:

-Kyle Berger — linebacker, Cleveland

-Dante Booker — linebacker, Akron, Ohio

-Noah Brown — wide receiver, Sparta, N.J.

-Parris Campbell — wide receiver, Akron, Ohio

-Stephen Collier — quarterback, Leesburg, Ga.

-Johnnie Dixon — wide receiver, West Palm Beach, Fla.

-Jalyn Holmes — defensive lineman, Norfolk, Va.

-Malik Hooker — safety, New Castle, Pa.

-Sam Hubbard — linebacker, Cincinnati

-Jamarco Jones — offensive lineman, Chicago

-Marcelys Jones — offensive lineman, Cleveland

-Demetrius Knox — offensive lineman, Fort Worth, Texas

-Marshon Lattimore — cornerback, Cleveland

-Terry McLaurin — wide receiver, Indianapolis

-Raekwon McMillan — linebacker, Hinesville, Ga.

-Sean Nuernberger — kicker, Buckner, Ky.

-Curtis Samuel — H-back, Brooklyn

-Darius Slade — defensive lineman, Montclair, N.J.

-Erick Smith — safety, Cleveland

-Brady Taylor — offensive lineman, Columbus

-Dylan Thompson — defensive lineman, Lombard, Ill.

-Kyle Trout — offensive lineman, Lancaster, Ohio

-Damon Webb — cornerback, Detroit