OSU coach Urban Meyer watches as the Buckeyes warm-up before their game against Nebraska on Nov. 5. The Buckeyes won 62-3. Credit: Alexa Mavrogianis | Photo Editor

Coach Urban Meyer has signed a top-10 recruiting class every year he’s been at Ohio State, but the upcoming 2017 class, which becomes official on Wednesday’s National Signing Day, is his best by a wide margin.  

OSU’s 2017 class consists of five five-star players – Meyer has signed just six in his previous five classes combined. Of the 19 current commits, 12 are ranked in the top five at their position and 16 are ranked in the top 15. Even OSU’s lone three-star and lowest-rated commit, kicker Blake Haubeil, is the top player at his position.

“When you compare the class to its predecessors at Ohio State, it’s pretty clear: this is the most talented and accomplished class in Urban Meyer’s brief stint in Columbus,” said Jeremy Birmingham, director of recruiting at Land of 10. “There are no holes, no weaknesses.”

Not only is the class good by OSU standards, its average player rating is the highest ever recorded by recruiting services.

“It’s arguably the most-talented team of all-time, if you look at it on a per-recruit basis,” said Andrew Lind, football recruiting analyst at Eleven Warriors. “Florida’s 2010 class is considered the gold standard by recruiting services with a 93.55 average. Ohio State’s current class — with 19 commits — sits at an unheard-of 95.20.”

The 2017 class has a chance to get even better by National Signing Day as the Buckeyes are finalists for a number of players making their college decisions, including the nation’s top defensive tackle, Marvin Wilson. OSU also seeks commitments from four-star defensive tackle Jay Tufele, and four-star offensive lineman Thayer Munford.

While he thinks they will miss out on both defensive tackles, Lind said an OSU commitment from Munford is “all but certain.”

Despite the class’ historic average player rating, Birmingham and Lind agreed that Alabama — not OSU — will likely have the top class in the final 247Sports rankings, but it’s not quite black and white.

“It’s hard to make an apples-to-apples comparison to Alabama’s recruiting class because the Crimson Tide have six more players committed than the Buckeyes do,” Birmingham said. “But it’s absolutely a toss-up nationally between the two.”

If the Buckeyes do finish behind Alabama, it will be OSU’s second No. 2 recruiting class since Meyer’s arrival. The first No. 2 fish was the 2013 class, which helped lead the Buckeyes to the 2014 national title and break an NFL Draft record with 10 players taken in the first three rounds.

“Being highly ranked doesn’t guarantee success like the 2013 class had,” Birmingham said. “But it’s a good start.” ‘

Editor’s note: Kevin Harrish is a staff writer for Eleven Warriors.