• Watch List DL Bennett picks Ohio State

  • By Bill Kurelic | May 17, 2010 6:55:22 AM PDT
When defensive lineman Michael Bennett (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) committed to Ohio State on Sunday he became the sixth ESPNU 150 Watch List prospect to pick the Buckeyes.Bennett is Jim Tressel's 11th commitment and he is well on his way to landing another great recruiting class.Bennett had over 30 scholarship offers including Alabama, Oklahoma, Northwestern, Iowa, Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Notre Dame, West Virginia and Pitt. In late April he narrowed his choices down to the Buckeyes and Northwestern before making his decision on Sunday."After I talked things over with my family I felt Ohio State would prepare me better for the NFL," said Bennett. "And Ohio State has a strong medical school. They will be able to help me after I'm done with football."The 6-foot-3, 270-pounder started at guard his sophomore season. He played offensive and defensive tackle during his junior season, and will play defensive tackle for the Buckeyes.Tressel is expected to sign at least 20 prospects in his 2011 recruiting class.Among the top prospects Tressel still has squarely on his radar screen are a host of ESPNU 150 Watch List prospects including quarterback Braxton Miller (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne), defensive back Doran Grant (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary), linebacker Trey DePriest (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield), wide receiver Evan Spencer (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills), tight end Nick Vannett (Westerville, Ohio/Central), linebacker James Vaughters (Tucker, Ga./Tucker), offensive lineman Angelo Mangiro (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury) and wide receiver Shane Wynn (Cleveland, Ohio/Glenville).The Buckeyes are considered to be the leader or at least one of the top choices for all of those super prospects. Offensive lineman Aundrey Walker (Cleveland, Ohio/Glenville), another top Ohioan, also has them at the top of his list. In the Big Ten, the rich continue to get richer on the recruiting front.Purdue and Cincy lead for DuzeyTight end Jake Duzey (Troy, Mich./Athens) is a bit of a sleeper in Big Ten country. The 6-4, 222-pounder played tight end his sophomore season and wide receiver during his junior season."I'm being recruited for tight end and wide receiver," said Duzey. "Different schools are looking at me for different things."Duzey has scholarship offers from Purdue, Cincinnati, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Toledo, Bowling Green, Buffalo and Wyoming."Purdue is recruiting me as a tight end. Cincinnati wants me to play a combination tight end and wide receiver position. I'd probably say those are my top schools right now, said Duzey. "I like the facilities and the coaches at Purdue. And they throw to the tight end a lot. At Cincinnati it's pretty much the same things, and I like the position they want me to play."Duzey, who has visited both Purdue and Cincinnati, would like to select a college prior to the start of his senior football season.

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