Ohio State's defensive line recruiting push includes the SEC losing it's D-line edge; what Ohio State and Michigan won't surrender: Doug Rants

The Buckeyes aren't just up, but Georgia and Alabama are down when it comes to gathering recent D-line talent.

Larry Johnson (center) and Ohio State have landed four major defensive line recruits in the Class of 2027. (Photo by Doug Lesmerises)

COLUMBUS — Ten thoughts on Ohio State’s continued recruiting and the continued college football discussions in Washington.

1. Athletic defensive linemen have been a primary differentiator for SEC football for decades. Go back to Ohio State’s national championship losses to Florida and LSU at the end of the 2006 and 2007 seasons, and the players that dominated those SEC wins were Florida defensive ends Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey and LSU defensive tackles Glenn Dorsey and Ricky Jean Francois.

   The idea of SEC speed was always as much, or more, about big guys who could move as opposed to skill guys who could move.

   As Ohio State builds one of its best defensive line recruiting classes ever in the Class of 2027, it’s not only clear that the Buckeyes are embracing that model of athletic defensive linemen.

   It’s also clear the SEC is losing that edge.