Big Ten schools claim five recruits from Valley

By Joe Scalzo

BOARDMAN — The “State of Youngstown” was very good to Jim Tressel’s current team — and his former team — as Ohio State landed two area recruits and YSU landed five more as part of the Mahoning Valley’s 28-player class on Wednesday’s National Signing day.

Boardman guard Corey Linsley and Mooney defensive tackle John Simon were part of the Buckeyes’ 25-player class that was ranked first by Scout.com and third by Rivals.com.

“I feel like we got a great recruiting class,” said Simon, who said he met every recruit at least once and keeps in touch with several on a weekly basis. “It’s a great honor to be a part of something like this.”

Tressel’s biggest rival, Michigan, also cleaned up, landing electrifying running back Fitzgerald Toussaint and playmaking defensive back Isaiah Bell, both of Liberty.

“To get four guys of that caliber in one year is amazing,” said Canfield native Mark Porter, who runs the recruiting site ScoutingOhio.com. “You usually only get that many guys in maybe four or five years, so to have them all in one year is really impressive.”

Read the story in Thursday’s Vindicator and on Vindy.com.