Ohio State Football Recruiting: Final Predictions Pre-National Signing Day

With national signing day fast approaching, head coach Urban Meyer is frantically working to put the finishing touches on one of the best recruiting classes Ohio State has ever assembled.

The Buckeyes currently have 19 prospects secured for their 2017 class, nine of which have already graduated high school and enrolled to take part in winter conditioning and spring practice. A nation-leading six 5-star prospects highlight the group, which has an aggregate star rating of 4.26, by far the highest average in the country.

Ohio State's scholarship crunch will likely prevent Meyer from signing the No. 1 class in the country, but there are still a few spots available for his top remaining targets.

Can the Buckeyes close strong next Wednesday and finish the '17 recruiting cycle with a bang?

When the Buckeyes received the sudden news that 4-star wide receiver and longtime commit Tyjon Lindsey was pulling away from his verbal pledge Jan. 10, the coaching staff began a hurried search for a replacement.

Ohio State got a commitment from Jaylen Harris, a 4-star standout from University Heights, Ohio, but the staff already had intentions for him to complement the haul of Lindsey and 4-star pass-catcher Trevon Grimes. Looking to add that third receiver, it looked like the Buckeyes had a good chance to land their man in Oliver Martin, a 4-star prospect from Iowa City, Iowa.

Martin was supposed to visit the Ohio State campus Jan. 21, but flight complications prevented him from making the trip, according to Matthew Bain of the Iowa City Press-Citizen (h/t Bill Kurelic of 247Sports).

With a Michigan trip planned this weekend and a home visit from the Wolverines staff before national signing day, it'll be difficult for Meyer and the Buckeyes to close the gap between them and their chief rivals.

Martin isn't the only wideout Ohio State targeted down the stretch, as James Robinson, a 4-star blazer out of Lakeland, Florida, was also on the receiving end of a late recruiting push.

Despite holding offers from the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Southern California and a host of others, Robinson had an immediate interest in the Buckeyes. Assistant head coach Tony Alford made the trip south to visit the 6'3", 190-pound receiver Jan. 17, and it went so well that Robinson made an official trip to Ohio State on Jan. 20.

But the Under Armour All-American Game participant grew up a Gators fan, and while it looked like Florida had botched its chance to land the talented receiver, Jim McElwain and Co. are making a late surge for the home-state star.

"[The Gators] have a very good chance. That's my dream school, and I've always loved them," Robinson said in December, according to Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel.

Florida's late recovery will keep Robinson in the South, and the Buckeyes will sign just two wideouts in 2017.

Ohio State's recruitment of Thayer Munford has drawn out for months, but the recent activity between the staff and the in-state 4-star offensive tackle has picked up substantially.

Urban Meyer, co-offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa made multiple visits to Massillon, Ohio, to visit with Munford last week, and the 6'6", 325-pound prospect returned the favor by officially visiting the campus Jan. 21.

While he has offers from schools such as Alabama, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Tennessee, Munford remains uncommitted and is still waiting on that elusive offer from the Buckeyes.

That offer should come down this week, and Munford will officially join Ohio State's 2017 class the moment it does.

Ohio State has recruited at a high level since Meyer took over in 2012, but the one position it's consistently come up short at is defensive tackle.

Blue-chip interior linemen such as Terry Beckner, Christian Wilkins, Neville Gallimore, Antwuan Jackson, Dexter Lawrence and Rashan Gary were all high targets for Meyer, but none of them landed with the Buckeyes on national signing day.

That trend shifted this year, though, as the Buckeyes landed Haskell Garrett (the No. 4-rated defensive tackle) and Jerron Cage (No. 16). But they're looking to add one more big man to the ranks to make up for so many recruiting misses over the last few years.

That won't come via a commitment from 5-star stud Jay Tufele.

The 6'3", 297-pound bulldozer has offers from Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Washington and many others, but Ohio State's biggest competition is home-state Utah and USC. According to Ryan McDonald of the Deseret News, location is a big factor in Tufele's decision, and because of that, he won't be making the cross-country trek to join Ohio State.

Meyer's record for landing marquee, last-minute commitments is well-documented. Former 5-star safety Vonn Bell and 4-star linebacker Raekwon McMillan stand out as two pivotal pledges Ohio State secured on the final day of their respective recruiting cycles.

Meyer will strike again next Wednesday when 5-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson announces his pledge to join Ohio State.

All signs point to Wilson staying in the South at LSU after his recent visit went as well as it could have for head coach Ed Orgeron and the Tigers, according to Sam Spiegelman of SEC Country. But the Buckeyes made Wilson a priority from the outset and have been down to visit him twice since he made the trip north to watch Ohio State's thrilling 30-27 double-overtime victory over Michigan firsthand.

Seeing that electric environment for himself, and the possibility of joining 5-star Texans Baron Browning, Jeffrey Okudah and high 4-star J.K. Dobbins, will be big factors down the stretch, and he'll be the fourth prospect from the Lone Star State to sign with the Buckeyes in 2017.

All recruiting and rankings information via Scout.

David Regimbal is the lead Ohio State football writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.