2014 Ohio State Football: Derek Kief Opts For Alabama Over Ohio State

On Sunday night, Urban Meyer's plans for the 2014 Ohio State Football recruiting class were partially thwarted, when Derek Kief made a verbal commitment to Nick Saban from Alabama Crimson Tide. Kief is a tall, fast, four star wide receiver out of Cincinnati. He was among the top targets for the Buckeyes.

Kief has been inundated with over 20 offers for scholarships from schools like Louisville, Arkansas, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Notre Dame. Ultimately though, it was a 3 team contest between Kentucky, Ohio State and Alabama. Alabama have won 3 out of the 4 previous national championships, and the gifted wideout simply could not resist the chance to join them.

Kief is a physically imposing receiver, who never shy's away from catching the football in traffic. His height of 6'5" ensures that, in the red zone, he is difficult to match up against. Over the junior season, he managed 9 touchdowns and 65 receptions for 907 yds. He finished the 2011/2012 seasons with an average of 14 yds per reception. This demonstrates his consistent performance on the field.

Wide receiver Parris Campbell, who is a 4 star prospect hailing from Akron, Ohio, has already committed to the Buckeyes. Now Kief is joining Alabama, the Buckeyes need to progress onto their other preferred receivers. Meyer is in the process of enrolling 4 star prospects Mark Andrews, Saeed Blacknall, Jalen Brown, Austin Roberts and Trevion Thompson. While there are still many talented receivers that play for the Buckeyes, Kief's decision was a sizable blow nonetheless.