Erick Smith: 4-Star Safety For 2014

At exactly six feet tall and 181 pounds, safety Erick Smith, out of Cleveland Glenville, is the perfect size to play the position. He is tall enough to jump for balls with any receivers in the game, but not so tall or large that it slows him down; he still has that quick closing speed that is needed from a safety. He is big enough to come up and jump into the box if he needs to help stop the run, and he has proven that he can tackle in the open field with the best of them.

All of this has combined to make him a 4-star prospect who is expected to have a huge impact in the college game. His is currently ranked as the 17th player at his position - he could play safety on either side - and he is in the top 300 overall. As such, he has offers from the schools that you would expect, including Alabama, Georgia Tech, Michigan and, of course, Ohio State.

Being from Ohio, there is a chance that Smith is leaning toward staying at home and playing for Ohio State. He could go to Cincinnati as well - they also gave him an offer - but you would have to think the Buckeyes would win that recruiting battle for an elite talent. However, Rivals puts his interest at Medium for all of his preferred schools, and he has yet to take a visit to any of them. Future visits may determine his decision.