Football Recruiting - Jackets Nab Ohio LB

BJ Machen became the latest Jacket commitment. Machen is a 6'0" 220lb LB from Ohio. He had offers from over 25 other schools, including Duke, Illinois, Maryland, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Stanford, Syracuse and West Virginia. His father played at Stanford and his grandpa played at Illinois in the 50's, so there's some player blood in him......... Deron Jasper, a Tech DB, is Machen's cousin, so there were some family ties here............ Rivals lists Machen as a "3 star" guy, for what it's worth, the #37 LB in the country, and #21 prospect in the state of Ohio............. While some schools actually recruited him as a safety prospect, he's coming to the Jackets as a LB prospect............... Here's a little more info................ here are some video clips.

Here are some scout.com dudes discussing the Machen in their look at players from Ohio:

19. B.J. Machen – Hilliard Darby – WLB

6-1/210/4.60

Bob: Is a kid I have been talking about all year long and I think he is a good one. This whole group of players that we are talking about here are good enough , that in some years they could be the top five players in the state and their not far off this year. Machen is a tackling machine. He has great lateral movement and is like a heat seeking missile. I like backers who finish tackles and play with bad intentions, that is Machen. The kid is very cerebral, a trait that his father has instilled in him. Someone is getting a winner here.

Greg: I found out about B.J. Machen when Lichtenfels hit me up with his highlights after discovering early this year. He told me that he had found a real hidden gem, and it only took a few minutes scouting his film to realize that he was spot on. This kid plays with bad intentions, and will flat out lay the boom when laying a hit on the ball carrier. He shoots the gaps well and shows nice instinctual fluidness when he moves. He may not have ideal size, but these intangibles make him worth a chance.

Bill: Yet ANOTHER great LB prospect in Ohio, and this one is a flat out tackling machine. Offers from West Virginia, Nebraska, Pitt, and others. Machen will probably not get an Ohio State offer but someday might be a looked at as a player that should have. Machen takes great pursuit angles and doesn’t miss when he gets there. He gets it done in the classroom too and that also makes him a desirable recruit. He doesn’t get the publicity of Brandon Beachum or Justin Staples, but he’s just as good a football player. I expect to see Machen succeed at the next level.

Dave: When I last spoke with Hilliard Darby head coach Paul Jenne about one of his seniors in the 07 class he was quick to point out Machen as being a major prospect. After watching film and talking with a few other coaches I fully understand what all the fuss is about. Shows great instincts and an explosive burst.