Ohio State Football: Running Back Prospect Jaamal Berry Verbally Commits

Ohio State fans needed a bit of good news to pick them up after the scare with injured running back Chris "Beanie" Wells.  They got it in a big way when one of the top running backs in the nation, Jaamal Berry, verbally committed to the Buckeyes Sunday morning.

The writing may have been on the wall long before today, but a 20-hour drive to see Ohio State take on Youngstown State on his own accord pretty much tipped his hand.  He delivered the news to Coach Tressel and his mother after a campus and facility tour, adding to the pleasure of a season opening win.

With Berry now added to the 2009 recruiting class, the tally has now reached 25 players, the maximum allotment in any given recruiting year.  Several of the verbals plan to rectify that problem by enrolling early and counting towards the 2008 class, meaning the only 'number' to be worried about is the overall 85 man roster.

Jaamal will join fellow Floridian and running back Carlos Hyde to give the Buckeye's a combination of thunder and lighting.  At 5'11' and 185 lbs., there were questions on whether or not he would be speedy enough to make up for his lack of size.  All of those doubts were erased when he ripped off a 4.31 40-yard dash at a Florida combine. 

Don't let his size fool you though, as Jaamal does not stray away from contact.  Berry is said to have great upper body strength, combined with a low center of gravity, which allows him to fight off would be tacklers to gain extra yards.  He is often described as "very physical", which is why the speed concerns were cast upon him.  To cap it all off, he has the ability to get out in the receiving game with a set of soft hands.