Aundrey Walker

As the offers begin to roll in for offensive lineman Aundrey Walker of Cleveland Glenville, Penn State and Cincinnati have become his most recent suitors.

“I received an e-mail from Coach Paterno and he said that they liked my film and they would be sending me an offer next week but I haven’t received it yet,” Walker said. “Right now, I’m at six or seven offers. Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana and West Virginia. That’s it right now.”

It’s almost too crazy to believe for the behemoth offensive lineman who has clearly vaulted toward the front of many recruiting services for the Class of 2011. In fact, he is now considered one of Ohio's top 10 prospects in the junior class (see below).

“I’m almost at a loss for words but at the same time I’m blessed and grateful that I’m in this position,” Walker said. “I’m still going to stay humble because it can be taken away from me any time. But I couldn’t be any happier about the way things are going for me.”

Admittedly, the 6-6, 335-pound Walker never imagined things would blow up to the extent that they have so quickly.

“During my sophomore year at D-tackle my confidence was down so I really thought that this wouldn’t be happening right now,” said Walker, who played the entire season at offensive guard for the Tarblooders in his junior campaign. “It’s shocking to me and I’m surprised and I’m just at a loss for words. But at the same time I’m gracious. It’s here and I’ve got to deal with it.”

So Walker is attempting to deal with his new found notoriety, because of recruiting, in the best way that he possibly can.

“It actually doesn’t bother me, to be for real, because I’m focusing more on school and football training,” said Walker, who would like to major in anthropology, or forensic science or criminology in college. “The recruiting process, it’s not hitting me hard yet. It really just got started so right now I’m just learning a little of the ‘its and bits’ about it.”

Education is definitely going to play a big role in deciding on a school and Walker’s mom will be much-involved in that aspect of his decision.

“Picking my school is not only going to be based on football but on the academic side and whether I feel like it’s my home there,” Walker said. “Will I love the coaches? Will the coaches love me? Will they be honest and loyal and all that? But my mother is going to play a big part in (helping) me choose my school.”

Walker has no time frame set to commit to any school although he has a couple of events in mind at this time.

“I really can’t tell you when I might commit,” he said. “But I know it might be next year sometime around signing day or if I make it to the All-American Bowl ... if I make it.”

But as things stand right now for Walker, one offer he’s already received certainly made him say "wow."

“That Ohio State offer,” Walker said. “That was the big ‘wow’ because it was so early and I’m like, ‘wow, these guys actually love me and they’re showing interest me.’ So that was a big wow, like ‘wow it’s so early and they just offered me.’ ”

Bryant Browning, Marcus Hall and now Aundrey Walker. Glenville is clearly no longer a school that produces skill players only. The fact that Walker served pretty much as Hall’s protégé in football and track during Walker’s sophomore season with the Tarblooders only bodes well for Ohio State's chances to eventually add Walker's name to their roster.

“Me and Marcus talked about two weeks ago,” Walker said. “He’s a good role model to me. He works hard, he’s a dawg on the field and he’s doing his thing down there.”

And now Walker himself has a chance, like Browning and Hall, to be considered a pipeline guy and become a Buckeye.

“When I got the offer I was at a junior day at Ohio State and it was like wow and I was shocked and surprised but I was happy and I was grateful that I got the offer,” Walker said. “But I’m a humble guy. My mother preaches to me all the time to be humble. So I’m not the type of guy to be running around, ‘Oh yeah, I got an offer from Ohio State’ or ‘I’m this and I’m that.’

"No it’s not like that. I’m going to give the next person a chance to do this and that. I’m going to teach the next person what to do just to get this offer. It’s not about me, it’s about my community and the ones that are growing up behind me. And my fellow teammates.”

Spoken like a true Ted Ginn Sr.-mentored, Glenville Tarblooder who will likely go through the entire recruiting process before he makes his final decision.

“I can’t even tell you right now how it’s going to go down from here,” Walker said. “It’s too early. I don’t even know for real.”

But like any other versatile lineman, Walker will be a nice fit at any position, be it guard or tackle, on the offensive line for whatever school he ultimately chooses.

“I’m versatile so I can play both spots but I was talking to Coach (Jim) Bollman when I was down there and I told him, coach wherever you need me I’m going to play,” Walker said. “He was telling me, ‘We might need you at guard but you’re tall enough to be a left tackle in the League so we might want to switch you to left tackle later on in your career to get you started on to what you’re doing in the process of making it to the NFL.' ”

Clearly, it’s serious business for Walker but he knows it’s all just starting to get serious.

“I get a lot of people telling me, ‘You ain’t even started with the process yet. It ain’t even hit you yet,’ ” said Walker who turned 17 on Jan. 15. “Let’s just say that I’m ready for it but I’m still a year away.”

That should be plenty of time to make the pipeline a little bit wider just in case it works out that way on or before signing day 2011.

“Yeah I love the Buckeyes and I appreciate them loving me,” Walker said. “I’m grateful and I’m blessed. That’s my slogan for the rest of my life. I’m blessed and grateful for everything.”