Photo via 247Sports.com

In this era of college football, the running back is still a vital component to offensive success. Michael Weber, a 4-star recruit from Michigan, is going to make fans of Ohio State very happy starting next season.

According to ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, Weber will be a Buckeye:

As is often the case for high-profile recruits, Weber had a whirlwind journey before getting to this moment. In August, he committed to Michigan.

However, in the midst of all the unrest around the coaching staff and athletic department during the season, Weber took to Twitter again to announce that he was reopening his recruiting:

According to Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com, Weber made the decision as the Wolverines were losing to Maryland, and it put a significant dent in the school's 2015 recruiting class, which was already starting to thin out:

Weber is the fourth player to decommit from Brady Hoke's 2015 recruiting class this season, joining four-star defensive end Darian Roseboro, four-star corner Garrett Taylor and four-star linebacker Darrin Kirkland. Michigan's 2015 recruiting class is down to seven players.

Weber, the 13th-ranked running back in the country, had offers from Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Alabama and Ohio State. He had his best season in 2014 with 2,268 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, via 247Sports.com.

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While boasting a strong running back frame at 5'10", Weber will need to add more bulk as he's currently listed at 205 pounds. One thing that you notice from the highlight video embedded above is how he doesn't really avoid contact.

Because Weber lacks elite speed, defenders have a chance to hit him. However, because he's so physical with a strong lower half, you have to wrap him up and fight to get him down. That's why the 17-year-old could have instant success in college, though a redshirt season isn't out of the question.

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