Not once in the 19 years spanning the Rivals.com era has an Ohio State class landed atop the heap in the national recruiting landscape, which would make its current grip on 2021’s No. 1 spot –– if it holds –– a landmark occasion.

In fact, only three times has Ohio State registered a higher number of total recruiting points than it already has in 2021. If this is to become the best Buckeye recruiting class of the past two decades, it’s worth taking a look at the results of the only groups the 2021 class has yet to surpass.

The 2021 class, which features five-stars Jack Sawyer, Donovan Jackson and Tunmise Adeleye to go along with 12 four-stars, has racked up a total of 2,831 points. But the top class since 2002 was the 3,192-point 2018 group that claimed three five-stars and 18 four-star prospects.

The story of Ohio State’s 2018 class is far from written in permanent ink just yet, as five-star prospects Teradja Mitchell, Nicholas Petit-Frere and Tyreke Johnson have each mostly waited in the wings in their first several seasons in Columbus, but 2020 is the year the class will have a chance to prove its mettle.

On offense, Petit-Frere will have a shot to start the season at the right tackle position left vacant by Branden Bowen, former three-star Chris Olave will return after leading the team in receiving yards and touchdowns a season ago, and Master Teague will replace JK Dobbins as the starting running back barring further injury complications.

Jeremy Ruckert, who caught twice as many passes (14) and touchdowns (2) as next-leading tight end Luke Farrell in 2019, will have a shot at shoring up an already highlight-laden on-field rapport with Justin Fields.

On defense, the departure of starting safety Jeff Okudah and cornerbacks Damon Arnette and Jordan Fuller leaves the door wide open for the slew of 2018 defensive backs to battle for starting spots. Josh Proctor has been groomed as Fuller’s replacement at high safety, while Sevyn Banks and Cameron Brown appear the frontrunners to step in at cornerback.

The defensive line will be strewn with members of the 2018 class this season, as Tommy Togiai headlines the defensive tackles looking to replace the production of Robert Landers, DaVon Hamilton and Jashon Cornell.

There will be no shortage of pass rushers from the class vying for time this season, as Tyreke Smith, Tyler Friday and Javontae Jean-Baptiste –– who combined for 6.5 sacks a season ago –– will be expected to play a bigger role without Young coming off the edge.

The Buckeyes’ second-highest ranked class in the Rivals.com era put its stamp on the program this past year, leading Ohio State to a 14-point comeback against Wisconsin to cap a run of three-straight Big Ten championships.

Young and Okudah entered the program two of the class’s six five-star prospects and exited the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, having each made a case for being at or among the top all-time Buckeyes at their respective positions.

Dobbins needed no warmup period, as the Texas native received starting time from jump alongside Mike Weber before exceeding the loftiest expectations for his production with an Ohio State record-setting 2,000-yard season in 2019.

Though the class’s headliners have each made way to the professional ranks, another 2019 All-American from the 2017 class leads a group that still has opportunity to reach new heights.

At guard, Wyatt Davis returns to an offensive line heavily constructed by the standout 2017 class, including returning starters at center and left tackle in Josh Myers and Thayer Munford.

On the defensive end, former five-star cornerback Shaun Wade will take the reins as the new star of the Buckeyes’ defensive backfield, and linebackers Baron Browning and Pete Werner will provide stability in the middle during their fourth seasons in the program.

A national title is all that's missing from the class of 2017's resume, but it will have a shot to make that run in 2020.

Joining 2017 and ’18 among Ohio State's litany of national runner-up recruiting classes, the 2013 class added essential pieces to a roster that won the Buckeyes’ first national title in 12 seasons.

Eight NFL Draft selections came out of the 2013 class, and all eight were selected in the opening two rounds. Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott and Eli Apple were all selected in the first 10 picks of the 2016 draft alone.

One four-star Texas product from this class didn’t hear his name called in the draft, but he had no problem rewriting the record books at Ohio State. Quarterback J.T. Barrett still holds the Buckeye career marks for total yards, passing yards, total touchdowns and passing touchdowns, as well as the single-game total touchdown record to boot.

But Barrett is far from the lone Buckeye from the class to have his named etched in the record books. With consecutive 1,800-plus-yard rushing campaigns in 2014 and ’15, Elliott owns the third and fourth best seasons among all-time Buckeye rushers, finishing behind only Archie Griffin in career rushing yards before Dobbins usurped him in 2019.

Bosa and defensive end Tyquan Lewis both appear in the program’s top seven career sack leaders, laying claim to 26 and 22.5, respectively.

It was former head coach Urban Meyer's first full run at a recruiting cycle in Columbus, Ohio, and it will go down as one of the best in Buckeye history.

With the calendar having barely flipped to June and momentum on its side, Ohio State’s 2021 class would be hard-pressed not to eventually edge out each of these classes en route to the Buckeyes’ most recruiting points in the Rivals era.

However, it will have its work cut out for it in order to best the on-field accomplishments of legendary 2013 and '17 classes.

But the trend in Ohio State recruiting is clear. Meyer's national pedigree sent the Buckeyes on an upward trajectory, and that doesn't appear to be ending any time soon with Ryan Day at the helm.