Story by
What colleges did central Ohio athletes pick on National Signing Day?
- Story by
- What colleges did central Ohio athletes pick on National Signing Day?
Dozens of central Ohio high school football players are signing this week to play in college.
The early signing period, which was moved up two weeks last year , began Dec. 3 and continues through Dec. 5. That coincides with the final weekend of high school football – the seven state championship games will be played Dec. 4-6 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton – and the announcement of Mr. Football on Dec. 4.
Advertisement
All-state teams will be announced the week of Dec. 7.
Here are central Ohio players who have signed with Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision programs. The signing information was submitted by area schools and coaches.
Favour Akih, Delaware Hayes/Ohio State
The 6-foot, 190-pound running back, who missed nearly the entire season with a high-ankle sprain suffered on the first play from scrimmage in Week 1, became the first Delaware player to sign with Ohio State since Rick Middleton, a 1970 graduate . Akih rushed for 110 yards and one touchdown in just three quarters this season after rushing for 1,641 yards and 18 TDs as a junior.
Africentric's Caleb Anthony, a Youngstown State signee, takes a hand-off from quarterback Joshua Smith during a September 2024 game against Walnut Ridge. Smith has signed with Cincinnati.
Caleb Anthony, Africentric/Youngstown State
The 5-8, 165-pound Anthony again starred on both sides of the ball, amassing 1,497 all-purpose yards (395 rushing, 804 receiving, 298 on returns) with 14 total touchdowns as well as six interceptions – three of which were returned for touchdowns – and 57 total tackles. Anthony repeated as Division V district Offensive Player of the Year .
Advertisement
Hudson Aultman, Olentangy Berlin/Michigan State
The 6-5, 295-pound defensive lineman and three-star recruit flipped his commitment to the Spartans on Nov. 9 after originally committing to Miami University. Aultman had 57 tackles as a senior, 30 of them solo and 26 for either loss of yardage or no gain. He was OCC-Cardinal co-Defensive Player of the Year with Olentangy's Kaden Gebhardt and first-team all-district in Division I.
Mohamed Bangoura, Westerville Central/Miami University
The 6-7, 245-pound Bangoura helped anchor the Warhawks' offensive line at left tackle, allowing just one sack and finishing with 16½ pancake blocks. He added two sacks in limited time at defensive end. It was his third year in football after previously playing basketball and soccer. He was named honorable mention all-district in Division I.
Advertisement
TeJuan Barbour, Northland/Kent State
The 6-3, 170-pound and three-star defensive back had 62 tackles, 38 of them solo, and 20 sacks with two interceptions, a forced fumble and fumble recovery to lead Northland to a share of the City League-North championship. Barbour was named first-team all-district in Division II.
Cooper Bauer, Grandview Heights/Princeton
The 6-2, 225-pound lineman and linebacker was a rock of consistency during an injury-riddled season for the Bobcats, finishing with 112 tackles – 20 for loss – with five sacks, six forced fumbles and an interception. Bauer also graded out at 79% on the offensive line with 13 pancake blocks. He was named first-team all-district in Division VI.
Hartley lineman Jake Beatty has signed with Air Force.
Jake Beatty, Hartley/Air Force
The 6-4, 295-pound two-way tackle anchored both lines in the Hawks' first season under coach Matt Melle. Beatty helped lead an offense that averaged 331.4 yards and 23.4 points per game, and on defense finished with 16 tackles. Beatty was a first-team all-district offensive lineman in Division III.
Watterson quarterback Drew Bellisari has signed with Miami University.
Drew Bellisari, Watterson/Miami University
The 6-2, 200-pound senior quarterback capped a late flurry of offers by committing to the RedHawks on Nov. 26 . A two-year starter who is 29-0 and one win from a Division III state title repeat, Bellisari has thrown for 2,265 yards and 29 touchdowns this season and run for 658 yards and 11 scores. He was district Offensive Player of the Year.
A college signing ceremony was held Dec. 3 at Delaware Hayes for running back Favour Akih, left, who will play at Ohio State and offensive lineman Nik Bivens, who will play at Gardner-Webb.
Nik Bivens, Delaware Hayes/Gardner-Webb
The 6-5, 305-pound offensive tackle anchored the line for a Pacers team that had to overcome the loss of Akih in the first half of the season, then averaged 19.4 points per game in the second half. Bivens, who earned special mention all-district in Division I, committed to Gardner-Webb in July.
DeSales running back Jonathan Brown spins away from Olentangy Berlin's Nick Adair (57) during a Week 1 game.
Jonathan Brown, DeSales/Michigan
The 6-1, 200-pound, three-star running back committed to the Wolverines in June and battled injuries this fall, finishing with 575 yards and seven touchdowns on 126 carries as DeSales reached a Division II, Region 7 semifinal. The honorable mention all-district selection, who also had 29 catches for 252 yards, finished his high school career with 2,231 yards rushing and 28 scores.
Advertisement
Luke Collins, Gahanna Lincoln/Cincinnati
A 6-5, 285-pound lineman and three-star recruit, Collins collected 21 Division I offers and committed to the Bearcats in March. A first-team all-OCC-Ohio and first-team all-district honoree in Division I, Collins recorded more than 30 pancake blocks and helped pave the way for an offense that averaged 319.9 yards per game.
Pickerington North's Daunte Curtis pursues Gahanna quarterback Grey Kegley during their Oct. 24 game.
Daunte Curtis, Pickerington North/Akron
The 6-1, 220-pound linebacker had 66 tackles, almost a third of which (20) were for loss, with five sacks to anchor a Panthers defense that finished the season with four shutouts and was the only team to hold Division I, Region 3 finalist Pickerington Central under 33 points in the regular season. Curtis was OCC-Ohio and district Defensive Player of the Year.
Advertisement
Liam Dalton, Hilliard Davidson/Kent State
The 6-5, 295-pound offensive lineman and three-star recruit chose the Golden Flashes over offers from Gardner-Webb and Liberty, according to 247Sports. Dalton was named second-team all-district in Division I.
Cam Davis, Newark/Buffalo
A 6-5, 285-pound, three-star lineman and one of two Wildcats to sign with Buffalo, Davis had 23 tackles with four for loss and two sacks and steadied the offensive line for a Newark team that earned its second consecutive winning season and third straight Region 3 playoff berth. Davis was named first-team all-OCC-Buckeye and all-district.
Olentangy Orange quarterback Levi Davis shares state Offensive Player of the Year honors in Division I on the heels of winning the state championship.
Levi Davis, Olentangy Orange/Ohio University
One of the state's most versatile quarterbacks and a Mr. Football finalist , Davis has the Pioneers one win away from their first state championship . He has passed for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions and run for 1,017 yards and 18 scores, two of which came in a Division I state semifinal against Lakewood St. Edward. Davis was district co-Offensive Player of the Year in Division I.
Columbus Academy's Gabe Davis-Ray will play college football at Northwestern.
Gabe Davis-Ray, Columbus Academy/Northwestern
The 6-3, 190-pound receiver and defensive back , a three-star recruit, did a little bit of everything for a Vikings team that reached a Division V, Region 19 semifinal. The Division V district Offensive Player of the Year ran for 744 yards and 12 touchdowns, caught 30 passes for 424 yards and seven scores and, on defense, had 101 tackles with 2½ for loss and two interceptions.
Advertisement
Elijah Durham-Smith, Pickerington North/Bowling Green
A 6-3, 240-pound, three-star defensive end and one of many touted recruits on the Panthers' defense, Durham-Smith had 26 tackles, half of which were solo, with 11 for loss and a team-high seven sacks. One of two BG signees at North, Durham-Smith was named honorable mention all-district.
Watterson's Pete Eglitis will play at Iowa State.
Pete Eglitis, Watterson/Iowa State
A 6-7, 290-pound offensive lineman and three-star recruit, Eglitis is a three-year starter for a team that has reached three consecutive Division III state finals. The first-team all-district honoree anchors the line for an offense that averages 46.7 points and 382.3 yards per game .
Advertisement
Malachi Ervin, Pickerington North/Buffalo
A four-star edge rusher, the 6-4, 230-pound Ervin was among the quarterbacks of the Panthers defense. He had 23 tackles, including eight solo, with five tackles for loss, four sacks and two pass deflections. The first-team all-league and second-team all-district selection committed to the Bulls in June.
Olentangy safety Kaden Gebhardt (2), an Ohio State signee, was one of almost 50 central Ohio high school football players to finalize their college destination in the December signing period.
Kaden Gebhardt, Olentangy/Ohio State
The 6-2, 195-pound safety flipped from Clemson to Ohio State on Dec. 3. He was first-team all-district and co-Defensive Player of the Year in the OCC-Cardinal. He finished with a team-high 106 tackles with two interceptions. Gebhardt plans to graduate early, foregoing his senior baseball season after helping the Braves win their first state title last spring.
Dublin Jerome's Matty Giannantonio scores a touchdown against Dublin Coffman on Sept. 5.
Matty Giannantonio, Dublin Jerome/Bucknell
The 6-0, 195-pound wide receiver had 36 receptions for 478 yards, an average of 13.2 yards per catch, and scored three touchdowns in a senior season limited to seven games because of injury. Giannantonio was named honorable mention all-district in Division I, and the Celtics reached the Region 2 playoffs in their first season under coach Mark Crabtree .
Advertisement
Derron Gray Jr., Africentric/Bowling Green
The 6-4, 215-pound, three-star tight end and edge rusher caught 44 passes for 734 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior – amassing 1,932 receiving yards over the last three seasons – and had 87 tackles with 33 solo, 18 for loss and seven sacks. Gray was first-team all-district as a linebacker in Division V.
Luke Grover, Olentangy/Cincinnati
The 6-5, 300-pound tackle followed older brother Gavin to UC, where the latter is a sophomore tight end. The three-star recruit committed to the Bearcats in June, then allowed only two sacks in the regular season. Grover was named second-team all-OCC-Cardinal and first-team all-district.
Advertisement
Philip Johnson, Harvest Prep/Western Michigan
The 6-4, 173-pound athlete amassed impressive numbers in five games before sitting out the rest of the way due to OHSAA transfer rules. Johnson had 520 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns on offense, and two interceptions, 12 pass breakups and 22 tackles at defensive back.
Jamarcus Jones, Harvest Prep/Buffalo
The versatile 6-0, 165-pound three-star prospect was recruited as an athlete but missed his senior season because of injury. Jones was first-team all-district and all-state in Division V as a junior, when he had 1,500 all-purpose yards, 13 total touchdowns and seven interceptions to earn district Defensive Player of the Year .
Advertisement
Kyle Kirby, Granville/Colgate
The 6-1, 215-pound Kirby is signing as a linebacker, but he excelled on both sides of the ball for the Division III, Region 11 quarterfinalist Blue Aces. The first-team all-district honoree rushed for 2,082 yards and 28 touchdowns, finished with 2,907 all-purpose yards and had 94 tackles at linebacker with eight for loss and three sacks.
Newark's Preston Lunsford tackles Reynoldsburg quarterback Justin Heckman during a Week 9 game.
Preston Lunsford, Newark/Buffalo
A three-star edge rusher, the 6-4, 225-pound Lunsford set the Wildcats program record this fall with 17½ sacks and had 57 total tackles, including 24 for loss, as well as two forced fumbles and two pass deflections. The second-team all-league and all-district honoree also caught 29 passes for 395 yards and a touchdown.
Olentangy tight end Jackson Mangham makes a catch Aug. 22 at Olentangy Liberty.
Jackson Mangham, Olentangy/Toledo
The 6-8, 235-pound tight end was a key part of an offense that averaged 25 points per game as he finished with 32 receptions for 412 yards and four TDs. He was special mention all-district in Division I.
Advertisement
Chase Mantooth, Pickerington Central/Kent State
A 6-1, 170-pound long snapper and four-year varsity contributor, Mantooth provided stability on special teams for a Central program that was undefeated in OCC-Buckeye games during his career and this fall reached its first regional final since 2021.
Michael Milenkovski, Columbus Academy/Colgate
A 6-3, 265-pound tackle recruited to Colgate for defense, Milenkovski had 43 tackles with eight for loss and 5½ sacks and graded out at 76.8% on the offensive line. Milenkovski was named special/honorable mention all-district in Division V.
Pickerington North's Ryan Miller (16) reacts to a play during a Week 3 win over Pickerington Central.
Ryan Miller, Pickerington North/Ohio University
The 6-2, 195-pound safety and three-star recruit was third on the Panthers in tackles with 41, 24 solo and 17 assisted, one interception he returned 71 yards for a touchdown and a fumble recovery. Miller was named first-team all-league and special mention all-district.
Pickerington North quarterback Jarin Mock will play for Bowling Green.
Jarin Mock, Pickerington North/Bowling Green
In his third year as a starter, the 6-2, 200-pound, three-star quarterback was 114-of-191 passing for 1,543 yards and 12 touchdowns with seven interceptions and rushed for 378 yards and eight scores on 90 carries. Mock, who started as a sophomore at Reynoldsburg before moving to North, earned first-team all-league and special mention all-district.
Grandview Heights' Henry Ohlinger has signed to play linebacker with national champion Indiana.
Henry Ohlinger, Grandview Heights/Indiana
The 6-1, 215-pound Ohlinger was a two-way standout for the Bobcats who will play linebacker at Indiana. He saw limited time this season because of an unspecified injury. In four games, he rushed for 590 yards and seven touchdowns on 43 carries. He was first-team all-district in Division VI as a linebacker.
Westerville South's Isaac Patterson reacts to a play during the second half of a Division II, Region 7 quarterfinal at Canal Winchester on Nov. 7.
Isaac Patterson, Westerville South/Pittsburgh
A 6-0, 185-pound safety who also has started at middle linebacker, Patterson made 42 tackles and broke up four passes this season despite being hampered by a hamstring injury. He also caught 10 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns and earned first-team all-OCC-Capital and all-district in Division II.
Big Walnut's Owen Pollock gains ground during a Division II state semifinal against Cincinnati Anderson on Nov. 28 at Historic Crew Stadium.
Owen Pollock, Big Walnut/Florida Atlantic
The 6-4, 235-pound tight end had a strong season for the Golden Eagles, helping them reach a Division II state semifinal. He had 24 receptions for 501 yards and five touchdowns and was first-team all-district.
Watkins Memorial's Jaeden Ricketts will play for Ohio State.
Jaeden Ricketts, Watkins Memorial/Ohio State
The 6-0, 195-pound Ricketts, who was a standout receiver and defensive back for Watkins Memorial, will play receiver for the Buckeyes. For the season, Ricketts had 32 catches for 498 yards and nine TDs. He was second-team all-district at receiver in Division II.
Hilliard Bradley's DeShawn Lowe (17), Micah Fisher (0) and Javier Rivera (30) celebrate during a first-round Division I playoff game against Dublin Jerome on Oct. 31.
Javier Rivera, Hilliard Bradley/Indianapolis
The 5-11, 205-pound linebacker had 84 total tackles, including 58 solo, 10 for loss and one sack, as well as four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries to help the Jaguars go 6-6, a three-win improvement from 2024. Rivera was first-team all-OCC-Central and special mention all-district in Division I.
Olentangy linebacker CJ Sanna will play for Ohio State.
CJ Sanna, Olentangy/Ohio State
The 6-3, 225-pound Sanna played a key role in the Braves' success this season, finishing with 79 tackles, including 33 solo and six for loss. He was first-team all-district and all-OCC-Cardinal. Also a discus state champion last spring, Sanna will graduate early and forego his senior track and field season.
Upper Arlington's Bo Schaefer (62) celebrates with teammates after recovering a fumble during a Week 4 game at New Albany.
Bo Schaefer, Upper Arlington/Youngstown State
A 6-5, 265-pound offensive lineman and three-year varsity player, Schaefer can fill all five spots on the line and also long snapped for a Golden Bears team that reached at least a Region 3 semifinal for the fifth straight year. Schaefer, whose father Michael played on the offensive line at Toledo, was named first-team all-OCC-Central and all-district.
Hilliard Davidson's Dayne Schmidt will play at Southern Illinois.
Dayne Schmidt, Hilliard Davidson/Southern Illinois
Despite missing 3½ games with injuries, the 5-11, 210-pound Schmidt still amassed 11 total touchdowns and earned second-team all-OCC-Central and honorable mention all-district in Division I. He ran for 701 yards on 100 carries and caught 14 passes for 148 yards.
Westland's Emoni Smith (1) celebrates with Tiko Crittenden (4) during an opening-night win over Centennial on Aug. 21.
Emoni Smith, Westland/Purdue
The 6-1, 180-pound defensive back helped lead a turnaround for the Cougars, who earned their second consecutive playoff berth this fall. He finished with 43 tackles and one interception and had 648 yards receiving and eight TDs in six games, missing five games with a knee injury. Smith was first-team all-district in Division I.
Africentric quarterback Joshua Smith is heading to Cincinnati after previously committing to Bowling Green.
Joshua Smith, Africentric/Cincinnati
The 6-5, 200-pound senior is headed to Cincinnati as a quarterback after originally committing to Bowling Green as a receiver. Smith completed 103 of 170 passes for 1,913 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushed for 530 yards and nine touchdowns on 68 carries. The first-team all-district selection also ran for 22 two-point conversions.
Advertisement
Daniel Stephens, Olentangy/Navy
The 6-0, 295-pound lineman was another key member of the Olentangy defense, finishing with 33 tackles, including 18 solo and 15 for loss. He was first-team all-district and all-OCC-Cardinal.
Big Walnut's Clint Stover pressures Massillon Washington quarterback Mandwel Patterson during the Division II, Region 7 final Nov. 21 at Zanesville.
Clint Stover, Big Walnut/Navy
The 6-1, 200-pound linebacker finished with 51 tackles, including 25 solo and 12 for loss, three sacks and one fumble recovery this season. He was special mention all-district in Division II.
D'Nilyeon Taylor, Westerville North/Eastern Michigan
The 6-5, 295-pound offensive lineman missed his senior season with an injury but retained his three-star ranking and flipped his commitment the day before signing. Taylor, who can play tackle, guard and nose guard, originally committed to South Florida in June but flipped after coach and Dublin Scioto graduate Alex Golesh was hired at Auburn on Nov. 30 .
Pickerington North's Malachi Taylor is headed to Ohio University.
Malachi Taylor, Pickerington North/Ohio University
The 6-0, 188-pound defensive back committed to the Bobcats in October, choosing OU from 10 offers that included several Mid-American Conference schools and Kentucky. Taylor was a lockdown safety as a senior, making 23 solo tackles and 32 total stops with one interception and five pass deflections.
Westerville South's London Vickroy tackles Canal Winchester's Toreion Brooks during a Division II, Region 7 quarterfinal.
London Vickroy, Westerville South/Miami University
A 6-4, 240-pound, three-star defensive end and tight end, Vickroy racked up 71 tackles with 18 for loss, three sacks and 21 quarterback hurries in leading the Wildcats to a Region 7 quarterfinal. Vickroy was named first-team all-OCC-Capital and all-district.
Pickerington Central quarterback Rocco Williams will play college football at Middle Tennessee State.
Rocco Williams, Pickerington Central/Middle Tennessee State
A 6-2, 205-pound quarterback and Mr. Football finalist, Williams passed for 2,426 yards and 28 touchdowns and ran for 308 yards and eight scores in leading the Tigers to the Region 3 final. The OCC-Buckeye and co-district Offensive Player of the Year, who committed to MTSU in June, also averaged 39.1 yards per punt.
Advertisement
Chad Woodfork Jr., Dublin Coffman/Youngstown State
A 6-1, 180-pound receiver and defensive back, Woodfork was limited to six games because of a shoulder injury. He finished with 17½ tackles and four pass breakups.
Nick Zalewski, Thomas Worthington/Northwestern
The 6-6, 235-pound Zalewski was a bright spot for the Cardinals, anchoring the defensive line. He finished with 73 tackles, including 43 solo and six for loss, and added three sacks, three pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble. He was first-team all-OCC-Cardinal and all-district in Division I.
High school sports reporters Frank DiRenna and Dave Purpura can be reached at sports@dispatch.com and at @DispatchPreps on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio National Signing Day list for December 2025
