Busy camp weekend includes commit, offers and local prospects at Ohio State

>PHOTOS: Ohio State hosts high school football players from Ohio and beyond

“First off I would like to thank God for giving me the gift of my football ability, but I also want to thank my family, all the coaches who believe in me in this process and my trainers who pushed me to work hard every day,” Ty Hamilton wrote on social media. “Lastly I would like to thank Pickerington Central for letting me be a part of the school and that being said I have committed to the Ohio State University.”

Both Hamiltons are defensive linemen.

Davon will be a senior this fall and should be a major contributor inside for the second year in a row. Last season he logged 16 tackles as part of the regular rotation and started three games at nose tackle in place of an injured Robert Landers.

The younger Hamilton is a three-star prospect according to 247Sports Composite rankings and the No. 26 player in Ohio.

Listed 35 pounds lighter than his brother was as a recruit, Ty Hamilton is rated as the No. 44 strong-side defensive end prospect in the country. He chose Ohio State from an offer list that also included Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and many others.

Hundreds of high school football players descended upon Ohio State's football complex Saturday for the Buckeyes' second one-day camp.

With parents, friends and family watching from around every field, they worked out for Ohio State coaches as well as coaches from several other colleges in Ohio.

At least four area players were part of the action, including a pair from Springfield and two more from Alter.

Branden McDonald, who rushed for 1,511 yards and 17 touchdowns last season as a sophomore for the Knights, worked out with the running backs looking to make an impression on OSU coach Tony Alford.

Teammate C.J. Hicks Jr., who saw action on both sides of the ball as a freshman at Alter last season, was also in attendance and generated some buzz among recruiting analysts on the scene.

After the camp, Hicks announced he had received an offer from Kent State to go along with previous offers from Ohio, Cincinnati, Troy, Akron, Marshall, Iowa, West Virginia, Georgia Tech, N.C. State and Miami (Fla.).

Representing the Wildcats were quarterback Te’Sean Smoot and defensive back Delian Bradley, both sophomores-to-be like Hicks.

Smoot, who played in three games for Springfield last season, was among the group throwing to the top receivers at the camp under the supervision of OSU receivers coach Brian Hartline.

Part of that receivers group was a player very familiar with Ohio State despite calling Frisco, Texas, his hometown.

That’s because Drew Donley, a 2021 prospect from Lebanon Trail High School, is the son of former Buckeye Doug Donley.

The younger Donley ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash according to 247Sports, and he told the site afterward he enjoyed getting to work out in front of Hartline.

"Anytime I get to come up here, it's just awesome," Drew Donley told 247Sports. "It's a blessing anytime I'm able to come up and see any of the coaches or the players or the facility. It's kind of humbling to walk into a facility like this."

The 6-2, 171-pounder did not come away from the camp with an Ohio State offer, but he has been offered by Kent State and Youngstown State.

His father was a starting receiver at Ohio State from 1978-80 and a two-time All-Big Ten first-team pick.

Doug Donley caught 106 passes for a then-record 2,252 yards as a Buckeye and was a second-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1981 NFL Draft. He played four seasons for the Cowboys.

While the legacy prospect did not receive an offer over the weekend, at least four members of the 2021 class did: Cincinnati La Salle defensive back Jaylen Johnson, Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal defensive back Bryce Steele, Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass receiver Dekel Crowdus and Deerfield (Ma.) Academy tight end Bennett Pitcher.