That group is headed by a pair of players from Northmont who are verbally committed to Michigan: Defensive back Rod Moore is the highest-rated player in the area while receiver Markus Allen is No. 2.
Middletown linebacker Cameron Junior (uncommitted) is the No. 44 player in the state, Hamilton quarterback Malik Verdon is No. 52 and Fairfield defensive back Jaydan Mayes is No. 74.
Verdon, who transferred from Cincinnati Moeller last year, is an “athlete” prospect verbally committed to Miami University.
While the composite rankings are an average developed from multiple sites, 247Sports does its own rankings, too.
Those have another seven local prospects, including Alter running back Branden McDonald (50), Ross offensive lineman Kaden Rogers (63), Northmont quarterback Cade Rice (80), Centerville receiver Will Linkhart (83), Middletown running back Josh Byrant (91), Trotwood-Madison linebacker Daylen Morgan (118) and Springfield offensive lineman Rod Green (130).
Morgan is an Akron verbal commit.
Troy offensive lineman Dawson Hildebrand and Springboro tight end Titan Case are not ranked by 247Sports yet but have verbally committed to Bowling Green and the Naval Academy, respectively.
As the season goes on, many other players in the area are candidates to move into the rankings and (more importantly) earn scholarship offers.
Many other members of the 2021 class are already receiving interest from Division I-FBS colleges, including Northmont linebacker Eli Newburg, Xenia defensive lineman Zack Gaither and Piqua receiver Lance Reaves-Hicks.
Meanwhile, the junior class also looks like it will be another talented bunch.
It is headlined by a trio of Ohio State verbal commits: Alter athlete C.J. Hicks and Lakota West teammates Tshabola Tegra (offensive line) and Jyiare Brown (defensive back).
They are joined as early 2022 class 247Sports four-star recruits by Wayne offensive lineman Aamil Wagner, who already has an offer from Kentucky.
Quarterbacks Chase Harrison of Centerville ant Te’Sean Smoot of Springfield are also players to keep an eye on along with Wayne tight end Elihjah Brown, Alter defensive tackle Derrick Shepard, Springfield defensive back Delian Bradley and Lakota West defensive back Alex Afari.
Some of the players on major college radars from the class of 2021:
Alter: Branden McDonald, James Keighley, Tommy Liebold, Joe Manfred, Brian Shane
Badin: Jayden Carter
Belmont: Joddi Burton, Tavon Hardwick
Centerville: Will Linkhart, Jonathan Bruder, Kris Artis
Chaminade Julienne: Jason Ward
Fairborn: Hunter Warner
Fairfield” Jayden Mayes
Greenon: Kameron Cox, Nathan Hawks
Hamilton: Malik Verdon
Lebanon: Mason DeGennaro
Lehman Catholic: Evan Fogt
Middletown: Cameron Junior, Josh Bryant, Kamari Fuller, Terrecc Richardson, Kamron Cooper
Northmont: Rod Moore, Markus Allen, Cade Rice, Eli Newburg
Piqua: Lance Reaves-Hicks
Ross: Kaden Rogers
Springboro: Titan Case, Ryan Iams
Springfield: Rod Green, Ben Van Noord
Trotwood-Madison: Daylen Morgan
Troy: Dalton Hildebrand
Xenia: Zach Gaither, Kevin Johnson, Isaiah Hoyt
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