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National Signing Day: Live Blog

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The Ohio football program will welcome Bobcats to the family on Wednesday as recruits sign their National Letters of Intent on National Signing Day. We will provide you with a breakdown of each player as they sign throughout the day.

1:34 p.m.:

Brennan Boland: TE from Highland Community College in Highland, KS

 

Scouting Report: After transferring from Highland Community College, Brennan Boland will only have two years with the Bobcats and is scheduled to graduate in 2016. Even with a shorter tenure at Ohio that the rest of the recruiting class, Boland has the chance to make an immediate impact. With the exit of redshirt senior tight ends Troy Hill and Anthony Talbert to graduation, Ohio will be looking for a replacement. At 6’5” and 250 pounds, Boland would be one of the bigger tight ends that Ohio has on the roster. He can be an effective weapon in the passing game, but he has also shown that he can be a useful asset in the running game with his ability to block on the outside. Expect Boland to be in the mix with other Ohio tight ends competing for the vacant starting job.
 
Mitch Bonnstetter: P from Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, IA
 

 
Scouting Report: Bonnstetter comes to Ohio after an outstanding season with the Iowa Central Community College Tritons. In the 2013 season, the 
punter averaged 46.1 yards per punt attempt and ranked first in the country in 2012 with an average of 41.4 yards per punt attempt. The punter came out of high school able to play quarterback and defensive back as well, but finally settled as a punter where he has blossomed. After the recent punting struggles of Grant Venham at Ohio, Bonnstetter could be Ohio’s starting punter in the upcoming season.
 

1:11 p.m:

Tyler Jones: WR from Lakota West High School in West Chester, OH

Scouting Report: Offered by Akron and Kent State as well, wide receiver Tyler Jones committed to Ohio, bringing all-around athleticism to the Bobcats. Jones was listed as a quarterback, wide receiver, strong safety and punt returner for Lakota West High School, proving that he could fit a variety of roles for Ohio. Although he was recruited by Ohio as a wide receiver, Jones earned All-Greater Miami Conference honors as a defensive back and could help fill the void that Travis Carrie leaves as a punt returner. Look for Jones to help out the Bobcats in a variety of roles in addition to wide receiver.
 

1:08 p.m.:

Connor Brown: TE from Miamisburg High School in Miamisburg, OH
 
Scouting Report: While Boland features more talent blocking in the running game, Connor Brown of Miamisburg High School has the potential to be a major threat in the Ohio passing attack. Brown stands at 6’6”, making him the tallest tight end on Ohio’s roster. That size matched with great hands makes Brown a talented receiver. Many point out route running as his area of weakness, but with a catch radius as large as his, quarterbacks can lob it up and Brown will go up and get it. Brown will be in the race to see playing time with the exit of Hill and Talbert.
 
1:00 p.m.:
 
Maleek Irons: RB from Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

Scouting Report: Irons comes to Ohio University as the most exciting prospect of Ohio’s entire 2014 class. The running back is 6’0” and 209 pounds with superb power running skills. Irons only recorded a 4.55 according to topprospects.ca, but his lack of breakaway speed did not show up on the stat sheet. In Irons’ junior year in 2012, the back recorded 3,204 yards and 44 touchdowns over 12 games. The addition of a power running back is a welcomed sight for the Bobcat program, as they can now look forward to alternating the “thunder and lightning” duo of Irons and junior Daz’mond Patterson for a more versatile rushing attack.
 
Papi White: RB from Seminole High School in Seminole, OK

Scouting Report: White, originally committed to Southern Mississippi, switched over and committed to Ohio after a senior season where he recorded 3,220 yards and 41 touchdowns on the ground. White is more of a speed back than Irons, but he often takes a while to find the hole to burst through. His style could prove to be problematic with a struggling offensive line, but utilizing him as a slot receiver similar to Daz’mond Patterson would likely be the best fit. But in the end, speed kills, and White has a lot of it. Once he breaks into the second level of the defense, chances are that he’s taking it to the house.
 

12:08 p.m.:

Steve Langenkamp: OT from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, OH

Scouting Report: At 6’4” and 280 pounds, Steve Langenkamp’s biggest advantage is his size. While he is just about the same size as Pruehs, Langenkamp doesn’t seem to have the same mobility and burst that Pruehs does. Langenkamp played tackle at Archbishop Moeller, but he is also a likely candidate to move to one of the interior spots on the line. By the film, it appears that he will likely play guard for Ohio.

 

Jared Brumfield: OLB from Stebbins High School in Dayton, OH

Scouting Report: As one of Ohio’s earliest commits of the 2014 recruiting class, the 6’3”, 218 pound Brumfield committed to Ohio in late June of 2013, choosing Ohio over fellow MAC school Western Michigan and Youngstown State. Brumfield played defensive end and running back in high school, proving that he is yet another player that can add speed to the Ohio defense. Brumfield was rated one of the five under-the-radar players of Southwest Ohio according to Scout.com because of his athletic build, speed and strength. Because of his size, Brumfield will likely play as an outside linebacker with the Bobcats.
 
Brett Layton: CB from Mt. San Jacinto Junior College in San Jacinto, CA

Scouting Report: Adding to the cornerback corps, Brett Layton signed with the Bobcats after spending time in junior college at Mt. San Jacinto in California. In his most recent season, Layton stood out, recording 41 tackles and seven interceptions. His seven picks were second best by any player in the California Community College Athletic Association. Layton has enough speed to play lockdown man-to-man coverage and is a strong addition to a heavy defensive back class for Ohio.
 
Chek Washington: CB/S from Mansfield Senior High School in Mansfield, OH

Scouting Report: Coming out of Mansfield Senior High School, Washington played free safety, strong safety and wide receiver in high school and showcased his elusiveness in the open field on offense. He doesn’t have incredible speed, but could still make an impact with Ohio as a safety or cornerback.
 
Kylan Nelson: CB from Lafayette High School in Lexington, KY

Scouting Report: Nelson, a two star cornerback recruit, signed with Ohio after receiving other offers from Eastern Kentucky and Wofford. Nelson is known for his speed and has an official 40-yard dash time of 4.43 seconds. He is able to keep up with speedy receivers on the outside and could also be used as a special teams weapon. He doubled as a running back in high school, so he is also dangerous when he gets into the open field.

12:02 p.m.:

Curtis Brunson: CB from Farmington High School in Farmington, MI

Scouting Report: Brunson joins the Bobcats as a three star recruit with solid quickness and man-coverage ability. While he’s able to lock down receivers on the outside, Brunson is also more than able to drop back in coverage and play safety. In March of 2013, Brunson attended the Adidas Invitational,where he earned overall MVP honors for the defensive backs at the camp. Brunson’s performance at the Adidas Invitational drew offers from Toledo, Akron and Illinois State, but the cornerback chose to go to Ohio. Brunson could step up and compete for Travis Carrie’s vacant cornerback spot in spring play.
 
11:57 a.m.:
 

Jalen Fox: CB Wyoming High School in Cincinnati, OH

Scouting Report: Jalen Fox, a cornerback outside of Wyoming High School in Cincinnati, expressed interest in major schools such as Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State and Cincinnati, but his only offer was from the Bobcats. The 5’11”, 180-pound cornerback verbally committed to Ohio in late June and was unranked by any major scouting services. He was named to the Ohio All-Combine Team at the Nike SPARQ Combine Tour in February 2013 and in his junior season of high school, Fox recorded 67 tackles and three interceptions.
 

10:53 a.m.:

Brian DiCillo: MLB from Walsh Jesuit High School in Cleveland, OH

Scouting Report: DiCillo is a 6’2” and 210 pound middle linebacker out of Walsh Jesuit High School and a great snag for Ohio. He was interested in big schools such as Ohio State, Cincinnati and North Carolina, but only received offers from Kent State, Miami (OH) and Ohio. DiCillo doesn’t have a supreme frame or flashy athleticism, but he’s a solid tackler with great pursuit speed. He has great defensive instincts and makes the smart play more often than not. Ohio will need to work to bulk him up a bit, but DiCillo’s speed and smarts bring a lot to the Bobcat D.

10:42 a.m.:

Herman Brunis: WR from Fairfield High School in Fairfield, OH

Scouting Report: Brunis, an unranked receiver out of Fairfield High School, is average in many physical categories. At just 6’0” and 170 pounds with a 40-yard-dash time of just 4.76, the wide receiver doesn’t seem to stand out by his on paper talent. However, he recorded 40 catches for 716 yards and five touchdowns in his final high school season. While he doesn’t have great speed, Brunis does have the ability to climb the ladder to haul down tough passes, a skill that evidently caught the attention of Frank Solich. Ohio was the only Division I school to offer Brunis, so expect Brunis to be a work in progress type of player for the Bobcats.

10:12 a.m.:

Brennan Dudziak: OG/OT from Pickerington Central High School in Pickerington, OH

Scouting Report: Dudziak, another offensive lineman standing at a lofty 6-foot-6, has the potential to play tackle as a Bobcat. He doesn’t obtain the same skill set as Lowery, but his physical play style could still be useful to the Ohio offensive front. Dudziak doubled as an outside linebacker at Pickerington Central and his play style on offense resembles the physicality of a defensive minded player. It will be interesting to see what Dudziak’s role will be with the Bobcats, but with his size and physicality, he is certainly a valuable asset.

9:16 a.m.:

Andrew Meyer: WR from Pickerington Central High School in Pickerington, OH

Scouting Report: Andrew Meyer comes to Ohio after a senior season in which Meyer struggled to stay on the field due to injury. He returned to action on October 4th of his senior year, but suffered a concussion and was forced out of action once again. He only recorded two catches in the regular season, but came up big in Pickerington Central’s upset of Lakota West High School in the playoffs with four catches. Meyer has proved that he is able to adjust to poorly thrown passes and find a way to pull down tough throws. If Meyer can stay healthy, he could be a useful asset in later years as a Bobcat.

9:14 a.m.:

Joe Lowery: OT from Tallmadge High School in Akron, OH

Scouting Report: Of all of the offensive line recruits in the 2014 class, Joe Lowery might just be the crown jewel of them all. Standing at 6’6” and 285 pounds, Lowery features excellent size along with strength and a powerful burst. In a very run-oriented offense at Tallmadge High School, Lowery showcased his ability to create holes to get the running back to the second level of the defense. With his size, Lowery stands a great chance to stay at tackle with the Bobcats, but his skill set could also be used as a pulling guard in the Ohio offense. Out of the 2014 offensive line recruits, Lowery has the greatest chance to make an impact in his freshman year.

9:12 a.m.:

Jake Pruehs: OT from St. Edward High School in Lakewood, OH

Scouting Report: After a season full of poor offensive line play, an athletic and powerful tackle in Jake Pruehs is quite a sight for sore eyes. Pruehs played left tackle at St. Edward High School, but his shorter 6’3” height could force the Bobcats to use him as an interior lineman instead. Aside from his shorter stature, Pruehs still provides great burst off the line and supreme athleticism for a 285-pound lineman. Because of Ohio’s inconsistent offensive line play, Pruehs could possibly work his way into the rotation in his freshman season.

7:57 a.m.:

Robbie Walker: WR/RB/KR from Washington Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC

Scouting Report: All-around, Robbie Walker is likely the standout of the 2014 recruiting class’ wide receiver corps. Also offered by Wake Forest and Ball State, Walker comes to Ohio with playmaking speed and explosiveness. Walker is officially listed as an all-purpose back and could be used as a slot receiver and running back. At 5’8”, Walker isn’t known for tough runs in between the tackles, but his speed and ability to change directions makes him elusive in the open field. He totaled 926 rushing yards with 16 touchdowns in 2012, but needs to improve his hands in order to become a reliable receiving target for Ohio as well. Even with his flaws, Walker’s playmaking ability is undeniable.

7:32 a.m.:

Kent Berger: DE from Mentor High School in Mentor, OH

Scouting Report: Berger is a two star recruit out of Mentor High School where he recorded 83 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in his senior season. With average size and below average speed and burst, Berger relies on his strength and quick hands to cause disruption. Aside from tackles, Berger recorded five pass breakups and three blocked field goals in his senior season, showing his ability to get his hands in the passing/kicking lanes to break up the play. Berger’s strength has also shown that he can break double teams and muscle his way into the backfield.

7:27 a.m.:

Kyle Kuhar: DE/TE from Avon Lake High School in Avon Lake, OH

Scouting Report: It is unclear whether Ohio recruited Kuhar to play on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, but with two other tight end recruits already expected, I suspect that Solich and the coaching staff would attempt to mold him into a full-time defensive presence. At Avon Lake High School, Kuhar showed his ability to shake off blockers and keep his body in the running holes. Once he’s able to break through the line and into the backfield, he has a good closing speed to pressure the quarterback. At 6’4” and 240 pounds, Kuhar has good size for a defensive end and could eventually help fill the void that Ty Branz leaves behind.

7:17 a.m.: 

Joey Duckworth: QB from Louisville High School in Louisville, OH

Scouting Report: Duckworth is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback that received offers from other Mid-American Conference schools such as Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, Toledo, and Western Michigan. He isn’t as mobile as former and present Ohio quarterbacks Tyler Tettleton and Derrius Vick, but he is accurate through the air and takes what the defense gives him. Bobcat fans likely won’t see deep bombs and flashy runs from this quarterback, but his short and accurate passing game was still plenty affective in his high school career.