Where They’re Headed: FBS (Division I-A)

Very rarely a recruiting force in Southwest Ohio, Iowa State swirled into Cincinnati and sucked up the dynamic duo of Deshaunte Jones (Colerain) and David Montgomery (Mount Healthy). The Cyclones were big winners on National Signing Day by landing those childhood buddies. The pair combined for 4,567 yards rushing, had 70 touchdowns on the ground, threw for another 1,515 yards with 16 scoring strikes in 2015.

Colrerain QB Deshaunte Jones (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

Locally, for the Class of 2016 it was the year of the quarterback. Along with Jones and Montgomery, Thomas MacVittie (Moeller), Peyton Ramsey (Elder), Elijah Cunningham (Springboro), Messiah DeWeaver (Wayne), Jacob Harrison (Navy), Austin Hergott (Highlands) and Drew Plitt (Loveland) all signed with FBS schools. Pittsburg may have gotten the hidden gem out of this bunch with MacVittie. The former Crusaders signal-caller has tremendous upside with a cannon of arm and the ability to be elusive. All he need is reps to fine tune his game and take things to the next level.

Kentucky tapped into Greater Western Ohio Conference signing four players from the league. The Wildcats roster in 2016 will include five former GWOC players and five former Greater Miami Conference stars. Senior center Zach Myers (Miamisburg) will be the only senior in that group.

Cincinnati only inked one local player in Tyler Sponseller (Mason). The Queen City had some pretty outstanding talent that elected to leave home to further their football careers. The Bearcats group of Preferred Walk-ons is intriguing and loaded with locals who were game changers in high school.

Here is a look at the area’s FBS (Division I-A) signees:
AAC
Cincinnati: Ty Sponseller, Mason, DB, 6-3/195; Jeron Besecker, Mason, RB/DB, 6-0/175 (PWO); David Reddington, Oak Hills, WR/RB, 6-0/195 (PWO); Dominic Valentino, Badin, DE, 6-5/270 (PWO); Colin Widecan, Mariemont, WR/DB, 5-11/165 (PWO); Jordan Williams, Roger Bacon, WR/DB, 6-1/180 (PWO)
Navy: Jacob Harrison, Centerville, QB, 6-0/180

Moeller QB Thomas MacVittie. (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

ACC
Notre Dame: Tommy Kraemer, Elder, OL, 6-6/315
Pittsburgh: Thomas MacVittie, Moeller, QB, 6-5/215

Big 10
Indiana: Peyton Ramsey, Elder, QB, 6-3/200; A’Shon Riggins, Hamilton, ATH, 6-0/170; Ryan Smith, Moeller, OL/DL, 6-5/280
Ohio State: Drue Chrisman, LaSalle, P, 6-4/200; Jake Hausmann, Moeller, TE, 6-5/235; Hayden Jester, La Salle, LB, 6-2/225 (PWO); Brock Darvin, St. Xavier, TE, 6-3/235 (PWO); Matt Mutterspaw, Middletown, OL, 6-5/300 (PWO); Joe Schroer, Elder, DL, 6-2/245 (PWO)
Michigan State: Matt Coghlin, Moeller, P, 5-10/185; Messiah DeWeaver, Wayne, QB, 6-4/215; Noah Davis, St. Xavier, TE, 6-5/235
Northwestern: Jeremy Larkin, La Salle, RB, 5-10/180; Jake Saunders, Loveland, DL, 6-3/285
Purdue: Terrance Landers, Dunbar, WR, 6-4/195

Big 12
Iowa State: Deshaunte Jones, Colerain, QB, 5-10/175; David Montgomery, Mount Healthy, QB, 5-11/205, Iowa State
West Virginia: Adam Hensley, Centerville, LB, 6-3/225; Sean Mahone, Lakota West, DB, 6-0/195; Jeffrey Pooler, Dunbar, DT, 6-3/285; Matt Bezjak, Loveland, TE, 6-5/215 (PWO)

Conference USA
Marshall : Rodney Croom, Winton Woods, DL, 6-2/230; Tyler Cromer, Reading, DL, 6-1/250 (PWO)
Mountain West
Air Force: Jared Bair, Troy, DL, 6-3/227

MAC
Ball State: Chris Beech, Alter, OL, 6-2/280; Mitchell Larsen, Fairfield, DB, 5-11/180; Drew Plitt, Loveland, QB, 6-2/200
Bowling Green: Elijah Cunningham, Springboro, QB, 6-2/190; Rashaun Oneal, Withrow, ATH, 5-10/170; Lorenzo Taborn, Sidney, OL, 6-4/320; Tim Tanner-Blair, Lakota West, OL, 6-5/265
Eastern Michigan: Vince Calhoun, Middletown, DB, 5-11/175
Miami: Andrew Homer, St. Xavier, TE/LB, 6-5/218; Dalton Strunk, Lakota East, OL, 6-6/270; Louie Wasoski, Miamisburg, LB, 6-1/235 (PWO)
Ohio: Jared Dorsa, Kings, LB, 6-2/225; Ilyaas Motley, Centerville, CB, 5-11/175; Xavior Motley, Centerville, CB, 5-11/175; Desmond Noel, Colerain, OL, 6-4/290 Ohio; Eric Popp, Loveland, LB, 6-1/215
Toledo: Luke Doerger, LaSalle, OL, 6-2/285
Western Michigan: Austin Hergott, Highlands, QB, 6-4/220; Bryson White, Mason, RB, 5-9/175

SEC
Auburn: Prince Sammons, CHCA, OL/DL, 6-8, 268
Kentucky: Tobias Gilliam, Wayne, DB, 6-0/180; Kordell Looney, Springfield, DT, 6-5/283; Zach Johnson, Colerain, RB, 5-10/195 (PWO); Justin Rigg, Springboro, TE, 6-6/235; Roland Walder, Trotwood-Madison, LB, 6-3/219
Tennessee: Nathan Niehaus, Colerain, OL, 6-6/290

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