I spent my morning and afternoon yesterday at Dublin Coffman High School, a local powerhouse program here in Columbus. Coffman hosted a four-way scrimmage, also featuring Pickerington Central, Toledo Central Catholic, and St. Charles. St. Charles doesn't really matter and there's no kids there to worry about, but the other three teams are among the most talented and deep football programs in the state of Ohio. It was the first scrimmage of the season, but it was packed to the gills with future Division I talent. A small list of the future Division I players in attendance before I get going:
- 2018 Rivals250 tight end Trenton Gillison (MSU commit) - Pick Central
- 2018 four-star safety Xavier Henderson (MSU commit) - Pick Central
- 2018 three-star linebacker Jeslord Boateng (MSU commit) - Dublin Coffman
- 2018 three-star ATH Jeremiah Wood - Pick Central
- 2018 tight end Alex Morgan (Toledo commit) - Pick Central
- 2018 cornerback Jalen Mitchell - Pick Central
- 2018 linebacker Griffin Hoak - Dublin Coffman
- 2018 linebacker Luke Crabtree - Dublin Coffman
- 2018 linebacker Dallas Field - Toledo Central Catholic
- 2019 three-star defensive lineman DeWayne Carter Jr. - Pick Central
- 2019 ATH/WR Jase Bowen - Toledo Central Catholic
- 2020 quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw - Pick Central
- 2020 linebacker Ty Hamilton - Pick Central
- 2020 running back Michael Drennen II - Dublin Coffman
- 2021 running back Giovanni Thomas - Pick Central
- 2021 wide receiver Lorenzo Styles - Pick Central
- 2021 safety AJ Kirk - Dublin Coffman
To say it was jam-packed with talent would be an understatement. I'm going to gloss over the already-committed guys very quickly and mention some of the young kids who I feel will be notable recruits for Pitt in the future (or already are).
Gillison was his usual self. He's a 6-foot-5, 220-pound freak who catches everything and now he's learning how to block. Jeslord Boateng had a tough day (he was a kid who Pitt recruited, but preferred Asamoah and Hooker over) and I didn't like how he engaged in the running game, especially. Didn't chase down plays from the backside or disengage from blocks as well as I'd like to see from a guy with his frame and athleticism. Xavier Henderson was the best player on the field and I think when it gets down to it, Ohio State is going to try to steal him from Sparty. He's a stud and the clear leader of a very talented Pickerington Central group. They'll play him as the center fielder/safety this fall, but he could play either safety spot or boundary or nickel corner in college.
Let's dispense with a few other players who Pitt isn't going to recruit moving forward: Alex Morgan, Jalen Mitchell, Griffin Hoak, Luke Crabtree, and Dallas Fields are all going to play college football somewhere. The where won't be in Pittsburgh.
Jeremiah Wood is an intriguing guy and a name that I wouldn't forget just quite yet. Pitt is still primarily working on reeling in Asamoah and beating Oklahoma, but he's among the names who will likely surface in their Plan B recruiting efforts if they have to find other options. Wood is a hybrid safety/linebacker who plays all over the field for Pick Central and plugs any holes the coaching staff asks him to. He hasn't been talking with Pitt much lately and I think he ends up at Cincinnati, but that could change if the Panthers want to take a look at his senior film and rekindle this relationship.
You might have seen my article on Dewayne Carter Jr. earlier today, but the basis of it are that he's receiving a ton of attention from the Pitt coaching staff and wants to visit this fall. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Pitt offered if and when he makes that visit. Carter is a 2019 prospect and a surprisingly quick defensive tackle. He's starting to learn the intricacies of the game of football and how to play more violently with his hands, but right now he's still disruptive because of his pure strength and speed. He's explosive off the ball and can really close on ball-carriers in short distances. Carter's father played at Ohio State and the Buckeyes are keeping a close eye on him as well. He currently holds offers from the likes of Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky, Duke, Indiana, Cincinnati, and others.
To continue with Carter's teammates at Pickerington Central, the future there among the young guys is very bright. 2020 QB Demeatric Crenshaw will step into the starting role this fall and 2020 LB Ty Hamilton will be expected to contribute on defense and could be groomed for Jeremiah Wood's role as the senior prepares for his final season. Freshmen Giovanni Thomas and Lorenzo Styles have a ton of hype coming into their first year of football and both should contributed at the varsity level. Of that group of underclassmen, I was most excited by Gio Thomas. He's allegedly already hitting a one-rep max of 315 on the bench press at 15 years old and his frame reflects that. Thomas is a bowling ball, low to the ground and built like a brick wall. He bounces off of contact well and if he can learn how to pass-block, he could get the starting role as a freshman. Pick Central loves power backs and Thomas could be the next critical one to watch.
While Pick Central had the majority of the exciting young prospects on the field, I would be remiss if I didn't discuss the incredibly talented Dublin Coffman duo of 2020 running back Mike Drennen II and 2021 safety AJ Kirk. Drennen is going to be a star and he'll push 2020 Akron Buchtel RB Darvon Hubbard (who camped with Pitt this summer) for the top spot in the state. He's on the smaller side and could be a slot receiver, but his feet are so quick in the hole and he sees the field very well. He'll need to add weight, but he's working with a good personal trainer and that will come with teammate. His teammate and close friend, Kirk, is a recent addition to the Coffman program. He already holds a Kentucky offer before the start of his freshman season and it's incredibly easy to see why. He stepped on the field for his first series of his first varsity scrimmage and he smacked a senior Michigan State commit (Gillison) as he came across the middle of the field on a crossing route.
Kirk is going to be a 30-offer type of player if he plays the game in the recruiting process and takes all of his visits. He's the little brother (half-brother I believe, but don't quote me) of former Ohio State star, three-time All-American, and Super Bowl champion Mike Doss. Kirk is already nearly as big as Doss is and he's just starting high school. He's built better than a lot of senior defensive backs with Power Five offers. I don't want to hype this kid up too much, but he likes like the next big thing in the region and should be a special one.
Drennen is an interesting case and he's a name that I would remember if I were you guys. He's already getting attention from some of the big boys - Tennessee, Ohio State, and Michigan - but his best offer so far is probably Kentucky. He's a little smaller than the running backs that Pitt usually likes, but Drennen and his father both talked to me yesterday about their interest in Pitt as a program and their desire to visit. There hasn't been any contact yet, but he's an impressive talent and would certainly be a player that's worthwhile for Pitt to recruit. Interestingly enough, Drennen's close friend, a linebacker in the area at Bishop Hartley (not a DI recruit) came to watch the scrimmage and was wearing a Pitt shirt. It was script, if you want to take that as a good omen.
Another player who really impressed was TCC's breakout star, Jase Bowen. He's a 2019 ATH, probably a wide receiver at the next level, but he made these two very loaded central Ohio teams look ridiculous at times during the scrimmages. When he got open field in front of him, he was gone and probably could have beat everybody on that field in a foot-race, maybe with a couple exceptions. I don't believe Bowen has any Power Five offers yet, but I think he could be a break out candidate to watch this fall for the Irish. Bowen is currently committed to Notre Dame to play baseball, but he could get some major football attention I think. No clue how he's regarded as a baseball prospect.
- 2018 Rivals250 tight end Trenton Gillison (MSU commit) - Pick Central
- 2018 four-star safety Xavier Henderson (MSU commit) - Pick Central
- 2018 three-star linebacker Jeslord Boateng (MSU commit) - Dublin Coffman
- 2018 three-star ATH Jeremiah Wood - Pick Central
- 2018 tight end Alex Morgan (Toledo commit) - Pick Central
- 2018 cornerback Jalen Mitchell - Pick Central
- 2018 linebacker Griffin Hoak - Dublin Coffman
- 2018 linebacker Luke Crabtree - Dublin Coffman
- 2018 linebacker Dallas Field - Toledo Central Catholic
- 2019 three-star defensive lineman DeWayne Carter Jr. - Pick Central
- 2019 ATH/WR Jase Bowen - Toledo Central Catholic
- 2020 quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw - Pick Central
- 2020 linebacker Ty Hamilton - Pick Central
- 2020 running back Michael Drennen II - Dublin Coffman
- 2021 running back Giovanni Thomas - Pick Central
- 2021 wide receiver Lorenzo Styles - Pick Central
- 2021 safety AJ Kirk - Dublin Coffman
To say it was jam-packed with talent would be an understatement. I'm going to gloss over the already-committed guys very quickly and mention some of the young kids who I feel will be notable recruits for Pitt in the future (or already are).
Gillison was his usual self. He's a 6-foot-5, 220-pound freak who catches everything and now he's learning how to block. Jeslord Boateng had a tough day (he was a kid who Pitt recruited, but preferred Asamoah and Hooker over) and I didn't like how he engaged in the running game, especially. Didn't chase down plays from the backside or disengage from blocks as well as I'd like to see from a guy with his frame and athleticism. Xavier Henderson was the best player on the field and I think when it gets down to it, Ohio State is going to try to steal him from Sparty. He's a stud and the clear leader of a very talented Pickerington Central group. They'll play him as the center fielder/safety this fall, but he could play either safety spot or boundary or nickel corner in college.
Let's dispense with a few other players who Pitt isn't going to recruit moving forward: Alex Morgan, Jalen Mitchell, Griffin Hoak, Luke Crabtree, and Dallas Fields are all going to play college football somewhere. The where won't be in Pittsburgh.
Jeremiah Wood is an intriguing guy and a name that I wouldn't forget just quite yet. Pitt is still primarily working on reeling in Asamoah and beating Oklahoma, but he's among the names who will likely surface in their Plan B recruiting efforts if they have to find other options. Wood is a hybrid safety/linebacker who plays all over the field for Pick Central and plugs any holes the coaching staff asks him to. He hasn't been talking with Pitt much lately and I think he ends up at Cincinnati, but that could change if the Panthers want to take a look at his senior film and rekindle this relationship.
You might have seen my article on Dewayne Carter Jr. earlier today, but the basis of it are that he's receiving a ton of attention from the Pitt coaching staff and wants to visit this fall. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Pitt offered if and when he makes that visit. Carter is a 2019 prospect and a surprisingly quick defensive tackle. He's starting to learn the intricacies of the game of football and how to play more violently with his hands, but right now he's still disruptive because of his pure strength and speed. He's explosive off the ball and can really close on ball-carriers in short distances. Carter's father played at Ohio State and the Buckeyes are keeping a close eye on him as well. He currently holds offers from the likes of Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky, Duke, Indiana, Cincinnati, and others.
To continue with Carter's teammates at Pickerington Central, the future there among the young guys is very bright. 2020 QB Demeatric Crenshaw will step into the starting role this fall and 2020 LB Ty Hamilton will be expected to contribute on defense and could be groomed for Jeremiah Wood's role as the senior prepares for his final season. Freshmen Giovanni Thomas and Lorenzo Styles have a ton of hype coming into their first year of football and both should contributed at the varsity level. Of that group of underclassmen, I was most excited by Gio Thomas. He's allegedly already hitting a one-rep max of 315 on the bench press at 15 years old and his frame reflects that. Thomas is a bowling ball, low to the ground and built like a brick wall. He bounces off of contact well and if he can learn how to pass-block, he could get the starting role as a freshman. Pick Central loves power backs and Thomas could be the next critical one to watch.
While Pick Central had the majority of the exciting young prospects on the field, I would be remiss if I didn't discuss the incredibly talented Dublin Coffman duo of 2020 running back Mike Drennen II and 2021 safety AJ Kirk. Drennen is going to be a star and he'll push 2020 Akron Buchtel RB Darvon Hubbard (who camped with Pitt this summer) for the top spot in the state. He's on the smaller side and could be a slot receiver, but his feet are so quick in the hole and he sees the field very well. He'll need to add weight, but he's working with a good personal trainer and that will come with teammate. His teammate and close friend, Kirk, is a recent addition to the Coffman program. He already holds a Kentucky offer before the start of his freshman season and it's incredibly easy to see why. He stepped on the field for his first series of his first varsity scrimmage and he smacked a senior Michigan State commit (Gillison) as he came across the middle of the field on a crossing route.
Kirk is going to be a 30-offer type of player if he plays the game in the recruiting process and takes all of his visits. He's the little brother (half-brother I believe, but don't quote me) of former Ohio State star, three-time All-American, and Super Bowl champion Mike Doss. Kirk is already nearly as big as Doss is and he's just starting high school. He's built better than a lot of senior defensive backs with Power Five offers. I don't want to hype this kid up too much, but he likes like the next big thing in the region and should be a special one.
Drennen is an interesting case and he's a name that I would remember if I were you guys. He's already getting attention from some of the big boys - Tennessee, Ohio State, and Michigan - but his best offer so far is probably Kentucky. He's a little smaller than the running backs that Pitt usually likes, but Drennen and his father both talked to me yesterday about their interest in Pitt as a program and their desire to visit. There hasn't been any contact yet, but he's an impressive talent and would certainly be a player that's worthwhile for Pitt to recruit. Interestingly enough, Drennen's close friend, a linebacker in the area at Bishop Hartley (not a DI recruit) came to watch the scrimmage and was wearing a Pitt shirt. It was script, if you want to take that as a good omen.
Another player who really impressed was TCC's breakout star, Jase Bowen. He's a 2019 ATH, probably a wide receiver at the next level, but he made these two very loaded central Ohio teams look ridiculous at times during the scrimmages. When he got open field in front of him, he was gone and probably could have beat everybody on that field in a foot-race, maybe with a couple exceptions. I don't believe Bowen has any Power Five offers yet, but I think he could be a break out candidate to watch this fall for the Irish. Bowen is currently committed to Notre Dame to play baseball, but he could get some major football attention I think. No clue how he's regarded as a baseball prospect.
