Credit: Marcus Hartman
Credit: Marcus Hartman
The first week of July was busy for local recruiting as three players from the area announced verbal commitments.
That brought the total for the class of 2025 to 13, a group that figures to grow between now and National Signing Day in December because nearly 30 players in the area have reported getting at least one FBS offer.
Here is a look at players who have made the call so far:
Tavien St. Clair, Bellefontaine QB — Ohio State
Now a five-star prospect, St. Clair committed in June 2023.
He threw for 3,083 yards and 37 touchdowns last season with six interceptions. He also ran for 352 yards and four touchdowns as the Chieftains went 11-3. They advanced to a regional final in Division III before falling to Columbus Bishop Watterson 19-13.
Cedric Works Jr., Northmont DE — Kentucky
The highest-rated non-quarterback prospect in the area, Works verbally committed June 27.
A four-star prospect, Works is the No. 204 overall prospect in the composite rankings but much higher in 247′s in-house rankings, where he is No. 86 nationally and sixth in Ohio.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Works had 82 tackles, including 10 for loss and 6.5 sacks, last season as Northmont went 7-5. He also averaged 3.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 14 games for the Thunderbolts basketball team.
Luca Gilbert, Lakota West TE — Miami (Fla.)
Another four-star prospect, Gilbert verbally committed to the University of Miami in April after fielding offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa and many others since last year.
Listed 6-foot-7, 217 on the roster last fall, Gilbert caught 15 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns at tight end for the Firebirds.
Jermiel Atkins, Trotwood-Madison OT — Kentucky
This mountain of a young man announced July 4 he had chosen the Wildcats over Minnesota and Virginia Tech after fielding more than a dozen scholarship offers.
The 6-foot-8, 300-pound Atkins is the 19th-ranked 2025 prospect in Ohio, according to 247Sports.com. He ranks 47th in the nation among offensive tackles.
Grant Beerman, Lakota West LB — Purdue
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Beerman is the No 17 prospect in 247Sports Composite rankings for Ohio and the 46th-ranked linebacker.
He had 79 tackles, including 12 for loss and three sacks, last season for the Firebirds and is a four-star prospect per Rivals.
Trey Verdon, Hamilton DE — Iowa State
The 6-2, 225-pound Verdon had 77 tackles this past season and led Hamilton with 14 tackles for loss. He has 147 total tackles in his three years at HHS and is set to join his brother, Malik, with the Cyclones in 2025 after verbally committing in February.
Tyrell Lewis, Wayne QB — Arkansas State
The 6-1, 200-pound Lewis committed to the Red Wolves in late June.
He completed 157 of 292 passes last season for 2,129 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was intercepted 11 times and ran for 402 yards and eight more touchdowns for a Warriors team that 7-4 overall and finished second in the GWOC with a 5-2 mark in league play.
Lewis is a three-star prospect and the No. 56 player in Ohio in 247Sports Composite rankings.
Zy’Aire Fletcher, Springfield TE/OL — Kent State
Listed at 6-5, 221, Fletcher played offensive tackle for the Wildcats last fall but is a three-star “athlete” prospect per 247Sports and committed to the Golden Flashes in June. He averaged 5.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Wildcats basketball team last winter.
Ka’maurri Smith, Wayne WR/TE — Cincinnati
At 6-foot-5, 215, Smith caught 17 passes for 190 yards last season.
He is a three-star prospect who verbally committed to the Bearcats last November.
Teaunn Hunter, Wayne WR — Kent State
A 6-foot, 175-pound receiver, Hunter caught 20 passes for 371 yards and three touchdowns in seven games last season.
In May, he chose Kent State from a group of scholarship offers also including Akron, Eastern Kentucky, Marshall, Massachusetts, Miami (Ohio) and Purdue according to 247Sports.
Isiah Stoudemire, Stebbins OL — Western Kentucky
Stoudemire began receiving offers last summer and chose Western Kentucky on July 4 from a half-dozen offers.
Jahmale Clark, Trotwood-Madison DB — Massachusetts
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Clark chose the Minutemen over Kentucky, Miami University and Youngtown State in a decision announced in late June.
Vincent Giordano, Lakota West TE/DL — Bowling Green
The 6-6, 285-pounder announced in early June he is going to be a Falcon.
He caught three passes for 65 yards and logged 33 tackles, including three sacks in eight games at Fenwick last season.
About the Author
Marcus Hartman has been a digital sports columnist and reporter at Cox's Ohio newspapers the Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal-News since 2016.
