High School Football Recruiting: Middie duo among state’s top prospects

Middletown’s Josh Bryant carries the ball in for a touchdown during their football game against Hamilton Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 at Barnitz Stadium in Middletown. Hamilton Big Blue defeated Middletown Middies 41-24. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Middletown’s Josh Bryant carries the ball in for a touchdown during their football game against Hamilton Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 at Barnitz Stadium in Middletown. Hamilton Big Blue defeated Middletown Middies 41-24. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Middletown High School juniors Cameron Junior and Josh Bryant enter their senior season as the Greater Miami Conference’s top returning tackler and rusher, respectively. They also enter as two of Ohio’s top college prospects.

Junior, a 6-1, 210-pound linebacker, is considered the No. 42 overall prospect in Ohio and the No. 74 outside linebacker prospect nationally by 247sports.com . He holds 13 offers including West Virginia, Pitt, Cincinnati, Miami, Army, Bowling Green and Toledo. Junior had 88 tackles, four sacks, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries last season. He registered a season-high 15 tackles twice (against Colerain and Lakota West).

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Bryant (5-10, 192) ran for 1,062 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Considered the state’s No. 86 overall prospect, Bryant holds nine offers including Marshall, Toledo, Miami, Bowling Green and Kent State.

Middletown is scheduled to kickoff the season Friday, Aug. 28, against Moeller.

Mr. Versatile: Fairfield senior athlete Jaydan Mayes (5-10, 165) is the No. 82 overall prospect in Ohio. He holds offers from Kentucky, Marshall, Bowling Green and Eastern Illinois. Mayes scored seven total touchdowns last year via rushing, receiving, interception return and punt return.

Ram Tough: Ross junior offensive lineman Kaden Rogers (6-4, 265) continues to be a hotcommodity. The nation's No. 67 guard prospect and Ohio's No. 59 overall prospect holds 19 offers, including Appalachian State, Marshall, Ohio, Toledo, Miami, Central Michigan, Army, Navy and Air Force.

Rogers is one of eight returning starters — including two 1,000-yard backs (C.J. Boze and Jackson Gifford) — on an offense that averaged 376 yards rushing per game in the regular season.

Big Gets: Miami University picked up two notable 2021 northeast Ohio commitments recently with the pledges of Canton McKinley quarterback Elijah Wesley (6-2, 215) and Youngstown Ursuline receiver Matt Reardon (6-0, 170).

Wesley is considered the No. 57 dual threat quarterback prospect nationally and the No. 71 overall prospect in Ohio. He chose the Redhawks over Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Toledo and Youngstown State.

Reardon is the No. 74 overall prospect in Ohio and committed to Miami over Air Force, Akron, Bowling Green, Toledo and Princeton. His father Dan Reardon is in his second stint as head coach at Ursuline, where he’s led the Irish to three state titles and four finals. Reardon, who started his career as a graduate assistant on Jim Tressel’s staff at Youngstown State, also coached Canton McKinley (2014-2018).

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