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MVP’s Top 10 2012 Football Prospects: April Edition
Trotwood-Madison’s Bam Bradley
With high school football combines in full swing and the summer camp circuit on the horizon, we take a look at the Miami Valley’s Top 10 football prospects in the Class of 2012. This list can change over the course of the next few months, but here’s how it stands right now.
1. Ifeadi Odenigbo, DE, Centerville: Odenigbo (6-4, 220) is relatively new to football. His parents are from Nigeria and he only picked up the sport in the last couple of years. He was a soccer player and track runner until his sophomore year, when he played on the Centerville JV team. He moved to the varsity this past year and made a big impression with 40 tackles and 10-1/2 sacks. At Centerville, he played alongside OSU signee Michael Bennett. Odenigbo, who holds a 3.2 GPA and has over 25 offers. Some of them include Cincinnati, Stanford, Syracuse, West Virginia, Northwestern, Boston College, Michigan State, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Kent State and Nebraska. Odenigbo has visited Ohio State and Notre Dame, and plans to visit Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern and Stanford.
*What The Scouts Say: “Odenigbo is as physically gifted as any player in this class. He has long arms, a tall frame, nice burst and great speed. He went to the Nike Combine and ran 4.61-second 40 electrically timed which almost like a 4.46 hand time. He chases down ball carriers and quarterbacks like they are standing still because of his unreal athletic ability. It’s scary to think that he is just learning the game right now and can get even better.”
2. Kaleb Ringer, LB, Clayton Northmont: Ringer (6-1, 225) had 72 tackles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions and two sacks at his middle linebacker spot as a junior. Ringer, who has 4.45-second speed in the 40, has offers from Cincinnati, Toledo, Bowling Green, Miami of Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan, Syracuse, Kent State, Louisville, Ball State, Buffalo, Illinois and Indiana. He is also interested in Michigan State, Ohio State and USC.
*What The Scouts Say: “One of the best all around linebackers in Ohio. He has great speed and athletic ability and can be very violent at the point of attack. Watching his game film, he did a great job of running through and around blockers to get to the ball. He does a good job of striking the ball carrier on impact. He can make explosive plays with speed.”
3. Bam Bradley, DB, Trotwood-Madison: Bradley (6-2, 185) was a second-team All-Ohio selection in Division II as a junior. He had 10 tackles in Trotwood’s D-II state title game loss to Maple Heights. Bradley, who boasts 4.4 speed in the 40, has offers from Kentucky, Northwestern, Tennessee, Michigan State, Bowling Green, Illinois, Penn State, Colorado, Syracuse, Stanford, Pittsburgh, Ball State, Missouri, Boston College, Ohio, Louisville, Vanderbilt and Arizona.
*What The Scouts Say: “His name Bam says it all. He lines up at safety and looks to seek and destroy anything in his path. He is a big hitter with a big frame that college coaches desire. He might get looks as a linebacker in college because of his physical nature.”
4. Taylor Decker, OL, Vandalia Butler: Decker (6-8, 275) had offers from a number of top schools before he ended the suspense on March 4 by committing to Notre Dame. He also had offers from the likes of Cincinnati, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Boston College, Michigan, Louisville and Indiana. As a junior, Decker was a Special Mention All-Ohio pick in Division II.
*What The Scouts Say: “He has great feet, long arms and a nasty attitude. All of those attributes make Decker one of the best offensive line prospects in Ohio and most likely the country. He has all the raw skills that college coaches would love to develop. He just needs to add weight and strength to be a dominant lineman in college.”
5. Benny McGowan, OL, Centerville: McGowan (6-4, 300) projects as a guard prospect at the college level. He already has offers from Toledo, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Ohio U., Kent State and Michigan State.
6. Tyler O’Connor, QB, Lima Central Catholic: O’Connor (6-3, 208) was a first-team All-Ohio pick in Division V as a punter. As a junior, he completed 141 of 231 passes (61.0 percent) for 2,516 yards with 40 total touchdowns. He has offers from Northwestern, Michigan State, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, Bowling Green and Toledo.
7. Marcus Foster, DB, Troy: Foster (6-1, 190) excels everywhere for the Trojans. Last season he was the team’s leading rusher (870 yards and 13 TDs), scorer (16 total TDs), kick returner (269 yards on 12 returns) and second leading receiver (14 catches, 336 yards and three TDs). He also tied for the team-high in interceptions with three. Foster has offers from Cincinnati, Toledo, Bowling Green, Kent State, Miami of Ohio, Ohio, Buffalo and Duke.
8. Jay Mastin, DB, Centerville: Mastin (6-2, 200) was the Elks second leading tackler last season (62) and tied for the team lead in interceptions (two). He has offers from Miami of Ohio, Ohio, Akron and Toledo.
9. James Sanford, DB, Xenia: Sanford (6-2, 180) is a promising big cornerback or safety prospect with 4.5-second speed in the 40. He has offers from Michigan State and Toledo.
10. Jordan Feeser, TE, Piqua: Feeser (6-5, 240) is one of the area’s top relative unknowns. Last year he caught six passes for 123 yards and a TD and recorded 18 tackles and a fumble recovery. Those stats aren’t overwhelming, but his potential is.
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