Football: Jack Sawyer joining Buckeyes headlines list of early signees in central Ohio

Although he elected not to play his senior season for Pickerington North this fall, Jack Sawyer was among the central Ohio football players celebrating their next step in the sport Dec. 16. 

The defensive lineman, who is considered a five-star recruit, signed with Ohio State as part of its 2021 class. 

“Felt great to finally put pen to paper,” Sawyer tweeted. “(Can’t) wait to put on a show with my brothers in front of the best damn fans in the land!” 

Eight players from the area, including Sawyer, joined Power Five conference programs on the first day of the early signing period, which runs Dec. 16-18.

Also committing to Big Ten schools were Independence’s Shawn Munnerlyn (Rutgers), Hilliard Bradley’s Jack Pugh (Wisconsin), Pickerington Central’s Garner Wallace (Northwestern) and Dublin Coffman’s Devon Williams (Minnesota). 

Pickerington Central’s Lorenzo Styles Jr., who was the Division I district Offensive Player of the Year and state co-Offensive Player of the Year, signed with Notre Dame. 

Coffman’s Hammond Russell signed with West Virginia and Walnut Ridge’s Jamarius Dinkins committed to Kentucky. 

More:National Signing Day: Where they’re going

It was a big day for area players and Ohio University, which signed Groveport’s John Motton, DeSales’ Quintell Quinn, Marion-Franklin's Giovanni Scales, Hartley’s Jake Skelly and Hilliard Darby’s Bradley Weaver. 

Skelly is an offensive lineman who was unable to play his senior season after being diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia May 7, which was the day after he verbally committed to the Bobcats. 

Also signing with Mid-American Conference programs were Pickerington North’s Elijah Hawk (Western Michigan), Westerville Central’s Will Jados (Miami), Darby’s Connor Jones (Toledo), Coffman’s Casey Magyar (Kent State) and Daniel Warnsman (Eastern Michigan) and Pickerington Central’s Nick Mosley (Bowling Green). 

julrey@thisweeknews.com 

@UlreyThisWeek 

Below is a list of central Ohio football players who announced their commitments during the early signing period from Dec. 16-18: 

NAME (HIGH SCHOOL), COLLEGE

Yaser Awale (Hilliard Bradley), Heidelberg 

Jamarius Dinkins (Walnut Ridge), Kentucky  

Reese Dykstra (Thomas Worthington), Long Island 

Ethan Hand (Olentangy), Indianapolis 

Elijah Hawk (Pickerington North), Western Michigan 

Will Jados (Westerville Central), Miami University 

Connor Jones (Hilliard Darby), Toledo 

Casey Magyar (Dublin Coffman), Kent State 

Nick Mosley (Pickerington Central), Bowling Green 

John Motton (Groveport), Ohio University

Shawn Munnerlyn (Independence), Rutgers 

Jack Pugh (Hilliard Bradley), Wisconsin

Quintell Quinn (DeSales), Ohio University 

Chance Roberts (Hilliard Bradley), Tiffin 

Hammond Russell (Dublin Coffman), West Virginia 

A.J. Sanders (Pickerington Central), Eastern Illinois 

Jack Sawyer (Pickerington North), Ohio State 

Giovanni Scales (Marion-Franklin), Ohio University 

Jake Skelly (Hartley), Ohio University 

Lorenzo Styles Jr. (Pickerington Central), Notre Dame 

Bryon Threats (Dublin Coffman), Cincinnati 

Garner Wallace (Pickerington Central), Northwestern 

Daniel Warnsman (Dublin Coffman), Eastern Michigan 

Bradley Weaver (Hilliard Darby), Ohio University 

Dorian Weaver (Dublin Coffman), Findlay 

Devon Williams (Dublin Coffman), Minnesota