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Players stretch before team drills in Penden Stadium on August 26th 2016 MATT STARKEY|FOR THE POST

Football Recruiting: Ellison highest ranked commit, two out-of-state athletes highlight top of class

In the days and weeks leading up to National Signing Day, The Post will look at who has already committed to the Bobcats and who might commit in the coming days. National Signing Day is Feb. 1.

Ohio didn't have to look far for its highest-ranked commit of the 2017 class. 

Three-star running back Morgan Ellison sits atop Ohio's recruiting class. Ellison is from Pickerington and is the 46th ranked player in the state and also the sixth-ranked running back in Ohio. He'll join two other quarterbacks, one who has signed his letter of intent already, as well as a few other prospective Bobcats next season.

The rankings below are a composite of rankings from 247Sports. 

Hard Commits:

Morgan Ellison: Running back, 6-foot-1, 221 pounds, Pickerington Central High School, Pickerington

Ellison was the biggest fish reeled in by coach Frank Solich and his staff this offseason. Ellison committed on Nov. 4 but still has received offers since his original commitment. Bowling Green and North Texas have offered him in the two months since his commitment. Here's a highlight tape of his senior season.

Ellison isn't the fastest running back, but he's still one of the best backs in the state. According to his Hudl page, he runs a 4.59 40-yard dash, runs a four second shuttle, has a 37.9 inch vertical, benches 285 pounds, squats 495 pounds and runs the 100-meter dash in 11.4 seconds. Quite simply, Ellison is an athletic freak.

He'll have trouble finding the field his freshman year, he'll be on a depth chart with A.J. Ouellette, Dorian Brown, Maleek Irons and Papi White. But even with the long odds, he'll be one of the most talented players on the offense at his first practice. 

After Brown and Irons graduate, there won't be much separating Ellison from the No. 1 running back spot.

K.J. Minter: Athlete, 6-foot-1, 186 pounds, Gainesville High School, Gainesville, Florida

Minter committed to Ohio on Sept. 22 after receiving an offer on June 17. Minter is an athlete, meaning he will come to Athens flexible to what position he will play. Here's his highlight tape from his senior season.

He played quarterback in the highlight tape, but could play a variety of positions for the Bobcats. The likely candidates seem to be running back, wide receiver or quarterback. His highlight tape displayed not only his shiftiness but his power as well. Minter had the ability to make quick, powerful cuts upfield when carrying the ball. 

Depending on what position Ohio feels he can help out at the most, that's the position he'll take over. If it's running back, Minter and Ellison could provide an incredibly powerful one-two punch in the backfield for the Bobcats in the future. 

Willie Cherry: Athlete, 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Rider High School, Wichita Falls, Texas

Like Minter, Cherry will come to Athens not knowing what position he'll play. 

Cherry was a dual-threat quarterback in Texas, where he emerged a two-star recruit. He committed on Nov. 22, despite holding offers from North Texas, New Mexico State and Mississippi State. Here's his highlight tape from his senior season.

He threw for 738 passing yards on 99 attempts and ran for 506 yards on 78 rushing attempts. He also added 218 yards receiving. Cherry threw for five touchdowns, ran for six and caught five touchdowns as well. He was a dual-threat quarterback in every sense of the word.

He runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, runs a 4.2 second shuttle, has a 35 inch vertical, benches 250 pounds and squats 330 pounds. Cherry, like Minter, will be versatile in whatever capacity the Bobcats wish to use him. 

@Andrew_Gillis70

ag079513@ohio.edu

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