With the second NCAA football signing period set to begin Wednesday, here is a rundown of the Greater Cincinnati football stars who already signed with Division I programs in December.
They are already on the rosters of their new college teams, and some are on campus. Some of the information from those bios is included here along with previous Enquirer reporting.
In early December, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound tight end decided to reopen his recruitment after coaching changes at UCF but ultimately signed with the Knights less than a week later. The three-star recruit was ranked the No. 1 tight end in Ohio and No. 7 overall player in Ohio for the class of 2025. He was first-team All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference and second-team Southwest District.
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He has committed to play football for North Carolina as the 27-best defensive line recruit in the country, according to 247Sports.
Elder's Maddox Arnold (40) was a team captain for the Panthers this season. He is ranked as the No. 43 inside linebacker in the country by ESPN as well as the No. 42 player in Ohio's class of 2025 by 247Sports. He is listed as a three-star recruit by both ESPN and 247Sports.
He had two receptions for 23 yards and a touchdown against Springboro in his senior year and was second-team all-league in his junior year.
From his official bio: "Carter is a dominant two-way player from Ohio. He'll give us a ton of versatility in the secondary here at GWU where his range & physicality will be on display right away," said head coach Cris Reisert.
Rated as the 216th-overall best player in the Class of 2025 by 247Sports, while the organization also rated him the 26th-best cornerback as well as the seventh-best overall player in the state of Ohio.
Verdon is listed as a three-star prospect by the 247Sports index and currently checks in as the 71st-ranked defensive lineman in his class. He also is listed as the 44th-ranked player in the state of Ohio.
Considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports and a two-star by Rivals. Had 162 career receptions for 3,009 receiving Yards (20th in state history) and 33 receiving TDs (21st in state history). Finished ninth in state history for consecutive games with a catch (34). As a senior, notched 65 receptions for 924 yards and seven touchdowns.
Meissner, a first-team All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference player, was third on the team in tackles. Bucknell head coach Dave Cecchini had this to say about him: "Kato has the potential to be a dominant edge player for us. He is a great addition to our defensive line."
The three-star recruit was a team captain, two-time all-state, all-region and all-city performer.
He is rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports and On3. He's ranked No. 40 player in Ohio by On3 and No. 77 by 247Sports, also the No. 79 offensive tackle nationally by On3 and No. 129 by 247Sports.
He's a three-star lineman by 247sports.com who finished his senior season with 70-plus pancake blocks starting at left tackle. He did not allow a sack in 14 games, playing strongside defensive end and tackle. He was a second-team Greater Catholic League-South selection.
The 5-feet-11 senior QB led La Salle to the regional finals after finishing the regular season second in the Greater Catholic League-South in passing yards (2,127) and fourth in rushing yards (751).
He finished the season as the GCL-South co-defensive player of the year after leading the league in tackles with 114. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound captain was All-GCL South, all-city, all-state and Cincinnati Enquirer Division II Defensive Player Of The Year.
The 6-foot-7, 215-pound tight end had 47 receptions for 832 yards and 4 touchdowns. He made SportsCenter Top 10 in October after making a one-handed catch in a win over league rival Elder.
He holds Lakota East records for most passing touchdowns and most passing yards in a game, season and career. He completed 187 of 316 passes for 2,711 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior for the Thunderhawks, a team that improved from a 1-9 to an 8-4 record while winning their first playoff game since 2020.
From his Kent State bio: "Meadows adds a great size and length to the OL room. He is a dominant run blocker that moves well in space. His play has earned him first-team all-conference honors."
According to 247Sports, Beerman is the 84th-ranked linebacker in the class of 2025 and the No. 29 recruit is Ohio. He is the Illini's highest rated recruit in this year's class. He joins Withrow's Erik Gayle in the Illini's 2025 recruiting class.
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Ranked as a four-star on 247Sports, the 6-foot-7, 247-pound athlete is the No. 19 tight end in the nation for his ability to block and catch. He earned first-team All-Ohio as a senior.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound three-star recruit signed with Bowling Green after getting offers from Army and three other Mid-American Conference teams.
Considered a three-star prospect by multiple major recruiting services, including 247Sports and ESPN. Set the school record for most career tackles for with 67 as he finished with 318 career tackles. Was a four-time all-conference honoree. Selected to the Indiana Football Digest Prime Time 25 list, as one of the best players in the state in 2024.
The first-team all-league player led the Tigers in tackles for loss with 12 while finishing second in total tackles with 63. He also had action on special teams as a punter and kickoff returner, adding some reps as a running back.
He played three years of varsity football at defensive back and was a three-star recruit at Mason High School for head coach Brian Castner. He notched a combined 112 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, one sack, 11 pass breakups, five interceptions and three blocked kicks as a junior and senior. He earned All-Greater Miami Conference first-team honors as a junior and senior. Was also voted second-team all-state.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker was second-team All-Greater Miami Conference for Middletown.
The three-star athlete by 247sports.com finished his senior season with 678 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, earning an all-district selection.
Named 2024 first-team all-district and first-team All-GCL-South, Fogler led his team to back-to-back state semifinal appearances, including a state championship run in 2024. Also part of a 4x100 relay team for Archbishop Moeller that placed in the district final and ran in the regional championship.
Northwestern defensive line coach Christian Smith on Hayes: "There is no doubt that Jonah will make an impact in the defensive line room when he steps foot on campus. Jonah brings with him a tremendous athletic skill set, one that runs deep through his entire family. His competitiveness, explosiveness and physicality will serve him well at the Big Ten level. Jonah's best football is ahead of him, and we can't wait to be a part of his exciting development."
Two-star wide receiver by 247sports.com...as a senior, had 26 catches for 506 yards and six touchdowns...was a key contributor for the Mount Healthy team that advanced to the regional semifinals...as a junior, registered 24 catches for 376 yards and four scores...coach was Jordan Stevens.
Scott is the 14th highest-rated player in Ohio according to the 247Sports Composite rating.
At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Watkins is a 3-star recruit who had offers from Austin Peay, Ball State, Bowling Green and Eastern Kentucky.
He notched 65 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one pass deflection as a senior. Olverson earned second-team All-Greater Miami Conference honors and helped lead the Vikings to a share of the GMC title as a senior.
As a senior, he recorded 47 tackles and was credited with four pass breakups and an interception.
247Sports rates Kattus as a three-star recruit, the 84th-best offensive tackle in the country and the 50th-best player in Ohio for the class of 2025. He's 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds.
Sulfsted is rated a three-star DL by On3, 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals. He's the 43rd ranked recruit in the state of Ohio and 107th overall DL by On3 as well as the 20th ranked recruit in the state and 66th overall DL by 247Sports. ESPN ranks him the 31st best recruit in Ohio and 84th overall DL while Rivals ranks him the 23rd best recruit in the state and 31st DL overall.
The three-star recruit chose Bowling Green after getting offers from Akron, Austin Peay, Illinois State and Miami University (Ohio).
Pavey, who flipped his commitment from Purdue to Wisconsin, was a major part of the Taft defense that allowed just 129 points in 15 games this season. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound offensive lineman had offers from Indiana, Akron and Ball State.
At 6-foot-6 and 320-pounds, the offensive tackle is a three-star recruit rated the 115th-best offensive tackle in the nation and the 70th-best recruit in Ohio for the 2025 recruiting class.
The third-best class of 2025 recruit in the state of Ohio and the 55th-best in the country, according to 247Sports, Hill will join four five-star recruits and 13 four-stars in Alabama's second-ranked 2025 recruiting class. He's called a "High-motor guy with tools and athleticism" on his official Crimson Tide bio.
The 6-foot-4 defensive back was a two-year varsity starter who helped team to a conference runner-up finish and a No. 6 ranking in Division I. He recorded over 20 receptions for 200 plus yards on the year and competed in track and field.
Considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports and a two-star prospect by Rivals. He chose Eastern Michigan over Boston College, Georgia Tech, Kent State and Marshall.
Rated the 35th best player in Ohio in the class of 2025, Stewart chose Indiana over Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Penn State and Tennessee.
A three-star recruit, he also had offers from Boston College, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville and West Virginia.
Rated a three-star recruit by 247sports.com and On3.com, and a two-star by Rivals, he rushed for 2,109 yards (10.9 yards per carry) and 29 touchdowns as a junior at Purcell Marian before transferring to Withrow.
He had a 19.1 yards per reception average during the season as a two-way player that was named a first-team Cincinnati All-Metro Athletic Conference selection.
He is a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, which lists him as the No. 16 player in Ohio and No. 55 wide receiver nationally. ESPN, On3 and 247Sports rank him as a three-star recruit. ESPN tabs him as the No. 15 player in Ohio and No. 60 receiver in the nation.