High school football: Highly-rated DL makes recruiting change

The 6-foot-2, 265-pound Whyce had 27 tackles, including 2.5 sacks for the Rams last season and has been one of the higher-profile recruits in the area for the class of 2026 for more than a year.

His offers include Auburn, Boston College, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

He is the No. 55 defensive line prospect nationally and ranked 22nd overall in the state of Ohio per 247Sports Composite rankings.

He is the top-rated among 19 players in the Class of 2026 to commit to Purdue, which is in its first season under head coach Barry Odom.

Overall, 14 rising seniors from the CoxFirst Media coverage area have committed to FBS schools so far.

That also includes Lakota West linebacker Cam Thomas (Illinois), Lakota East tight end P.J. MacFarlane (Indiana), Xenia receiver Shawn Fishwick (Eastern Michigan), Middletown defensive back Jordan Vann (Michigan State), Middletown defensive end Derrick Singletary (Rice), Lebanon tight end Nick Lautar (Louisville), Xenia defensive end Kale Webb (Kent State), Springboro linebacker Evan Weinberg (Central Michigan), Middletown receiver Laaren Cornwell (Central Michigan), Springfield defensive tackle Royce Rogers (Buffalo), Eaton kicker John Hewitt (Boston College), Springfield linebacker Taj Powell (West Virginia) and Lakota East receiver Jayden Seay (Army).

Seay and Rogers were among the most recent commitments before Whyce.

Seay announced last week he will be a Black Knight while Rogers committed to Buffalo in the last week of June.

The 6-foot-1, 260-pound Rogers, who made third-team All-Ohio, had 64 tackles last season including seven for loss and forced one fumble.

The 6-3 Seay caught 22 passes for 486 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Also committing recently were a pair of players going to FCS schools (formerly Division I-AA): Springboro receiver Jaxon Long is headed to Cornell while Tippecanoe tight end Will Strong committed to Indiana State.

Credit: Marcus Hartman

Credit: Marcus Hartman

Trotwood has a handful of rising juniors who have reported FBS offers, a group that includes linebacker Darius Dennis, defensive lineman Jeremiah Nash, offensive lineman Chandler Moore, linebacker Tyler Carpenter and tight end John Lumpkin III, but the only 2027 class member to commit so far is Jamier Averette-Brown, a highly-touted receiver for Wayne who has pledged to go to Ohio State.

Others to watch in the ’27 class include Lakota West linebacker Reilly Newman, running back Kenyon Norman, quarterback Jackson Smith and tight end Xavier Ratica, Middletown defensive lineman Jaiden Davis, Alter defensive back Drew Cripps, Centerville defensive back Zierre Alston, Beavercreek defensive backs Kelvin Keyes Jr. and Jamison Webster, Belmont defensive lineman Bariyus Allen, Wayne receiver Aaden Curtis and Springfield receiver Braylon Keyes, linebacker Jahmiere Daniels and defensive end/linebacker Tyrel Thompson.

Whyce’s younger brother, Jameer, is among a few players in the class of 2028 who have Division I FBS offers.

That includes Ohio State, who offered the younger Whyce about a month ago.

Credit: Marcus Hartman

Credit: Marcus Hartman

Fellow Rams QJ Petty and Jarihan Zigo are also members of the ’28 class with FBS offers while Springfield offensive tackle Kavon Blackmon was among youngsters turning heads during recruiting in the spring.