The most important time of a high school football player's recruiting process is at hand.
It's camp season and that means offers will come fast and furious for a strong group of Greater Akron/Canton players. With that in mind, here are the top 25 area recruits in our initial 2024 list:
1. Elbert Hill, Hoban
Class of 2026
Cornerback, 5-foot-10, 150 pounds
Hill has offers from Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, USC, Wisconsin, Penn State, Oregon, Miami, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Colorado, Tennessee, Purdue, Louisville, Pitt, Indiana, Boise State, West Virginia, Missouri, Toledo, Central Michigan, San Jose State, San Diego State, Akron, Temple and UNLV. He is a four-star standout and is the top 2026 recruit in Ohio, according to On3.com, and is ranked 13th nationally.
2. Nolan Davenport, Massillon
Class of 2025
Offensive line, 6-6, 275 pounds
Davenport currently holds 29 Division I offers. Some of the notable offers come from a combination of SEC, ACC, and Big 10 schools, such as Louisville, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina State, Penn State, and Michigan State. Davenport made second-team All-Ohio after his first start at left tackle for the reigning Division II state champs.
3. Dante McClellan, Canton McKinley
Class of 2025
Linebacker, 6-2, 200 pounds
McClellan is a three-star prospect who has received 21 offers, including USC, Tennessee, Missouri, Michigan State, and Kentucky. McClellan is ranked No. 11 in Ohio, according to On3.com.
4. Sam Greer, Hoban
Class of 2026
Offensive lineman, 6-8, 308 pounds
Greer holds Power Five offers from Ohio State, Florida, Purdue, Michigan, Penn State, Indiana, Tennessee, Miami, Missouri, West Virginia and Louisville. He is a four-star standout and is the No. 5 recruit in the Class of 2026 in Ohio, according to On3.com. He is ranked 11th nationally.
5. Ziaire Stevens, Akron East
Class of 2025
Running back, 5-10, 170 pounds
Stevens committed to Purdue last Nov. 7. He has offers from Akron, Ball State, Boston College, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Indiana, Kent State, UMass, Pitt, Toledo, Miami (Ohio), Central Michigan, Temple, UConn, Marshall and St. Francis. Stevens is a three-star standout and is ranked the No. 20 recruit in Ohio in the Class of 2025. He is also ranked 40th nationally.
6. Eli Lee, Hoban
Class of 2025
Linebacker, 6-foot-3, 215 pounds
Lee committed to Ohio State last October 25. He also had offers from Iowa State, Pitt, Kentucky, West Virginia, UMass, Akron, Toledo and Central Michigan, and interest from Notre Dame. He is a three-star recruit and is ranked 21st in Ohio in the Class of 2025 by On3.com. Lee is ranked 58th nationally.
7. Payton Cook, Hoban
Class of 2026
Wide receiver, 6-0, 185 pounds
Cook has offers from Michigan, Miami, Louisville, Pitt, Kentucky, Purdue, Wisconsin and Notre Dame. He also has interest from Ohio State, Penn State and West Virginia. He is a four-star standout and is ranked fourth in the class of 2026 in Ohio. He is also ranked 135th nationally.
8. Terrell Wharton, Akron East
Class of 2026
Cornerback, 6-foot-1, 155 pounds
Wharton has Power Five offers from Penn State, Wisconsin, Pitt, Indiana and Purdue as well as offers from Central Michigan, Kent State, Akron and Toledo. He is a three-star standout and is ranked 15th in Ohio by On3.com. He is ranked as the 36th best cornerback nationally.
9. Jonathan Stangl, Canton Central Catholic
Class of 2025
Offensive line, 6-8, 310 pounds
Stangl has been on the rise in the recruiting trail. His size and impressive footwork has the two-year starter on the radar of Division I schools. He committed to Miami (OH) on March 21, and also received offers from West Virginia, Toledo, Marshall, and Western Michigan.
10. Milan Parris, Walsh Jesuit
Class of 2026
Wide receiver, 6-4, 185 pounds
Parris has offers from Wisconsin, Purdue, Kentucky, USF Ohio, UMass, Ball State, Central Michigan and Marshall. He also has interest from Notre Dame, Pitt and Penn State. He is a three-star recruit and is ranked 20th in Ohio in the Class of 2026 by On3.com. Parris is ranked 75th nationally at wide receiver.
11. Dior Garner, Canton McKinley
Class of 2025
Defensive line, 6-4, 285 pounds
Garner has received offers from FBS and FCS programs as a defensive tackle. He currently holds 14 offers and could likely receive more late in the spring and summer. Other schools considering Garner are Michigan State and California.
12. Tayte Crable, Hoban
Class of 2025
Tight end, 6-5, 210 pounds
Crable has offers from Bowling Green, Toledo, Kent State, Temple, Miami (Ohio), Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Army, Youngstown State and Eastern Kentucky. He is a three-star recruit and is ranked 73rd in Ohio in the class of 2025. Crable is ranked 66th nationally as a receiver.
13. Nino Hill, Canton McKinley
Class of 2025
Running back, 6-0, 200 pounds
Hill enters his third year as a starter at McKinley after transferring from Alliance. He has offers from the MAC (Miami, UMass, Toledo, Bowling Green and Buffalo), as well as Louisiana-Monroe.
14. Charlie Christopher, Lake
Class of 2025
Linebacker, 6-1, 220 pounds
Christopher has been a defensive anchor for Lake, with 100-plus tackles the last two years. Christopher has offers the MAC (Bowling Green, Ball State, Ohio), Ivy league (Dartmouth, Penn) and military academies (Army, Navy, Air Force).
15. Tylan Boykin, Hoban
Class of 2025
Cornerback, 6-1, 175 pounds
Boykin has offers from Bowling Green, Toledo, Kent State, Temple, Eastern Kentucky, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Youngstown State. The three-star standout plays quarterback for the Knights, but is being recruited on defense where he is 76th in Ohio in the class of 2025. He is ranked as the 98th best cornerback nationally.
16. Vito McConnell, Massillon
Class of 2025
Linebacker, 6-4, 215 pounds
McConnell had a productive junior campaign as a first-year starter. Since then, he's been offered by six schools. McConnell committed to Miami (Ohio) on March 19.
17. Tyler Hackenbracht, Massillon
Class of 2025
Safety, 6-2, 206 pounds
After a breakout junior season for the Massillon Tigers, Hackenbracht received five offers, mainly in the MAC. He committed to Toledo.
18. Brayton Feister, Hoban
Class of 2027
Linebacker, 6-3, 215 pounds
Feister has offers from Akron, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo. He has interest from Tennessee, Ohio State, Penn State and Notre Dame. He played in the backfield for the Knights as a freshman, but his natural position is linebacker, which is where he's being recruited.
19. Tanner Mintz, Hoban
Class of 2025
Safety, 6-1, 210 pounds
Mintz has offers from Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio), Kent State, Ohio and Stony Brook. The versatile Mintz, who can play on the edge, at outside linebacker or in the secondary, visited Toledo two weeks ago.
20. Jaezen Lewis, Massillon
Class of 2025
Offensive line 6-6 370
Lewis received seven offers prior to transferring to Massillon from Alliance. He is projected to play guard at the next level, and he could receive more interest in the offseason.
21. Jake Clapper, Hudson
Class of 2025
Offensive lineman 6-3, 230 pounds
Clapper's recruitment has taken off since the beginning of the 2023 season. The two-way lineman has offers from Miami (Ohio), Cornell, Army and Kent State. That recruitment should only get better as the spring camp season continues.
22. Jacques Carter Massillon
Class of 2025
Wide receiver 5-11 165 pounds
The speedy wide receiver had a break-out junior year in his first year as a starter. Carter was rewarded with offers from Miami (Ohio), Temple and Bowling Green.
23. K'Vuone McNeal, Canton McKinley
Class of 2025
Edge rusher, 6-3, 225 pounds
McNeal holds offers from Kent State and Bowling Green after making All-Ohio last season.
24. Keith Quincy, Canton McKinley
Class of 2025
Athlete, 6-2,185 pounds
Quincy played both ways for the McKinley Bulldogs and was productive on both sides of the field. After making second-team All-Ohio last fall, Quincy received offers from Akron and Temple.
25. Jameir Gamble, Massillon
Class of 2025
Running back, 5-10, 185 pounds
Gamble didn't become a full-time starter until later in the season but put himself on the radar of colleges by nearly rushing for 1,000 yards. Central Michigan and Temple have offered Gamble.
Also considered: Armani Holloway, East, DE, 6-2, 195; Darshawn Spragling, East, DL, 6-5, 375; Mylen Lenix, Massillon, RB, 5-11, 210; Michael Wright Jr., Massillon, DT, 5-11, 285; Emy Louis Jr. Massillon, WR 5-11, 166; Kam Montgomery, McKinley, QB, 6-4, 210; Ryan Lippe, Lake, DE 6-4, 240.
Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: High school football recruiting top 25 Akron-Canton player rankings
