Rivals adizero Combine: Takeaways from Columbus

HILLIARD, Ohio – The Rivals adizero Combine debuted in the Midwest on Saturday, and brought out more than 1,100 kids from across the region. By day’s end, several had earned their way back to Sunday’s Rivals 3 Stripe Camp.

RELATED: Five predictions for the 3 Stripe Camp | Full RCS schedule, coverage from previous camps

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

The first invite of the day went out to a defensive back from the Indianapolis area who ran his 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds while measuring over 6-foot-3 and 188 pounds. Dorian Henson of Westfield (Ind.) High has spent the spring on the road at schools like Cincinnati, Indiana, Ball State and Tennessee. Purdue, however, is where Henson has spent the most time this off-season, and is the school he feels has shown the most interest. Even at his size, most schools project him to cornerback in college. He posted two interceptions at that position as a junior despite missing half the season.

We saw Woodhaven, Mich., defensive tackle Dorian Wesley at a camp earlier this off-season and he caught our attention. When he showed up to Saturday’s combine, it was obvious his progression has continued, and he earned a chance to compete in Sunday’s camp. The Mid-American Conference has really picked up its attention, with Akron, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State and Toledo showing interest. Wesley has actively reciprocated that interest by visiting each of those schools already. The rising senior still awaits his first offer, but more performances like those we have seen from him already this off-season should brings them in soon.

From a production standpoint, few can match Cincinnati (Ohio) Wyoming defensive end James Smith. A first-team all-conference and third team all-state performer, Smith tallied 87 tackles and eight sacks as a junior. On Saturday, he measured in at a solid 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds. That is a little undersized for the position, but it is not bad and he has the frame to add weight without losing athleticism. College programs have been slow to show interest. Division II Kentucky Wesleyan has offered, whole FCS programs like Austin Peay and North Dakota State are showing interest.

An invite to Sunday’s Rivals 3 Stripe Camp capped a big week for Hilliard (Ohio) Davidson defensive end Josiah Ezirim. The class of 2019 prospect picked up his first FBS offer on Wednesday from the home-state Cincinnati Bearcats, joining a previous offer from FCS Youngstown State. “Being given the chance to play at the next level, especially the Division I level, is pretty exciting for me,” Ezirim said.

Ezirim measured in at nearly 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds at Saturday’s combine, and that size has Cincinnati considering him for offensive tackle. Ezirim has not played offensive tackle since middle school, but said he thinks it would be fun to try the other side of the ball and is open to playing that position. Since defensive end is the position he is most familiar with, that is where he plans to line up during Sunday’s camp.

Tight end Brenton Strange was very impressive and has the look of a prospect that could see his recruitment explode. Rutgers and Albany are the only two schools to offer the Parkersburg, W.Va., native so far but Louisville and Marshall have been showing a lot of interest. Strange plans on visiting both of those schools in the near future, but he is hoping to add to that list as more schools show interest.

Other invites included 2019 Aliquippa, Pa., offensive lineman Solvauhn Moreland, class of 2021 defensive end Zeiqui Lawton from South Charleston, W.Va., and Cincinnati (Ohio) Taft teammates Chris’Seon Stringer and Robert Medalion.