Mentor DL gets offer from OSU

It’s not easy to make a physically dominating and imposing, 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end cry.

Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Mattison found a way to do it on Aug. 14, when he called Mentor’s sophomore defensive end Brenan Vernon and offered him a full athletic scholarship with the Buckeyes.

“Tears started running down my face, man,” Vernon said. “I had just come home from football practice and coach told me to call (Mattison) ASAP.

“Yesterday was one of the best day of my life. I’ve grown up on Ohio State football from my father to my uncles — my whole family. I couldn’t be more thankful. I’m beyond excited and very happy.”

Because he is just entering his sophomore season, Vernon doesn’t have a star-ranking by either 247Sports or Rivals.com. But his list of college offers is an impressive one. Michigan, Michigan State,

Nebraska, Notre Dame, Duke, Indiana, Kent State, Kentucky and West Virginia all offered Vernon prior to Ohio State.

But suffice to say, Ohio State’s offer on Aug. 14 made an impact.

“They treat me like I’m one of them already, like family,” Vernon said of the Ohio State football program. “They accept me for

who I am as a person, not just a football player.”

That family atmosphere is important, Vernon said.

He also said Ohio State’s recent history of having high NFL draft picks at defensive end, including Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa and Chase Young, has caught his eye. And having a few friends — redshirt freshmen

Noah Potter and Ryan Jacoby are Mentor grads — in the system helps, too.

“That does factor into it,” Vernon said. “There are amazing people down there. “Noah took me under his wing a long time ago. I started working out with the high school going into eighth grade, so I was still in seventh grade when Noah took

me under his wing. I know whenever I need anything, he’s been there to help me.”

Vernon is coming off a freshman season in which he helped lead Mentor to the Division I state final four. He had 45 tackles and two sacks, and was named a freshman All-American.

With three years of high school left, Vernon isn’t close

to making a college commitment. But he indicated the Buckeyes might be the leader in the clubhouse, so to speak.

“Where I’d like to go and this and that, I feel it’s too early to think about right now,” he said. “But, man, you’re definitely right — Ohio State’s up there. Definitely up there. If not No. 1. They’re the complete package.”