After notching 4.5 sacks as a freshman for the Rams last season, he has gotten a lot of attention from college coaches this spring and summer.
That includes earning a scholarship offer from legendary Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who worked with Whyce on campus in Columbus last month according to Bucknuts.com.
“The Ohio State offer means a lot,” said Whyce, who acknowledged being surprised an offer came so early in his career during an interview with Bucknuts. “It’s my home-state school, my family are Ohio State fans, and I like Ohio State. I’m going to try to get back there for their first game against Texas.”
More than a dozen schools have offered the 6-foot-4, 270-pound Whyce, a group that includes Illinois and Louisville.
His brother, senior Rams defensive tackle Jamarcus Whyce, has more than 20 offers and is currently committed to Purdue.
With the start of preseason practice less than two weeks away, the elder Whyce is among a dozen area players to appear in state rankings from one of the national sites.
He is No. 23 in the state per 247Sports Composite rankings and No 28 in Rivals rankings, which are now hosted by On3 after those sites merged.
Lakota West linebacker Cam Thomas is the top-rated prospect in the class of 2026 in the CoxFirst Media coverage area followed by Whyce.
Xenia receiver Shawn Fishwick is Ohio’s No. 33 prospect in the 247Composite Rankings followed by Lakota East tight end PJ MacFarlane (42), Middletown defensive back Jordan Vann (45), Springfield linebacker Taj Powell (48), Lebanon tight end Nick Lautar (66), Minster tight end Cole Albers (76), Lakota West running back Braydon Johnson (89), Middletown defensive end Derrick Singletary (90, Lakota East running back Ryder Hooks (100) and Eaton kicker John Hewitt (106).
Johnson recently announced he will play baseball in college and verbally committed to the University of Dayton.
Meanwhile, junior defensive lineman Carter Napier of Springboro reported receiving an offer this month from Harvard, his first from a Division I school, while junior offensive lineman Dominic Black of Tri-Village posted he has an early top four of Miami University, Ohio University, Cornell and Harvard.
Also reporting a recent offer was Jeffrey Martin, a senior offensive lineman from Tippecanoe who got one from Thomas More College in Northern Kentucky.
The Saints recently returned to NCAA Division II after a stint in the NAIA.
About the Author
