High school football recruiting is entering a pivotal time as players start to narrow down their choices and make commitments. Here are eight things to know from this week in recruiting:
No. 1: Chapman commits to Miami of Ohio
Pike standout linebacker Willie Chapman committed to Miami of Ohio, picking the RedHawks over offers from Ball State and Central Michigan.
The 6-1, 210-pound Chapman, who finished his junior season with 81 tackles (65 solo), including 14 for a loss, three sacks and one interception, is a versatile player who is capable of playing linebacker or in the secondary.
“What I loved about Miami was most importantly the coaching staff and how real they kept the relationships that we formed,” Chapman said. “There was no sugarcoating and I knew exactly what I would have to work for by committing. The loyalty that coach (Chuck) Martin has displayed to his staff is like you can’t find anywhere else and has truly created something special from the bottom up that I want to be a part of.”
Chapman said Miami will use him where it needs him most.
“They plan to use me in a way where I can produce wherever I am on the field,” he said. “Whether it’s at (weakside) linebacker or even nickel, my skill set can do whatever the team asks.”
No. 2: Iowa offers Indianapolis quarterbacks
North Central sophomore quarterback Chase Grove was offered by Iowa on Thursday. Grove, who was also offered by Miami (Ohio) earlier in the week, was previously offered by Minnesota and Purdue. Grove completed 64% of his passes for 1,901 yards and 19 TDs as a sophomore for the Panthers.
Center Grove sophomore quarterback Oscar Sloan was also offered by Iowa earlier in the week. Sloan, who passed for 1,689 yards and 13 TDs as a sophomore, also has Power Four offers from Cincinnati, Maryland, Minnesota, Purdue and Wisconsin. Sloan also picked up an offer from UConn during the week.
No. 3: Lawrence Central’s Errol Kerns III commits to Miami
Chapman was not the only local recruit to commit to Miami of Ohio.
Errol Kerns III, a three-sport athlete at Lawrence Central, also committed to the RedHawks. Kerns, a speedy defensive back who also runs track and is an all-conference wrestler, had 74 tackles (35 solo) and two interceptions as a junior for the Bears.
Kerns committed to Miami over offers from Ball State, Illinois State, Lindenwood, Memphis, Nevada and Toledo.
“My most liked thing about Miami is their brotherhood,” he said. “Over there right when you walk in it feels like home.”
No. 4: Noblesville offensive lineman Caleb Johnson visits upcoming
Noblesville offensive lineman Caleb Johnson, a junior, will start his official visits this month.
Johnson, ranked No. 296 in the country in the new ESPN SC Next 300 for the 2027 class, will take official visits to Indiana (May 15-17), Michigan State (May 29-31), Iowa (June 5-7) and Cincinnati (June 12-14). Johnson took unofficial visits to Cincinnati, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa in April.
No. 5 Keyon Thomas locking in official visits
Warren Central running back Keyon Thomas was another local prospect who picked up an offer during the week from Iowa. Thomas, so far, has locked in official visits to UConn (May 29-31) and Cincinnati (June 19-21). He has offers from both of those programs, along with Indiana, Purdue, Arizona State, Kentucky, Marshall, Michigan State, Vanderbilt and several Mid-American Conference programs.
Thomas ran for 1,337 yards and 19 touchdowns in nine games as a junior and caught 18 passes for 184 yards and one TD.
No. 6: Westfield offensive lineman adds offers
Nicholas Schurman, a 6-4, 290-pound Westfield junior offensive lineman, picked up an offer from Stanford after a visit from Cardinal offensive line coach Keli’i Kekuewa. Schurman picked up an offer earlier in the week from Virginia.
Schurman has official visits locked in for Purdue (June 5-7) and Indiana (June 19-21).
No. 7: National rankings note
I wrote about Lawrence North five-star wide receiver Monshun Sales on Saturday. Sales, who is considering Indiana, Alabama, Ohio State and Texas, is not planning to commit until July. Sales, who is ranked No. 16 in the ESPN rankings for the 2027 class, is a bit of the exception to the rule when it comes to uncommitted high-profile prospects.
Of the top-10 recruits in the 2027 class, only two are not committed. As of Saturday, exactly half of the top-50 prospects have committed.
No. 8: New in-state rankings from 247sports
The recruiting site 247sports released its initial full rankings for the 2028 football class and there is one Indiana prospect listed among the top 247 players in the country.
Carmel safety Drake Coellner is the highest-ranked Indiana prospect at No. 140 overall and No. 12 at his position. Other in-state players listed as three-star prospects are Fort Wayne Wayne defensive end Javontae Eldridge (No. 34 at position), Zionsville tight end Theo Schott (No. 15 at his position), Hammond Morton receiver Corderro Bennett (No. 55 at position), Fort Wayne Northrop receiver Maddox Weil (No. 61 at position), Center Grove quarterback Oscar Sloan (No. 35 at position) and New Palestine defensive lineman Sam Hirschy (No. 44 at position).
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter. And be sure to subscribe to our new IndyStarTV: Preps YouTube channel.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Commitments, visits. Eight things to know about high school football recruiting
Reporting by Kyle Neddenriep, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
