High School Football: Centerville standout makes college decision

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He picked the Spartans from a final five that also included Pittsburgh, Ohio State, Northwestern and Cincinnati.

The 6-1, 195-pounder is a three-star prospect and ranked 19th in Ohio in 247Sports Compsite rankings, though his 30 scholarship offers suggest college coaches might have a higher opinion of him than the recruiting services heading into his senior season for the Elks.

He was third on his team with 78 tackles last season, including seven for loss, and he broke up three passes.

Powers is the third prospect in the area to commit to a Power 5 school and the second to say he is heading to the Big Ten in 2024.

Stebbins offensive lineman Jake Wheelock committed to Cincinnati in April and Trotwood-Madison quarterback Tim Carpenter Jr. gave his pledge to Indiana in May.

Last year, the area produced five Big Ten recruits and had nearly 30 players sign with FBS schools.

So far, more than 20 players in the 2024 class have received FBS offers or at least reported getting serious interest from FBS schools.

Michigan State had made a major habit of recruiting Ohio during the Mark Dantonio era, but successor Mel Tucker — who like Dantonio is an Ohio native who had a successful stint as an assistant coach at Ohio State — has used the transfer portal heavily to fill out his roster since arriving in East Lansing in 2020.

The most recent area players to sign with the Spartans were Piqua linebacker Darien Tipps-Clemons and Fairfield cornerback Josiah Scott in 2017.

Powers, a first-team, all-Greater Western Ohio Conference honoree as a junior, was in East Lansing, Mich., over the weekend for an official visit.

Powers chose Michigan State over Ohio State, Northwestern, Pitt and Cincinnati. Those five schools were his five finalists.