Northmont juniors Brew, Works piling up Division I football offers

Fairmont's Kamron Payne tries to avoid a tackle by Northmont's Braylen Russell and Dorian Brew (7). BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Fairmont's Kamron Payne tries to avoid a tackle by Northmont's Braylen Russell and Dorian Brew (7). BILL LACKEY/STAFF

CLAYTON — When Northmont junior Dorian Brew showed up as a freshman football player, head coach Tony Broering got his attention. Brew didn’t know if he believed it. Plus, he wanted to be a wide receiver.

“I told him when I first met him his freshman year that he could be a Division I scholarship, maybe NFL, type corner,” Broering said. “But he wanted to play receiver, which was fine. We let him do that.”

Brew didn’t forget what Broering told him. So at the halfway point of last season he asked to play cornerback, too. He took his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame and his 10.7 100-meters speed to the defense and his life changed.

“He was a difference maker,” Broering said.

College recruiters saw his game film and realized right away he could be an elite cornerback.

“A lot of people were telling me my upside was going to be at corner,” Brew said. “I’m a good receiver, but there’s not a lot of corners that have my speed and who are this big. Last year I didn’t really know what I was doing. They kind of threw me in the fire, and I was dependent on my athleticism.”

Brew’s raw talent and traits were enough to be rated a five-star recruit and the No. 27 overall player in the class of 2025 on the 24/7 Sports composite index. Offers have come from Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame. Texas A&M, Baylor, Cincinnati, Florida State, LSU, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas. Wisconsin and several others.

“I was overwhelmed at first, but it kind of settled down,” Brew said.

Brew isn’t the only Thunderbolt junior being pursued by major programs. Outside linebacker Cedric Works, who is pushing 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, also became a defensive starter midway through last season when the player ahead of him was injured. The change to more playing time was more than he expected.

“It’s definitely the prep time that it takes to get ready for the games,” Works said. “I wasn’t aware of how much it took to get ready for a game.”

Now Works is learning that being recruited requires more his time. He was invited by Ohio State this past weekend to visit during the game against Youngstown State. He doesn’t have an off from the Buckeyes, but he has offers from Cincinnati, Boston College, Kentucky, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Purdue and West Virginia. He is rated the No. 17 prospect in Ohio in the class of 2025 by 24/7 and is currently a three-star. As he learns the position more he could rise up the rankings.

“Cedric’s upside is tremendous,” Broering said. “It’s hard to say what he can become. He’s just starting on his ascension.”

Senior wide receiver Dalin Wilkins, who caught six touchdown passes in Week 3, is committed to Eastern Michigan. He visited the campus twice.

“Throughout both you could just tell they’re all about culture and familly,” Wilkins said. “That’s what I’m looking for.”

Senior quarterback Deuce Cortner is undecided. Some schools are also talking to him about playing defensive back. He has offers from FCS South Carolina State and Division II programs Tiffin and Notre Dame College. And Broering said sophomore safety Santana Keys should eventually receive Division I offers.

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