Heights High’s Tyreke Smith commits to Ohio State

Heights High senior Tyreke Smith.

Heights High senior standout Tyreke Smith committed to play football at The Ohio State University during the Under Armour All-American game on Jan. 4, in Orlando, Fla. One of the most highly recruited football players in the country, Smith chose the Ohio State Buckeyes over Penn State and a host of other top collegiate programs.

Smith, a 6-foot-4-inch, 260-pound defensive end—who only started playing football as a Heights High junior—finished his senior year with 11 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, 22 QB pressures, 6 passes batted down, and 52 solo tackles. Previously, Smith had only played basketball, which he continues to play as a member of the Heights varsity squad.

On the gridiron this past fall, Smith was named All-Ohio Division I Co-Defensive Player of the Year and was selected as the Cleveland.com Defensive Player of the Year for 2017.

Next year, Smith will join former Heights High teammate Jaylen Harris (‘17), who recently completed his freshman season with the Buckeyes.

Smith is not the only Tiger senior to commit to play Division I football next fall. Last month, Kylen McCracken signed with Ohio University, LeMaro Smith Jr. signed with the University of Buffalo, and Zaire Webb recently committed to play football at Georgetown University.

Scott Wortman

Scott Wortman is the supervisor of communications for the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District.

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Volume 11, Issue 2, Posted 10:25 AM, 02.01.2018