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Recruiting Roundup: UC Offers Multiple Five-Star Talents In Latest Group

It's recruiting season in college football.

Russ Heltman

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CINCINNATI — Time to check in on the latest batch of UC football offers.

We start with five-star 2024 athlete Mike Matthews out of Parkview (Georgia).

According to 247Sports, Matthews is the third-best prospect nationally and the No. 1 athlete.

He holds 30 offers from schools like Clemson, Notre Dame, and Alabama.

Matthews is a plug-and-play X receiver at any school in the country. Routes don't get much smoother from a high school junior. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound pass-catcher creates so much space within two seconds of the snap and has elite open-field speed.

From one five-star to another, Cincinnati re-offered 2025 safety DJ Pickett out of Zephyrhills (Florida).

According to 247Sports, Pickett is the eighth-ranked player nationally and the second-best safety.

He holds 36 offers from schools like Arkansas and Alabama. Cincinnati originally offered him this past September.

At 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Pickett hasn't come close to filling out, and he's still a menace. He shuts down open-field runs with abandon and finished multiple stops with forced fumbles that he planned to rip out.

He tracks the ball like a centerfielder on deep shots and honestly could be used on offense at the next level if he keeps developing as a receiver.

He'll at least impact special teams early in his career—after showing off multiple onside kick recoveries, including one he picked up in stride and returned for six points.

Following Pickett is high four-star wide receiver Zion Ragins out of Jones County (Georgia).

According to 247Sports, Ragins is the 63rd-ranked player nationally and the eighth-best wide receiver.

He holds 13 offers from schools like Georgia and Florida.

Ragins defines a home-run hitter. The 5-foot-9, 150-pound spark plug is a TD threat on every touch, and he does his most damage after catching the ball.

Ragins is one of the best yards-after-catch receivers I've seen UC recruit, and his impact in the slot could be palpable.

Cincinnati also offered 2024 three-star quarterback Braden Graham out of Riverdale (Tennessee).

According to 247Sports, Graham is the 459th-ranked player nationally and is the 37th-best quarterback.

Graham holds 16 offers from schools like Duke and Buffalo.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound passer doesn't wow with his talent, but also doesn't sport any glaring weaknesses. He can competently make all the throws and has a little wiggle with his feet. Graham will lean on his arm for success in college.

Sticking with the passers brings an offer to four-star 2025 quarterback Antwann Hill Jr. out of Houston County (Georgia).

According to 247Sports, Hill is the 57th-ranked player overall and the fifth-best quarterback.

He holds 19 offers from schools like Florida and Auburn.

Hill is a prototypical fit for Scott Satterfield's offense. He has an absolute rocket arm and is a solid runner. That arm talent takes center stage though with a compact, tight release and some decent field vision to go with it.

Moving on, we have 2024 four-star safety Ricardo Jones out of Northside (Georgia).

According to 247Sports, Jones is the 75th-ranked player nationally and the sixth-best safety.

He holds 31 offers from schools like Auburn and Arkansas.

Jones is a brutal defensive talent to throw on at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds. He posted 6 interceptions this past season, and it's not hard to see why. Jones does a great job reading the opposing passer's eyes as a centerfielder.

As a tackler, Jones closes well and isn't afraid to mix things up near the line of scrimmage.

Four-star 2024 safety Vaboue Toure out of Irvington (New Jersey) is also on the list.

According to 247Sports, Toure is the 203rd-rated player nationally and the 17th-best safety.

He holds 14 offers from schools like Kentucky and Florida State.

Toure brings the heat at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. He is a punishing tackler in the open field and closes with an unteachable speed on iffy passes.

We round things out with four-star wide receiver Michah Gilbert out of Charlotte Christian (North Carolina).

According to 247Sports, Gilbert is the 317th-best player nationally and the 45th-rated wide receiver.

He holds 13 offers from schools like Louisville and Duke.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound talent can attack jump balls with the best of them. Gilbert is a smooth route runner for his size, especially in and out of his breaks. He has strong potential as an X receiver and a great family lineage.

Four of his relatives play or played in the NFL, including his cousin Darrelle Revis.

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Russ Heltman
RUSS HELTMAN

Russ Heltman is a contributor for AllBearcats and AllBengals. He is the morning host and producer for 89.3 WMKV in Cincinnati, OH. Russ can be found on Twitter: @RussHeltman11 or you can reach him by email at Heltmandm@yahoo.com.

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