Salpointe senior 6-foot-2 and 200-pound safety Lathan Ransom, a four-star recruit according to 247Sports, just announced in a video released on Twitter that he will play for Ohio State.
Ohio State was one of three finalists for Ransom, who is celebrating a birthday today as well. The others were Notre Dame and Texas. Arizona recruited Ransom but was reportedly late in the process.
The Marathon Continues… COMMITTED🙏 pic.twitter.com/E6HgycNHxF
— Lathan Ransom (@L8thanRansom) July 16, 2019
As a junior last season, Ransom had 82 tackles, six interceptions and eight passes defended, according to MaxPreps.
Blair Angulo, Mountain Region recruiting analyst for 247Sports, gave this assessment of Ransom:
“Athletic build with length. Frame to add weight without sacrificing flexibility. Highly instinctual defensive back with tremendous range. Hard hitter that looks for loud tackles. Covers ground in the back half. Reacts well to plays in front of him. Smooth in his backpedal and closes on the football. Versatility to contribute at nickel and make an impact near the line of scrimmage. Could improve tackling technique to avoid leading with his head. Potential multi-year starter at the Power Five level and upside as NFL Draft Day 2 selection.”
Ransom’s five-star teammate Bijan Robinson, one of the best running backs to come out of Tucson, has narrowed his top three schools to Ohio State, Texas and USC. Robinson is set to make his announcement Aug. 2.
Ransom and Robinson have played together since their Tucson Youth Football and 7-on-7 days before high school. Robinson is projected by 247Sports to select Ohio State.
RELATED:
Lathan Ransom Coached Right Way On Field and Also At Home With Parents
Class act: "At the next level, I want to represent many things. I want to represent my family, friends, coaches and my city (he says walking in front of TUCSON mural). And for the next four years I would like represent The Ohio State Buckeyes. Go Bucks." Wish him all the best. https://t.co/gRoqvxUxB6
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) July 16, 2019
The dynamic duo has helped Salpointe go 25-3 over the last two seasons, making the championship game both times.
With both of them going out of state to play college football, it brings to mind some other local products that went elsewhere to play at Power 5 schools. A list:
- QB Pat Flood, Tucson (1952 senior), Notre Dame/Navy
- OL Guy Barrickman, Tucson (1952), Missouri
- RB Joel Favara, Tucson (1952), Oklahoma State
- FB Mark Simon, Tucson (1970), Wisconsin
- LB Marvin Lewis, Tucson (1971), USC
- TE Jinx Johnson, Tucson (1972), Pittsburgh
- LB Riki Ellison, Amphi (1978), USC
- WR Jay Dobyns, Sahuaro (1979), Arkansas/Arizona
- RB Fred Sims, Sunnyside (1980), Oklahoma
- QB Rodney Peete, Sahuaro (1983 junior, played at Overland Park, Kan., Shawnee Mission as a senior), USC
- RB Jon Volpe, Amphi (1986), Stanford
- PK Cole Ford, Sabino (1991), USC
- LB Jon McGee, Sahuaro (1992), USC/Oklahoma
- LB Greg Tellam, Sabino (1992), USC
- TE Junior Rickman, CDO (1993), USC
- WR Brian Poli-Dixon, Sabino (1996), UCLA
- OL Mike Saffer, Sabino (1997), UCLA
- QB Reggie Robertson, Sahuaro (1999), California
- TE Doyle Butler, Sabino (1999), Purdue/USC
- OL Kris O’Dowd, Salpointe (2006), USC
- WR Keanu Nelson, Sabino (2009), Stanford
- LB Blake Martinez, CDO (2011), Stanford
- OL Andrew Mike, Sabino (2013), Florida
- OL Matteo Mele, Washington (2017), Washington
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon.
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