Mentor football: Highly recruited Brenan Vernon gets 'Bama offer, 'loves' Notre Dame and revisits Ohio State
The recruitment of Mentor defensive lineman Brenan Vernon is far from over, but a pecking order might be coming into play.
Vernon, a highly ranked rising junior, is spending a big chunk of this month taking unofficial visits to some of the most prestigious college football programs in America.
A week ago, Vernon (6-foot-5, 250) visited both Clemson and Alabama, picking up a scholarship offer from Coach Nick Saban's Crimson Tide along the way.
This week Vernon is re-visiting Ohio State and Notre Dame, both of which have offered him scholarships.
The list of potential suitors for Vernon — ranked five stars by 247sports and four stars by
rivals.com — is undoubtedly going to continue to grow. After all, he still has two more years of high school football yet to play.
Additionally, official visits will be scheduled sometime next year.
But leaders of the pack might be forming.
"I'm trying to keep it short and simple — Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State and Notre Dame," Vernon told The News-Herald. "Those (unofficial) visits are going to cap off my summer.
"I wouldn't say that's my final four. I'm still working. I haven't picked up (offers from) LSU, Georgia, none of that. But those four are where I'm investing my time right now."
Vernon
is ranked the 39th overall prospect in America for the class of 2023 by 247sports, as well as the eighth-best defensive lineman in the class and the second overall prospect in Ohio in his class.
Rivals.com has him ranked ninth overall in America in his class and the No. 3 strongside linebacker in the land. However, their website has not been updated recently, as the Alabama offer is not listed on their site.
The visit to Clemson did not glean a scholarship offer from Coach Dabo Swinney's Tigers. It was a good visit, Vernon said, but he was not as glowing about the prospects of him being a Clemson Tiger.
"Great program. Amazing facility," Vernon said. "
But I don't think Clemson is the right fit for myself."
The next trip, to Tuscaloosa, Ala.? That caught Vernon's eye.
After running some sprints and working out for the Alabama staff, Vernon found himself sitting in Saban's office.
"Coach Saban goes, 'I already offered you, right?'" Vernon said. "He was checking a paper. They hadn't offered yet so he said, 'Well you're going to have an opportunity to come to Alabama.' He thought they offered me already.
"Alabama was awesome. You see how hard-nosed they are. You wonder how they win so many games, then you see how they operate and how relentless they are. What went through my head was how amazing of an opportunity it would be for myself there."
The trip to Ohio State, slated for June 22, is a big one in Vernon's eyes, too. It's the first time he has been able to meet with the Ohio State coaches — including celebrated defensive line coach Larry Johnson — since his freshman year.
"I'm really excited to get down there and see what Coach J has in store for me, and learning a thing or two from his tutelage," Vernon said.
After a brief stop at home, Vernon will head out to South Bend, Ind., for his second trip this month to Coach Brian Kelly's Fighting Irish.
"I LOVE Notre Dame," Vernon said. "I love Notre Dame a lot. A lot. A LOT.
"I was just out there on June 6. This is my second stop there this month. I enjoyed it enough that I'm going down there again."
While Vernon is on his whirlwind tour of Who's Who in College Football, he is working out with his Mentor teammates in hopes for a banner junior year of football.
As well as a healthy one.
Vernon played his entire freshman year with a torn labrum in his shoulder, which required postseason surgery.
Then a year ago amid a COVID-shortened 2020 season, Vernon only played 4 1/2 games because of a foot injury that also required surgery after the season.
Vernon said he doesn't ever feel he's at 100 percent — but that's just the competitor in him.
"I'll always feel I'm 80 or 90 percent because if I believe I'm 100 percent, that means I've given up on myself and I'm satisfied where I'm at," he said. "I'll never be satisfied. If I'm at 80 or 90 percent, I'm still going to bust my ass, because there's always things you can work on to be better. That's just the inner competitor in me."
