21 Ohioans get Combine invites

02.03.2009

Invitations have been issued for the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, and 21 Ohio natives will be attending.

The Combine starts Feb. 18.

Five of the eight former Ohio State Buckeyes headed to the Combine are Ohio natives, as are five of the six former University of Cincinnati standouts.

Ohio State invitees with Northeast Ohio roots include RB Chris Wells (Akron Garfield HS), WR's Brian Hartline (Canton GlenOak) and Brian Robiskie (Chagrin Falls) and OL Alex Boone (St. Edward).

Other players from Northeast Ohio who made the list include Michigan State QB Brian Hoyer (St. Ignatius), Navy FB Eric Kettani (Mentor Lake Catholic), Northwestern RB Tyrell Sutton (Akron Hoban) and Indiana WR Andrew Means.

Means, a two-sport star at Avon Lake High School, was drafted as an outfielder by the Cincinnati Reds in the 11th round of the Major League Baseball draft last year. He played rookie league ball in the Reds' organization before returning to Indiana and catching 34 passes for the Hoosiers' football team last fall.

Sutton and Wells were high school rivals and friends who starred in the Akron high school ranks with another former Ohio State running back, Antonio Pittman, who now plays with the St. Louis Rams. Sutton (seventh) and Wells (fourth) ranked among the Big Ten rushing leaders last fall.

The Big Ten's second-leading rusher, Javon Ringer of Michigan State, is a Dayton native who's also headed to the Combine.

Three players - Purdue WR Greg Orton, Ohio State RB Marcus Freeman and Cincinnati DB Mike Mickens - were teammates at Wayne High School in Huber Heights, just outside of Dayton.

The complete list of Ohio natives headed to the Combine is below

Ball State

QB Nate Davis (Bellaire)

OL Robert Brewster (Cincinnati Wyoming)

Cincinnati

P Kevin Huber (Cincinnati McNicholas)

OL Trevor Canfield (Cincinnati Western Hills)

DB Mike Mickens (Wayne)

DB DeAngelo Smith (Columbus Independence)

DB Brandon Underwood (Hamilton)

Indiana

WR Andrew Means (Avon Lake)

Iowa

DB Bradley Fletcher (Youngstown Liberty)

Louisville

OL Eric Wood (Cincinnati Elder)

Michigan State

QB Brian Hoyer (St. Ignatius)

RB Javon Ringer (Dayton Chaminade-Julienne)

Northwestern

RB Tyrell Sutton (Akron Hoban)

Notre Dame

DB David Bruton (Miamisburg)

Ohio State

OL Alex Boone (St. Edward)

LB Marcus Freeman (Wayne)

WR Brian Hartline (Canton GlenOak)

WR Brian Robiskie (Chagrin Falls)

RB Chris Wells (Akron Garfield)

Penn State

OL Gerald Cadogan (Portsmouth)

Purdue

WR Greg Orton (Wayne)