Cincinnati Bearcats football makes offers to several Taft High School players

While college football bowl season officially kicked off Friday, the University of Cincinnati's new coaching staff was pounding the recruiting trail. On Ezzard Charles Drive, a road named for Cincinnati's heavyweight champion boxer, new Bearcats defensive coordinator Bryan Brown made an important visit to Taft High School.

Although previously offered by the Luke Fickell staff, the Scott Satterfield-led Bearcats offered Ohio's No. 3-rated junior according to 247Sports.com, Elias Rudolph. The No. 11-ranked edge rusher is listed at 6-foot-6 on the Taft basketball roster and weighs 220 pounds. He has many big-name suitors including Ohio State, Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Tennessee and West Virginia.

"The new staff offered him again," Taft coach Tyler Williams said. "He still has 30-plus offers."

Rudolph was the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference sack leader with 17.5 along with 87 tackles, 15 of those for a loss.

Brown also liked what he saw of cornerback/wide receiver Jay'Quan Bostic, defensive back Quinton Price and safety Tayshawn Banks. Bostic and Price are 6-foot-3 with Banks at 6-foot-1. Banks topped the CMAC in interceptions with eight, with Bostic picking off six and Price two.

"He watched their film with me and offered them on the spot," Williams said. "It's a real plus, I'm excited."

Williams will have some connection to the Bearcats staff as he was a grad assistant at Akron when linebackers coach Nic Cardwell was there.

The new UC defensive boss Brown also saw the tape of running back Charles Hawkins who ran for 1,371 yards and 13 touchdowns in 10 games. Brown didn't offer but will be telling new running backs coach De'Rail Sims of the 205-pounder who ran for 304 yards against McNicholas in a Division IV regional semifinal. Taft finished the season 11-3 with two of those losses coming to Division IV state runner-up Wyoming.

Bostic is coming off a 22-point game against Western Hills for Taft's defending state champion basketball team. The varsity is so stacked that Rudoph and some of the other DI football prospects are playing for what might be the most athletic JV team around.

"It's crazy watching because all of these JV kids have Power Five football offers," Williams said. "They're just out there staying in shape. They're athletes having fun. It's really good for them to stay in shape and everything."

Price's other offers are from Kentucky, Purdue, Miami University and West Virginia. Bostic's list includes Georgia Tech, Pitt and West Virginia with Banks offered by Boston College, Kentucky, Pitt, Purdue and West Virginia. All of the players UC checked out will be seniors next season.

"Look out for those Senators!" Williams said. "We're looking to make a great run again. We didn't finish this year."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati football offers scholarships to Taft High School stars