NFL Draft: Four Dayton-area high school standouts sign NFL deals

Four college football players from area high schools went into the weekend with hopes of being drafted but ended up signing with NFL teams as free agents instead.

Another will get a shot to earn such a deal next weekend.

Trotwood-Madison linebacker Mike McCray II, who was a captain at Michigan last season, signed with the Miami Dolphins.

 

Two former Rams played in the NFL last season — defensive lineman Chunky Clements and linebacker Bam Bradley.

Dayton Christian defensive back Heath Harding, who starred for the Miami RedHawks, is headed to the Atlanta Falcons.

 

He told this news organization he was the first former Warrior to get a Division I scholarship and would be the first DCHS grad to make an NFL roster if he does so this fall.

In Atlanta, Harding will be joined by Troy Mangen.

Mangen was a four-year contributor at Ohio University after starring at Northmont, a school that has previously produced NFL players Kurt Coleman and Stan Hunter.

Springboro offensive lineman Sean Welsh, an All-Big Ten performer at Iowa, reportedly will get his shot at playing at the next level with the Washington Redskins.

According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, two Panthers have played in the NFL: Brad Lamb and Jake Ballard, who was also a multi-year starter at Ohio State.

RELATED: Which area high schools have produced the most NFL players?

Finally there is Malik Zaire.

The quarterback from Alter tweeted he will take part in the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie minicamp after starting five games during a college career that included time at Notre Dame and Florida.

Zaire worked out in Cincinnati in April with other local college and high school products, but  the Bengals ended up drafting Toledo quarterback Logan Woodside in the seventh round so they won't have the need for another signal-caller in training camp.

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