Columbus-Area Wide Receiver Mykel Traylor-Bennett Verbals to Cincinnati

In general, the state of Ohio is dominated by the flagship program the Ohio State Buckeyes. But as Cincinnati Bearcats football has grown in prominence and success they have pushed further and further into Buckeye country. While the two programs don’t typically clash in recruiting battles, UC is making a name for itself in typically Ohio State-centric regions of the state such as Cleveland and, obviously, Columbus. The verbal commitment of wide out Mykel Traylor-Bennett is another example of UC making inroads in those areas. He appears to be more of an under-the-radar prospect with offers from Syracuse, Minnesota, and a handful of MAC programs.

Overview

Traylor-Bennett just towers over opposing defensive backs. In a way watching his high school tape he reminds me a lot like Armon Binns did as a high school senior, minus the pretty long dreadlocks of course. He just abuses defenders on fades and deep seams because of his height and long arms. He isn’t particularly large but more tall and lanky, running like an antelope with those long legs down the sidelines. Overall his size along with his good hands makes him a great target in the passing game. Traylor-Bennett also has a knack for the return game. He averaged a gaudy 27 yards per punt return as a Junior at Reynoldsburg and displays nice vision and wiggle when bursting upfield.

Outlook

Unlike with Binns, the Bearcats will have the luxury of depth in 2013 so they can allow Traylor-Bennett to redshirt and bulk up in the weight room. He has solid fundamentals and reads defenses well but college football is a physical game. He will need to add weight to absorb the shots he will undoubtedly take in the Big East. When he burns his redshirt he’s a nice project to compete for playing time eventually at outside receiver. There is also a chance Jones will add more weight to his frame and turn him into a tight end.