Running Backs from NE Ohio

[beefjerky]

well when I was in high school(cleveland suburb in cuyahoga county), there were many great players, players who could carry a team to a win, players who were getting scholarship offers from lots of D1 universities/colleges, but they were all either too dumb/lazy (one or both) to stay eligible or even graduate(they were normally from the ghettoier areas). One guy who was on a team was an amazing running back but didn't even graduate high school, scouts thought he'd be in the NFL one day.

so I imagine a lot of great athletes are just never discovered by the world because of this reason.

[The Gipper]

@beefjerky said:

well when I was in high school(cleveland suburb in cuyahoga county), there were many great players, players who could carry a team to a win, players who were getting scholarship offers from lots of D1 universities/colleges, but they were all either too dumb/lazy (one or both) to stay eligible or even graduate(they were normally from the ghettoier areas). One guy who was on a team was an amazing running back but didn't even graduate high school, scouts thought he'd be in the NFL one day.

so I imagine a lot of great athletes are just never discovered by the world because of this reason.

I primarily wanted to deal with RBs who made the pros, but your point is well made. Look at a guy like Maurice Clarett from Warren. Obviously All American caliber RB in college, outside influences got to him. Billy Taylor was similar. His mother died right after he led Michigan in the Rose Bowl I believe, then he had a murder/suicide happen in his family and it screwed him up and he turned to drugs. (He played in the late 60s). He later rehabbed and became a minister, but a budding potential NFL career went up in smoke.

[Solon16]

Maurice Clarrett...lmao

[Brownshirt]

Larry Zelina, Benedictine grad 1967, Ohio State 1971, drafted by Browns 8th round half back. I think he died 2005, just keeled over at work in Columbus. I was in his homeroom class freshman year at Benedictine. That's makes me a year younger than ballpeen, haven't started farting sawdust yet but it can't be too far off. Where does the time go?

[The Gipper]

@brownshirt said:

Larry Zelina, Benedictine grad 1967, Ohio State 1971, drafted by Browns 8th round half back. I think he died 2005, just keeled over at work in Columbus. I was in his homeroom class freshman year at Benedictine. That's makes me a year younger than ballpeen, haven't started farting sawdust yet but it can't be too far off. Where does the time go?

Pro-football-reference.com shows no entry of Zelina ever playing in the NFL, and they literally have everyone going back to the 1920s. They had Gladman's and Rick's big 29 yard careers each. Apparently Zelina didn't make it.

[The Gipper]

I have uncovered a few other NFL running backs from NE Ohio:

####Hall of Famer Clark Hinkle was from Toronto, Ohio. This is down on the River, north of Steubenville. He played his HOF career with the Packers.

Mike Adamle. From Kent Roosevelt. (His dad was long time official Browns team physician). Went to Northwestern, played 6 years with 3 NFL teams. You may all remember him better for his announcing. He was a regular college football announcer, but perhaps even more well known as the announcer for the original American Gladiators.

Eric Ball. From Cleveland, don't know which High School. Went to UCLA played 6 years mostly with the Bengals.

Greg Boykin. From Ravenna. Also went to Northwestern. Played 2 years with the Saints and 49ers.

Tony Fisher. From Euclid and Notre Dame. Played 5 years with Packers and Rams.

There may be more.

[JC]

Harry Wilson played for Steubenville Big Red with my dad in the early 60's. I think he played for Nebraska, then moved on to the Eagles in the NFL. I think an injury cut his career short, but I know he played in the NFL...according to my old man.

[Skinny]

would like to see the whole state not just northeast. It blows my mind how athletic this state really is. Some of the best highschool football and wrestling int the country. Right here in our own backyards.

[JC]

Ryan Terry, also from Steubenville (Big Red), played for the Cardinals after Iowa State.

[JC]

@skinny said:

would like to see the whole state not just northeast. It blows my mind how athletic this state really is. Some of the best highschool football and wrestling int the country. Right here in our own backyards.

As good as football is here in Ohio, we definitely have some of the best wrestlers around. I think in 2007, five of the National Champions in wrestling came from north east Ohio.

[Skinny]

Like I said though not just northeast. Cincy Moler, Columbus DeSales just to name some down there.

[The Gipper]

@jc said:

Harry Wilson played for Steubenville Big Red with my dad in the early 60's. I think he played for Nebraska, then moved on to the Eagles in the NFL. I think an injury cut his career short, but I know he played in the NFL...according to my old man.

OK, it shows that Harry Wilson of Steubenville played in 6 games in 3 years in his career with Philly (it was in '67, '69, and 70). He gained all of 7 career rushing yards, plus another 150 in kick return yardage. Talk about a cup of coffee.

[The Gipper]

@skinny said:

would like to see the whole state not just northeast. It blows my mind how athletic this state really is. Some of the best highschool football and wrestling int the country. Right here in our own backyards.

I guess that would be fine, but I chose NE Ohio as that is the Browns primary market area. There were certainly a lot of RBs and QBs from other parts of the state. Feel free to list any from your home area.

[The Gipper]

@jc said:

Ryan Terry, also from Steubenville (Big Red), played for the Cardinals after Iowa State.

Ryan Terry is listed as being born in Ft. Bragg N.C. We take your word he went to Steubenville. He is not really listed as a runner. He played 2 years with the Cards. He gained -0- yards rushing, had 1 career catch for 1 yard, but was a Kickoff returner. He had 41 kickoff returns in his career for 892 yards. He also recovered 1 fumble so he was apparently specifically a special teams player.

[calfoxwc]

That's an impressivel list.

I can only think of Charlie Frye.

Well, he HAD to RUN all the damn time...

[PlaygroundLegend]

Ray Williams went to my high school (benedictine) when I was there, he was a sure fit for the NFL, if he didn't get into trouble (a.k.a. murder charge) at the end of his senior year of high school, he currently would be Steve Slaton.

[Vegasdogg]

@jc said:

we definitely have some of the best wrestlers around. I think in 2007, five of the National Champions in wrestling came from north east Ohio.

Without question. Both PA and OH can safely argue they have the best wrestlers in the country. Out here in Vegas we see some of this influence the last 15-20 years as members of these two states moved here and have shared the wisdom, so to speak. While nowhere near a CA, OH or PA, Las Vegas does have some good wrestlers because of the OH/PA coaching influence.

[Kosar_For_President]

@the-gipper said:

Robert Smith, Euclid (over 6800 NFL yards gained)

Good list.

I remember seeing Robert Smith in high school. It was almost comical how good he was. I saw him run for like 150 yards against St Ed's. They were not a slouch team at the time, I think they were top 25 in the state. My friend was linebacker for St. Ed's and I he got beat more then a red headed step child. I still make fun of him for it.

[Vegasdogg]

@playgroundlegend said:

Ray Williams went to my high school (benedictine) when I was there, he was a sure fit for the NFL, if he didn't get into trouble (a.k.a. murder charge) at the end of his senior year of high school, he currently would be Steve Slaton.

I remember him. He was there just before I moved to Vegas. Shame, shame, shame. That kid was shockingly good. And returned kicks and punts.

[Vegasdogg]

@kosar_for_president said:

Good list.

I remember seeing Robert Smith in high school. It was almost comical how good he was. I saw him run for like 150 yards against St Ed's. They were not a slouch team at the time, I think they were top 25 in the state. My friend was linebacker for St. Ed's and I he got beat more then a red headed step child. I still make fun of him for it.

LMAO. I played against him my senior year, and I went to make a tackle and whiffed. He had those long strides that would fool you. I was in great position as a safety and he just stopped, and then went right on by me. I had a couple tackles on him and thought he went down failry easy. But man was he good. Tony Fisher followed behind him, and let me tell you he was no slouch either.