One former Big Ten football beat writer's list of the conference's top 10 NFL Draft prospects:

1. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State: The best player on the Big Ten's best team. An immediate starter with Pro Bowl potential.

2. Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan: Showed little improvement as a senior, but should be the third tackle selected behind Auburn's Greg Robinson and Texas A&M's Jake Matthews.

3. Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State: 143 tackles and a 4.38 40-yard dash time. He's rated behind Buffalo's Khalil Mack because...

4.  Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota: Anybody who stands 6-foot-5, weighs 310 pounds and runs the 40 in under 5.0 seconds is a load to block.

5. Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State: Those OVI charges aren't helping his cause. His senior film isn't raising his stock, either.

6. Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State: Could be the first running back selected, which means he's likely to go in the second round.

7. DaQuan Jones, DT, Penn State: Next up in an impressive group of defensive linemen coached by new Ohio State assistant Larry Johnson. 




8. Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin: Forget his height, weight and 40 time. This guy can play.

9. Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana: Rising on everybody's draft board and could surpass Penn State's Allen Robinson as the first Big Ten receiver drafted.

10. C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa: Any NFL offense is more imaginative than what Iowa runs, which should maximize Fiedorwicz's underrated talents.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Mentor graduate Andrew Frey's senior baseball season at Case Western Reserve includes few glitches and numerous awards.

Frey, the Spartans' shortstop and No. 2 hitter, received University Athletic Association Hitter of the Week honors for the second time this season. Frey was an easy choice for the award. In a doubleheader sweep of nearby Oberlin, Frey produced fantasy numbers: 8-for-11 with two doubles, seven RBI and four runs.

Hitting .727 in two games raised Frey's season batting average to .381. He also entered this week with a team-high 49 RBI.

His play has helped Case ascend to No. 16 in the NCBWA/D3baseball.com Division III poll. The Spartans, who entered this week 25-7, are the second highest ranked team in Ohio behind No. 7 Heidelberg. Case and Heidelberg meet on April 23 in University Circle.

This is a prosperous period for Case baseball. The Spartans went 29-14 and reached the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional play last season. They are in position to qualify for the NCAA Division III tournament for a second straight year.

Frey represents a big part of Case's rise. He hit .317 with 22 RBI playing second and third base last season. His role as a senior expanded when he opened 2014 as the Spartans' starting shortstop.

The Spartans end the regular season April 29 against John Carroll. It will be a memorable regular-season finale for Frey. Case and John Carroll are playing at Progressive Field.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Batting first for the Lake Count Captains...

A 19-year-old.

Batting second for the Lake County Captains...

A 19-year-old.

For the second straight year, the Cleveland Indians have assembled a young team in Lake County -- and it's showing in the results.

The Captains dropped to 5-11 with a 6-1 loss to Burlington on April 19 at Classic Park. The loss was the Captains' 10th in their last 11 games.

One year after an overmatched team finished 54-83, the Captains are once again plummeting in the Midwest League standings.

The lineup the Captains used against Burlington included four 19-year-olds in the top five slots in the batting order. Center fielder Clint Frazier and shortstop Dorssys Paulino batted first and second, and first baseman Nellie Rodriguez and designated hitter Anthony Santander batted fourth and fifth. Catcher Eric Haase batted between the quartet.

Haase, a seventh-round draft pick in 2011, is 21 years old. He didn't play college baseball. In fact, only one player in the lineup attended college: No. 6 hitter and third baseman Paul Hendrix (Texas Christian).

A young roster isn't a bad thing. Minor League Baseball is designed to develop major-league players. If a player reaches full-season baseball as a teenager, he maximizes his chances to reach the big leagues.

But a young roster also often maximizes mistakes. The Captains lead the Midwest League with 30 errors and only two teams have fewer wins.

Consider what's happening early season developmental pains. It's becoming a common theme at Classic Park.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Shepherd's Howard Jones is regarded as one of the top small-college prospects in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Notre Dame College senior Doniel Gambrell is already receiving attention as a 2015 prospect because of what he did against Jones.

First let's start with details on Jones. He's 6-foot-2 1/2 and weighs 235 pounds. He attended the NFL Scouting Combine as a defensive end, running the second fastest 40-yard dash among players listed at the position behind South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney. Jones posted a swift 4.6 seconds.

Some NFL scouts view Jones as a defensive end. Others view him as an outside linebacker. NFLDraftScout.com ranks Jones as the 170th best prospect in the draft class. If that ranking holds, he would be selected in the fifth round.

Jones helped Shepherd finish 12-0 in the regular season and win the inaugural Mountain East Conference title. Shepherd played Notre Dame College and defeated the Falcons, 57-17. Jones faced one of his biggest challenges that afternoon, which is where Gambrell enters this draft tale .

Jones had seven tackles and a sack against the Falcons. But Notre Dame College coach Adam Howard said Gambrell, a  6-foot-6 right tackle, provided enough resistance to attract attention from the scouts who tracked Jones last season.

"Scouts are looking at him because of that game," Howard said. "He had a good game against Jones. Doniel is 6-6 and has an incredible wingspan. His measurables are off the charts."

Gambrell has an intriguing background. He attended Glenville High School and started his college career at Division I Eastern Michigan. He will enter next season as a three-year starter at NDC.

In short, he could become the first player in NDC's five-year football history to receive a serious NFL look.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Ohio State is ranked 23rd.

Not in one sport. But in all sports combined.

The updated version of the Division I Learfield Sports Directors' Cup were released April 17. Ohio State cracked the top 25. Barely.

Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 20 sports -- 10 men's and 10 women's. This makes Ohio State's ranking more troubling. The school sponsors 37 sports, the highest total in Division I.

Funding those sports isn't an issue. Ohio State's athletic department generated $142,043,057 in revenue in 2012, according to USA Today. Only Texas ($163,295,115) eclipsed that total.

The man leading Ohio State's athletic department is generously paid. Athletic Director Gene Smith has a base salary of $940,484. Bonuses could push his yearly earnings past $1.5 million.

Big money isn't yielding big results. So far in 2013-14, Ohio State has failed to qualify for NCAA tournament play in women's basketball, men's soccer, men's and women's ice hockey, and women's volleyball. The school's prominent spring teams aren't faring any better. The baseball and softball teams are 21-17 and 20-20, respectively.

Ohio State's struggles in multiple competitive sports are glaring after analyzing the standings. Four Big Ten schools -- Penn State (No. 2), Wisconsin (No. 3),  Michigan (No. 5) and Minnesota (No. 7) -- are in the top 10. Michigan State (No. 11) and Nebraska (No. 13) are also ahead of Ohio State.

When it comes to on-field results, Ohio State is a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten athletic department.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Expect to see plenty of Gilmour Academy players on Division III football rosters.

Four key parts of a Gilmour team that went 9-3 and reached the Division V regional semifinals solidified their college choices on April 16.

Two Lancers are staying close to home as fullback/linebacker Frank Grk and safety P.J. Volpe committed to John Carroll, which went 9-2 in 2013. Volpe was an honorable all-state selection in 2012.

Offensive lineman Zach Saliba gives the Lancers three OAC-bound players. Saliba has committed to Catholic.
 
Four-year letterwinner Patrick Mohorcic isn't leaving Ohio, either. The offensive lineman committed to The College of Wooster of the North Coast Athletic Conference.

Gilmour coach Shawn Dodd has spent plenty of time talking with college coaches since last summer. Defensive back Ishmael Hargrove signed with Division I Buffalo and safety Jimmy Rooney signed with Division I-AA Georgetown in February.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

North Carolina stages its annual spring game on April 12.

Consider it the biggest scrimmage of Mentor graduate Mitch Trubisky's football career.

Trubisky is involved in an ultra-competitive race with Marquise Williams to become North Carolina's starting quarterback. Trubisky and Williams are fighting for the job vacated by Bryn Renner, who should land in an NFL training camp this summer.

The winner of the quarterback derby could be in position to become a multi-year starter for the Tar Heels. Trubisky is a redshirt freshman, Williams is a junior. The loser might have to wait for an injury to receive a chance to operate the first-team offense.

Williams started the final five games last season after Renner suffered a shoulder injury. The Tar Heels went 4-1 with Williams as the starter and defeated Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl. Williams' 2013 statistics were promising: 104-of-187 passing for 1,527 yards.

Trubisky has displayed promise his entire career and enrolled early at North Carolina to participate in 2013 spring drills. As expected, he redshirted last season despite Renner's injury. North Carolina exhausted significant recruiting resources to lure Trubisky, the 2012 Mr. Ohio Football, to Chapel Hill, where he has been reunited with former Mentor teammate Brandon Fritts, a 2014 early enrollee.

North Carolina coach Larry Fedora told The Charlotte Observer that Trubisky and Williams are splitting first-team reps this spring. The Tar Heels will receive a third highly regarded quarterback when four-star recruit Caleb Henderson arrives this summer.

For those who want to evaluate Trubisky and Williams for themselves, ESPN3.com will air North Carolina's spring game on April 12. The scrimmage begins at 3 p.m. The first two quarters are 15 minutes and include normal clock stoppages. The clock will run continuously during the final two quarters.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Rutgers and Maryland officially join the Big Ten this summer.

The Scarlet Knights and Terrapins have one purpose: raise the conference's television profile in lucrative East Coast markets.

Both schools bring middling football programs to a conference already filled with gridiron mediocrity. See, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State and Iowa.

Rutgers also brings public relations nightmares. The school's athletic director wants News Jersey's largest newspaper to die. Julie Hermann is the same selective-memory administrator who denied any knowledge of warning an assistant volleyball coach from Tennessee about getting pregnant. The head coach at the time? Julie Hermann. Last November, Hermann flubbed a bullying incident at Rutgers involving a football player.

Maryland doesn't bring administrative baggage -- or glamorous football and basketball programs -- to the Big Ten. The school's football team has posted three below-.500 records in the last five years, the basketball program has made just one Sweet 16 appearance since winning a national in 2002.

While Rutgers and Maryland prepare to share Big Ten revenues, Connecticut won its fourth NCAA basketball title since 1999 by defeating Kentucky on April 7. The Huskies defeated the Wildcats two days after upending Florida.The Big Ten can use an SEC slayer, even if it's in the wrong sport.

UConn owns more national men's basketball titles than powers Louisville and Kansas, which have three each, and Eastern stalwarts Georgetown, Syracuse and Villanova combined. The Huskies, who endured a postseason ban because of academic issues, are as good as any basketball program in the last 15 years.

Conference expansion decisions aren't driven by basketball. Football pays bills and pads coffers.

Rutgers and Maryland's football programs are known entities. Neither school consistently fields top-25 teams.

UConn is a Division I football newbie. The school became a full-fledged Division I member in 2002. The Huskies have appeared in five bowl games, including the 2011 Fiesta Bowl. Coach Randy Edsall bolted UConn for, coincidentally, Maryland after the Fiesta Bowl. Edsall owns a 13-24 record in three seasons with the Terrapins.

UConn replaced Edsall with a has-been coach in Paul Pasqualoni, who lasted 2 1/2 seasons. Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco now coaches the Huskies. With the proper coaching and recruiting, UConn has top-25 potential.

Connecticut, unlike New Jersey and Maryland, doesn't have any major professional sports franchises. Storrs, Conn., is one of the few spots on the East Coast besides State College, Pa., and Syracuse, N.Y., where college sporting events are major draws. Being in the same state as ESPN's headquarters doesn't hurt the attention-grabbing possibilities, either.

The UConn men's and women's basketball teams play before capacity crowds. Play the right teams -- and win enough -- and the same fervor would extend to football.

Rutgers brings fervor, none of which stems from on-field triumphs, to the Big Ten. Maryland brings UnderArmour money. Snug apparel isn't likely to turn Maryland into a must-watch athletic department.

Everybody who cares about college sports watched UConn on April 7. The saw one of the last desirable pieces in the expansion puzzle capture another major title.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Baseball America revealed an encouraging list for the Cleveland Indians: two of their prospects are the youngest players in their respective leagues.

Infielder Jose Ramirez is the youngest player in the Triple-A International League while shortstop Francisco Lindor is the youngest players in the Double-A Eastern League, according to the list.

Ramirez, who reached Cleveland last summer, doesn't turn 22 until September. Had Ramirez started the season in Cleveland, he would have been the third youngest player in the majors behind phenoms Xander Bogaerts of the Red Sox and Bryce Harper of the Nationals.

Lindor doesn't turn 21 until November. Lindor is the youngest player in the Eastern League, where he ended 2013, for the second straight season.

Ramirez and Lindor are the only players among the 10 youngest in their respective leagues.

The Lake County Captains have four teenagers -- infielders Dorssys Paulino and Nellie Rodriguez, outfielder Anthony Santander and pitcher -- Mitch Brown. Paulino was the youngest player in Captains' history when he started 2013 in Lake County. Paulino was 18 at the time.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Manager: Chris Tremie

Last season: 71-73

What to watch for: Trevor Bauer starts the April 3 opener Indianapolis. The eccentric right-hander remains one of the Indians' top prospects, but for how long? If Carlos Carrasco falters in Cleveland, Josh Tomlin is the top candidate for a quick promotion. Tomlin appears fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander will hog innings. ... First baseman Jesus Aguilar possess power, something lacking in the Indians' farm system. ... Infielder Jose Ramirez is only 21, a switch-hitter and can play multiple infield positions.  His future, even if it might not be in Cleveland, appears bright. ... The Clippers led Minor League Baseball last year by averaging 9,212 fans per game. Placing a ballpark in the Arena District represents thoughtful urban planning. More important, it makes everybody forget about Cooper Stadium.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Manager: Dave Wallace

Last year: 68-73

What to watch for:  Former Lake County Captains manager Wallace replaces Edwin Rodriguez, whom the Indians promoted to a front-office position. Wallace is managing top prospect Francisco Lindor for a third straight season. Lindor, the heir to Asdrubal Cabrera at shortstop, hit .289 in 21 Double-A games last season. Joe Wendle, who cracked 16 homers at High-A Carolina, and 21-year-old Ronny Rodriguez surround Lindor in the infield, and 2012 first-round draft pick Tyler Naquin leads the outfield. ... Right-hander Cody Anderson received 2013 Indians Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors and fast-rising left-handed reliever Kyle Crockett gives the bullpen a prospect. ... Owner Ken Babby made the boldest offseason move: changing the team's name from Aeros to RubberDucks. We'll quack to the change.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Manager: Scooter Tucker

Last year: 57-83

What to watch for: Tucker managed a 54-83 team in Lake County last season and for the second straight year, the Indians aren't giving him much to work with. Only two Mudcats -- outfielder LeVon Washington (second round, 2010) and right-hander Jacob Lee (ninth round, 2012) -- were drafted in a single-digit round. Injuries have stalled Washington's career and Lee returns to Carolina after posting a 6.10 ERA in 11 outings. Infielder Erik Gonzalez, a member of the Indians' 40-man roster, is the only Mudcat considered one of the organization's top-20 prospects by Baseball America. ... Lake County's roster includes many Midwest League returnees, so the Mudcats should receive help as the season progresses. At least Tucker is surrounded by familiar faces. Pitching Steve Karsay and hitting coach Tony Mansolino also worked in Lake County last season. Tucker is a patient man, which should help him handle this challenge.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

The Lake County Captains and Lansing Lugnuts open the season April 4 at Classic Park. The Midwest League's other 14 teams begin play April 3.

Blame the late start on Lansing's exhibition game against Michigan State. It wouldn't be the first time in the last six months a group from Lansing, Mich., interrupted an Ohio team's plans.

When the season finally does start in Lake County, here are 10 Midwest League players worth tracking. Because we're discussing Minor League Baseball, all team assignments are subject to immediate change.

Aaron Blair (RHP, South Bend): The Silver Hawks won the Eastern Division last season and they could be looking at a repeat if their staff includes others with Blair's imposing dimensions: 6-foot-5, 230 pounds. The Diamondbacks used a 2013 supplemental first-round draft pick on Blair. Tight ends who command a fastball and drop another pitch or two into the zone don't last long in the baseball draft. 

D.J. Davis (OF, Lansing): It seems like the Captains and Lugnuts play 39 times each season, meaning prospect junkies who watch games at Classic Park will see plenty of Davis, the Blue Jays' 2012 first-round draft pick. Davis, 19, hasn't compiled gaudy numbers, but he's an elite athlete primed for a breakout season. If you miss this weekend's series, don't fret. Davis and the Lugnuts return in July.

Edwin Diaz (RHP, Clinton): Here's how a perfect career path looks. The Mariners drafted Diaz in third round and signed him for $300,000 in 2012. Diaz started 13 games in the rookie Appalachian League, won five of them, posted a 1.43 ERA, struck out 79 in 69 innings (and walked just 18) and ended the summer as one of short-season baseball's top prospects in 2013. Next step for the 20-year-old Diaz is full-season baseball.

Philip Ervin (OF, Dayton): The Dragons are a big hit in Dayton and the Reds selected Ervin in the first round of last year's draft. This could make him the second most popular man in town behind Dayton basketball coach Archie Miller. Ervin, 23, received a small sampling of Dragonmania last year. He must like it. He hit .349 in 12 games.

Carson Kelly (C, Peoria): Kelly, a 2012 second-round draft pick, played for the State College Spikes last season, a franchise this assistant sports editor might know something about. Our State College friends tell us Kelly can play. To their surprise, he's catching this season after spending 2013 at third base. Wherever the Cardinals tell Kelly, 19, to work, he should be fine. He hit .277 in the New York-Penn League last season. 

Kohl Stewart (RHP, Cedar Rapids): The Twins are loaded with high-level prospects, a category Stewart falls into. A 2013 first-round draft pick, Stewart passed for 8,803 yards and 87 touchdowns, but surrendered a chance to replace Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M. The reason? The Twins offered him a $4,544,400 signing bonus. It's not Johnny Football money, but it beats a Single-A per diem.

Dorssys Paulino (INF, Lake County): No, we didn't cut and paste from last year's list. The Indians are returning Paulino to Lake County for more seasoning. Only 19, Paulino struggled in the first half of 2013 before displaying promise in the second half. The second-half version of Paulino could anchor what should be an improved Lake County team in 2014.

Stryker Trahan (OF, South Bend): Best name on any Midwest League roster. Might be the best power hitter in the league, too. Trahan, 19, cracked 10 homers in 59 games at Missoula (Mont.) to lead the Pioneer League in homers last season. Multiple Pioneer League ballparks sit at altitude, which leads to a 2014 question: Can Stryker slug on flat ground?  

Ben Verlander (OF, West Michigan): Another Verlander in the Tigers' organization. This one doesn't throw 98 mph or make $20 million per year. The Tigers selected "Little Verlander" in the 14th round of last year's draft. Like older brother Justin, Ben played at Old Dominion. Unlike Justin, he will spend 2014 absorbing ribbing from Midwest League fans looking for somebody with a familiar name to heckle.

Semi-retired minor league baseball writer note:  Clint Frazier, the Indians' 2013 first-round draft pick, would be on this list if it weren't for a hamstring injury. Taking it easy with Frazier is a smart move. Chilly Eastlake air and ailing $3.5 million baseball investments don't mix.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Ohio University center fielder and Mayfield graduate Mitch Longo leads the Mid-American Conference with a .426 batting average.

A senior with the same last name might prevent one of the MAC's rising stars from earning a conference batting title as a freshman.

Eastern Michigan senior Lee Longo is one of the leading candidates to overtake Mitch in the batting race. Lee ranks fifth in the MAC with a .378 average.

Mitch and Lee have both appeared in 24 games. Mitch has a 48-point cushion over his brother, but Lee has experienced the rigors of MAC play.

Either way, it might be tough finding a better brother tandem in the country.

Mitch hits leadoff for Ohio. Lee, an All-MAC selection last season, bats cleanup for Eastern Michigan. Mitch owns a nine-game hitting streak while Lee has 12 multi-hit games.

Three players sit between the pair in the conference batting race: Kent State's Zarley Zalewski, Toledo's Deion Tansel and Bowling Green's Brian Bien.  

Having two entries in the race could bode well for the Longo family, and perhaps bring a MAC batting title to Mayfield.

MAC batting leaders

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy