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

Time to ponder the $18,000 question?

We'll get to Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith's bonus for Logan Stieber's third NCAA title later in this post.

For now, let's explore the possibility of two Ohio programs winning NCAA team wrestling titles in 2015.

Notre Dame College will enter the season as the reigning Division II champion. As of now, the Falcons will have three returning national champs: 157-pounder Jonatan Rivera, 174-pounder Joey Davis and 184-pounder Garrett Lineberger. Things are subject to change with Davis, who is being pursued by multiple Division I programs.  

NDC's 2014-15 roster will be stacked. Last week, we examined the Falcons' prowess. Even if Davis leaves, Coach Frank Romano's team should be a prohibitive favorite to repeat in 2015.

Only one team defeated NDC in a dual meet this past season: Division I Ohio State. This brings us to the 2015 Division I team race.

Penn State has won four straight national titles after decades of mixed results. By cultivating abundant wrestling resources, ranging from spectacular donor and fan support to Pennsylvania's deep high school talent base, Coach Cael Sanderson has constructed a dynasty.

But Penn State loses two mega-talents in 165-pounder David Taylor and 184-pounder Ed Ruth. The duo combined for five NCAA individual titles and scored points in bunches. Replacing them is the biggest challenge Sanderson has encountered since arriving at Penn State.

The program best positioned to topple a Penn State lineup without Taylor and Ruth might be one looking for its first NCAA team title. 

Ohio State finished sixth last weekend in Oklahoma City, an encouraging performance considering  Coach Tom Ryan redshirted two four-time Ohio state champions, Nathan Tomasello (125 pounds) and Bo Jordan (165), and All-American 149-pounder Hunter Stieber, Logan Stieber's brother.

Besides Logan Stieber, a 141-pounder who could become the fourth four-time champion in Division I history, Ohio State returns NCAA qualifiers Nick Roberts (125 pounds), Johnni DiJulius (133), Mark Martin (174), Kenny Courts (184) and Nick Tavanello (285). A few returning NCAA qualifiers are in jeopardy of losing their jobs because Ohio State's recruiting class includes three elite talents in Kyle Snyder, Micah Jordan and Thomas Haines. The possibility of producing a four-time NCAA champion and winning a team title in the same season  might convince Ryan to unveil his best lineup in 2014-15.

Snyder, the nation's No. 1 overall recruit according to InterMat, skipped his senior high school season to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He's projected to replace NCAA finalist Nick Heflin at 197 pounds. Jordan, a four-time Ohio state champion, could start immediately at 157, and Thomas Haines, a four-time Pennsylvania state champion, should immediately challenge Tavanello for the heavyweight spot. Two-time Beachwood state champion Ryan Harris is also part of the Buckeyes' recruiting class.

In a strange twist, NDC's Davis could be a wrestler who decides the 2015 Division I team race. Ohio State and Penn State have expressed interest in Davis, who handled Martin in a dual meet this season. Davis should immediately compete for All-American honors -- and perhaps a national title -- at the Division I level. Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Cornell are other contenders for the 2015 team title.

Davis hasn't made a decision on his future. His father, Joey Davis Sr., told The News-Herald earlier this month Davis might take a year off from competition in 2014-15.

As Logan Stieber chases his fourth NCAA title and the sport's top programs chase Davis, Smith will be depositing a big check.

Next year's check should be bigger if the Buckeyes win their first NCAA wrestling team title in 2015.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Big winters are helping Notre Dame College and Lake Erie College surge into the top half of the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings.

Following its NCAA wrestling triumph, NDC moved to 55th out of 194 Division II schools in standings released March 20. The Falcons have 150 points, with 100 coming via the wrestling title.

The Storm are five spots behind the Falcons in 60th place with 142.5 points. Balance has led to LEC's fast rise. The Storm finished ninth in indoor men's track and field, 24th in men's swimming and 25th in wrestling.

NDC produced five wrestling All-Americans, including four champions, last weekend. LEC produced six All-Americans last weekend, with the track, swimming and wrestling teams each producing two.

Grand Valley State (Mich.), which competes against LEC in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, leads Division II with 718 points. Ashland leads Ohio schools in fourth place with 395.5 points. Grand Valley State, Ashland and LEC are three of 11 GLIAC schools in the top 100.

Points in Division II are awarded based on NCAA finishes in up to 14 sports -- seven men's and seven women's. Final winter standings will be released April 3.

Mount Union leads Ohio in the 234-school Division III standings. The Purple Raiders are in ninth place with 334.5 points. Williams (Mass.) leads the Division III standings with 513.25 points. Baldwin Wallace and John Carroll are 78th and 131st, respectively.

Mount Union received a boost from its men's indoor track and field team, which placed fifth last weekend. Willoughby South grad Sean Donnelly won the weight throw for the Purple Raiders.

Points in Division III are awarded based on NCAA finishes in up to 18 sports -- nine men's and nine women's.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

The question reverberated throughout Public Auditorium last weekend.

How good is the Notre Dame College wrestling team?

The Falcons were the class of Division II, beginning the season No. 1 and ending 4 1/2 grueling months as NCAA team champions. They left little doubt about their status atop the Division II hierarchy by going a combined 8-0 in the finals and semifinals. In short, the final day represented a dream for Coach Frank Romano and his wrestlers.

But let's dream a little more. Let's ponder how the Falcons would fare in Division I.

Only 79 Division I wrestling programs remain. The maximum number of scholarships a program can distribute is 9.9, meaning plenty of talented high school wrestlers are receiving little financial assistance for their athletic abilities. Division II programs are permitted to distribute as many as nine scholarships. Fully funded wrestling programs are dwindling, but a Division II school with a supportive administration such as NDC can offer more athletic much scholarship money than Division I schools with lukewarm support.

The numbers also suggest the talent gap between Divisions I and II isn't as great in wrestling as it is in football, where Division I programs receive 85 compared to 36 for Division II. The difference in basketball is 13-10. Wrestling programs need 10 athletes to fill a starting lineup. Basketball programs need five.

Wrestling programs operate on limited travel budgets, allowing for more interactions between Division I and II programs. NDC wrestled Ohio State, a top-10 Division I program, on Nov. 15 and lost 29-11. The Falcons won three bouts, but neither team was operating at full strength. Since starting wrestling in 2007, NDC is 83-7 in dual meets. Three of their losses are to Ohio State.

Open tournaments give the Falcons another forum to compete with Division I programs. Five Falcons placed at the Cleveland State Open: Joey Davis (first, 174), Maurice Miller (second 141), Brandonn Johnson (third, 197), Marty Carlson (fourth, 133) and Brian Hauser (sixth, 125). Eric Burgey, who became a two-time national champion last weekend, wasn't in the Falcons' lineup.

The results are impressive. But the backgrounds of NDC's national qualifiers might be the best way to gauge the program's strength. The Falcons recruit nationally.

Three of NDC's nine national qualifiers -- Andrew Bannister (VMI), Carlson (Utah Valley) and  Johnson (Kent State) -- started their careers at Division I schools. Burgey was NAIA champion before arriving at NDC. Davis, a California native who is 72-0, was considered a big-time recruit who landed at NDC for academic reasons. Freshman Garrett Lineberger (Maryland) and Jonatan Rivera (Georgia) were Dave Schultz Award recipients for their respective states as high school seniors. Senior 125-pounder Brian Hauser (Brush) and junior 141-pounder Maurice Miller (Canton McKinley) were the only Ohio natives in the NCAA tournament lineup.

More talent is either in or headed to South Euclid. Former Massillon Perry state champ Sam White has transferred from Illinois to NDC. White was one of the nation's top 125-pound recruits as a high school senior. Tony Dailey, a Massillon Perry standout who won a state title earlier this month, is part of the incoming recruiting class.

Few Division I programs besides Ohio State are willing to wrestle NDC in a dual meet, a fact that bothers Romano. Still, enough evidence exists to determine that the Falcons would be a competitive Division I program.

How competitive?

The guess here is somewhere in the top 35.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Men

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

South 

Walsh   19-3, 15-3

Findlay   19-4, 15-4

Hillsdale   16-7, 12-7

Malone   13-10, 11-8

Ashland  9-14, 6-13

Lake Erie College  9-16, 6-13

Tiffin  8-15, 4-14

Ohio Dominican  5-18, 3-16

North

Lake Superior State  24-3, 16-3

Michigan Tech  18-5, 14-5

Grand Valley State  16-7, 12-7

Northwood  16-11, 12-7

Wayne State  11-11, 9-10

Ferris State  7-15, 6-12

Saginaw Valley State  9-13, 5-13

Northern Michigan  5-18, 4-15

Mountain East Conference 

West Liberty  21-2, 17-2

Shepherd  17-7, 12-6

Charleston  15-7, 12-6

West Virginia Wesleyan  17-9, 12-6

Glenville State  15-8, 12-7

Fairmont State  16-8, 11-7

Wheeling Jesuit   14-9, 11-8

Notre Dame College   9-15, 7-11

UVA-Wise   9-13, 6-12

West Virginia State  8-13, 5-13

Concord  8-16, 5-13

Urbana  0-23, 0-19

Ohio Athletic Conference 

Mount Union  19-4, 14-2

Marietta  18-5, 13-3

Wilmington  15-7, 12-4

Ohio Northern  14-9, 10-6

John Carroll  14-9, 8-8

Baldwin Wallace  12-11, 8-8

Capital  11-12, 8-8

Otterbein  4-19, 3-13

Muskingum  7-16, 2-14

Heidelberg  6-17, 2-14

Women

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 

South

Ashland  15-8, 13-6

Malone  17-8, 12-7

Hillsdale  11-12, 10-9

Findlay  11-12, 8-11

Ohio Dominican  10-13, 7-12

Walsh  9-15, 5-13

Tiffin  7-15, 4-14

Lake Erie College  9-16, 4-15

North

Wayne State  19-4, 16-3

Michigan Tech  17-6, 15-4

Northern Michigan  16-7, 13-6

Grand Valley State  13-10, 11-8

Saginaw Valley  12-9, 10-8

Northwood  12-11, 10-9

Ferris State  7-13, 7-11

Lake Superior State  5-20, 5-14

Mountain East Conference 

Glenville State  23-2, 18-1

West Liberty  17-8, 14-5

Urbana  16-7, 13-6

Charleston  15-7, 11-7

West Virginia State  15-9, 11-7

Fairmont State  13-8, 11-7

Notre Dame College  13-9, 10-8

Wheeling Jesuit  12-11, 9-10

Concord   9-13, 7-11

UVA-Wise  8-14, 4-14

Shepherd  2-20, 2-16

West Virginia Wesleyan  2-20, 0-18

Ohio Athletic Conference 

John Carroll  18-3, 13-3

Baldwin Wallace  18-5, 13-3

Ohio Northern  19-4, 12-4

Capital  15-7, 12-4

Wilmington  12-11, 9-7

Mount Union  11-12, 5-11

Muskingum  7-15, 5-11

Heidelberg  11-12, 4-12

Marietta   10-13, 4-12

Otterbein  7-16, 3-3

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

It doesn't take a three- or four-year career at a major college to receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine, which begins Feb. 22 in Indianapolis.

The list of scheduled participants includes 14 players from Division II or III schools. Three players are familiar names to those who follow Division II conferences with area tie-ins.

Saginaw Valley State wide receiver Jeff Janis and Grand Valley State center Matt Armstrong give the GLIAC two representatives in the combine. Getting players to the combine is nothing new for the GLIAC. Grand Valley State wide receiver Charles Johnson was selected by the Packers in last year's seventh round.

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound Janis is one of the top receivers in GLIAC history and caught 83 passes for 1,572 yards this past season. Janis, who participated in the Senior Bowl last month, caught five passes for 120 yards against Lake Erie College last season.

The 6-foot-3, 296-pound Armstrong earned the Rimington Award as the best center in Division II. Armstrong is also a standout shot putter for Grand Valley's track and field team.

Shepherd defensive end Howard Jones is the first player in Mountain East Conference history invited to the combine. The 6-foot-4, 238-pound Jones helped Shepherd hold nine opponents, including Notre Dame College, under 20 points in 2013.

Eleven Division II players, including five offensive and five defensive linemen, were drafted last year.

Here's a list of small-college players invited to the 2014 combine:

Matt Armstrong, C, Grand Valley State

John Brown, WR, Pittsburg State

Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood

Brandon Dixon, CB, Northwest Missouri State

Joe Don Duncan, TE, Dixie State

Matt Feiler, OT, Bloomsburg

Jeff Janis, WR, Saginaw Valley State

Howard Jones, DE, Shepherd

Reggie Jordan, TE, Missouri Western State

Zach Moore, DE, Concordia

Mike Pennel, DT, Colorado-Pueblo

Dustin Vaughan, QB, West Texas A&M

Larry Webster, DE, Bloomsburg

Ethan Westbrooks, DE, West Texas A&M

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Here are links to every Ohio college football recruiting class announced Wednesday. Some schools are waiting to receive information from every incoming scholarship player to release their classes. Division III schools are non-scholarship and don't participate in national signing day events. Division I-AA Dayton also doesn't offer football scholarships.

Division I

Akron

Cincinnati

Bowling Green

Kent State

Miami

Ohio State

Ohio University

Toledo

Division I-AA

Youngstown State

Division II 

Ashland

Central State (Did not release its class)

Findlay

Lake Erie College

Malone

Notre Dame College

Ohio Dominican (Did not release its class)

Tiffin

Urbana (Did not release its class)

Walsh

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Men

GLIAC South

Walsh  14-3, 10-3,

Findlay  14-4, 10-4

Hillsdale  13-5, 9-5

Malone  9-9, 7-7

Lake Erie College  9-11, 6-8

Ashland  8-10, 5-9

Tiffin  7-11, 3-10

Ohio Dominican  4-14, 2-12

Ohio Athletic Conference

Mount Union  15-3, 10-1

Marietta  15-4, 10-2

Wilmington  12-6, 9-3

John Carroll  12-7, 6-6

Baldwin Wallace  10-9, 6-6

Ohio Northern  10-9, 6-6

Capital  9-10, 6-6

Otterbein  4-15, 3-9

Muskingum  7-12,  2-10

Heidelberg  5-13, 1-10

Mountain East Conference

West Liberty  17-1, 13-1

Charleston  13-5, 10-4

Shepherd  14-6, 9-5

Glenville State  12-6, 9-5

Fairmont State  13-6, 8-5

West Virginia Wesleyan  13-9, 8-6

Wheeling Jesuit  9-8, 7-7

Notre Dame College  8-11, 6-7

UVa.-Wise  9-9, 6-8

West Virginia State  7-10, 4-10

Concord  6-14, 3-11

Urbana  0-18, 0-14

Women 

GLIAC South

Malone  14-6, 9-5

Ashland 10-8, 8-6

Hillsdale  8-10, 7-7

Findlay  9-9, 6-8

Lake Erie College  9-11, 4-10

Ohio Dominican  7-11, 4-10

Tiffin  6-11, 3-10

Walsh  6-13, 2-11

Ohio Athletic Conference

John Carroll  15-2, 10-2

Baldwin Wallace  14-5, 9-3

Capital  12-6, 9-3

Ohio Northern  15-4, 8-4

Wilmington  11-8, 8-4

Heidelberg  10-8, 3-8

Mount Union  9-9, 3-8

Marietta  9-10, 3-9

Otterbein  7-12, 3-9

Muskingum  5-13, 3-9

Mountain East Conference

Glenville State  18-2, 13-1

Urbana  13-5, 10-4

West Virginia State  13-7, 9-5

West Liberty  12-8, 9-5

Fairmont State  10-6, 8-5

Charleston  12-6, 8-6

Notre Dame College  10-7, 7-6

Concord  9-9, 7-7

Wheeling Jesuit  9-9, 6-8

UVa.-Wise  8-10, 4-10

Shepherd  2-16, 2-12

West Virginia Wesleyan  2-16, 0-14

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy