College Football Recruiting 2012: The Cincinnati Bearcats Are Looking Strong

While it is still very early in the recruiting process for all college football teams, the Cincinnati Bearcats are well on their way to one of their better recruiting classes in recent memory. 

Butch Jones already has 13 verbal commitments for 2012, and there are already a few names that stick out. 

Defensive end Ryan Leahy is a local kid from LaSalle High School in Cincinnati and is rated one of the top 50 defensive ends in the country. Leahy stands at 6'6" and weighs 256 pounds. His combination of size and speed will make him a solid pass-rusher for Cincinnati in the future.

At this point, Leahy is the biggest name in next year's class. He has offers from major programs including Boston College, West Virginia and North Carolina State, among others. 

The Bearcats have also received a commitment from offensive lineman Kyle Williamson. Williamson needs to bulk up, but at 6'5" and 278 pounds, his size gives him great potential down the road for the Bearcats. 

Also committing to Cincinnati is 5'9" speedster Deionte Buckley out of Warren Central in Indianapolis. He will be joined by high school teammate Josh Posley, a 6'2", 238-pound defensive end with 4.6 40-yard dash speed.

Warren Central is a Cincinnati pipeline that has given the Bearcats incoming freshman linebacker Nick Temple and current tight end Adrien Robinson, among others. 

Wide receiver Jeremy Graves is another three-star recruit who will help shore up a receiving group with some key upperclassmen who will be departing after the 2011 season. 

Perhaps the most intriguing commitment so far is athlete Alex Dale. Dale hales from Memphis and chose Cincinnati over Mississippi and Western Kentucky. He is 5'10", 175 pounds and currently rated as a three-star recruit, according to Rivals.com. While he may be best suited for defensive back, Dale has explosive big-play ability that may allow him to see action as a true freshman in 2012.