Did you know that there are more than 30 northern Kentucky high school football products playing college football at the Division I level? Did you know that nearly 20 of them came from Boone County and Campbell County programs? Well, you do now.
And since we’re feeling generous with the local pigskin knowledge, please also know that we’re coming at you again tomorrow with almost 20 more locals from Kenton County schools who are on NCAA Division I football rosters. It’s a two‑day local footballpalooza for the diehard football fan we know lives in you.
Plus, you get to play along if you’re a super sleuth and can spot any current Division I football players who spent at least one prep season in one of the three northern Kentucky counties and somehow slipped past our exhaustive search. Just let us know.
Here is part one of a quick-turnaround two‑part series that’s going to take care of your Saturday college football scouting before the switches flip on for Friday night lights. What we have today are fast‑read updates on each local Division I football product from high schools in Boone County and Campbell County. Everything is in alphabetical order. Stay tuned for the Kenton County follow‑up.
BOONE COUNTY
Conner
Nick Keller — Louisville
The big fifth-year senior placekicker is a strong-legged special teams weapon for the Cardinals. The former Conner Cougar is a kickoff specialist capable of converting the long emergency field goal when called upon. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder has kicked off in both Cardinals games this season but has yet to attempt a field goal. Last season, he was 2-for-4 on field goals. He matched his own Louisville record with a 57-yarder vs. Bowling Green after nailing a 57-yarder at Pitt. A total of 60 of his 79 kickoffs last season went for touchbacks. He played in 10 of 13 games in 2024, handling 31 kickoffs, with 22 going for touchbacks.
Dylan Stewart — Delaware
The intelligent 6-4, 314-pound sophomore offensive lineman has yet to see action this season after failing to make the field in 2025. He was a Conference USA Academic Honor Roll member both years at Delaware. He was a four-year starter at Conner and a multiple all-area pick as a junior and senior. Stewart was second-team all-state as a senior and a Northern Kentucky Top 26 awardee. Stewart was selected First Team Academic All-State as a junior at Conner and Academic All-State Honorable Mention as a senior.
Cooper
Austin Alexander — Western Michigan
The all-time Cooper great and nephew of one-time NFL MVP Shaun Alexander began his college career at North Carolina. He is now a Bronco. A heavily recruited prep player, Alexander is listed as a 6-foot-3, 255-pound sophomore defensive end at Western Michigan. The Broncos were narrow 13-12 losers at top-20 Michigan in the season opener. Alexander had five tackles in Saturday’s home opening win over Monmouth with three QB hits and a fumble recovery. He’s one of 10 defensive linemen for the Broncos and one of their biggest and youngest.
Isaac Brown — Southeast Missouri
The redshirt sophomore is one of seven players listed at cornerback for Southeast Missouri. So, he’s on the developmental track in a crowded defensive backfield. After an injury in preseason, he’s appeared in one of three games after getting into SEMO’s final two of 2025, registering one tackle. What he has going for him is youth and size. The 6-1, 195-pound former Cooper star has already impressed with his speed and physicality. Brown totaled nine interceptions his last two prep seasons so he has a history of coming on late in his career.
Isaiah Johnson — The Citadel
The class of 2025 Cooper standout is listed as a redshirt freshman receiver at The Citadel. The 6-3, 210-pounder is a big target. He is one of 12 receivers on the roster but one of the youngest as he hits the developmental track. He was a record-breaking prep, totaling more than 1,300 receiving yards and 20 TDs each of his final two seasons. Johnson finished his Cooper career as the school’s all-time receiving TD leader. He was also the area leader with 53 and ranked among Kentucky’s all-time leaders in the category.
Cam O’Hara — Western Kentucky
The former Cooper quarterback is one of four QBs listed on the Western Kentucky roster. However, as a freshman, he’s the team’s youngest and one of its biggest throwers at 6-1, 210 pounds. O’Hara came to WKU following a prolific career at Cooper. That’s where he finished with more than 11,000 passing yards and nearly 150 passing touchdowns. He led the Jaguars to back-to-back KSHAA Class 5A state championship game appearances in 2023 and 2024. He finished his prep career ranked third in Kentucky history in passing touchdowns and sixth in passing yards. WKU would love to see those numbers eventually show up on its stat sheets.
Dominic Rulli — Penn State
Rulli, an offensive lineman, took a circuitous path to the Nittany Lions, coming out of The Taft School in Connecticut after leaving Cooper following his junior season in 2019. He reclassified after his Taft stint and joined Penn State as walk-on in 2022 and eventually earned a scholarship ahead of the 2025 season. He has appeared in one game this year, his redshirt senior season. Rulli played in all 42 games across the three previous seasons. He played mostly on special teams while making one start at center, his first collegiate start, last year. He earned the squad’s Special Teams Player of the Game vs. Nebraska last November. Rulli won it twice as a sophomore.
Ryle
Drew Dickerson — Morehead State
Dickerson, listed at 6-5 and 310 pounds, is a redshirt junior offensive lineman for the Eagles. The 2023 Ryle grad has appeared in two of three games this season following limited duty his first two playing years. The Pioneer Football League honor roll member is getting some of his first extended college action after appearing in one game in 2024 and three in 2025. Dickerson was a two-way lineman at Ryle, playing mostly on offense.
JR Hays — Western Michigan
The 2024 Ryle grad is a redshirt sophomore running back for the Broncos. He was seeking a move up the depth chart, but the signing of Arkansas senior transfer AJ Green has crowded a running back room that already boasted all-Mid-American Conference back Jalen Buckley. Hays did not see game action last year and has yet to receive a carry so far this season. He was such a good receiving back at Ryle, hauling in 39 catches as a senior, that he was sought as a receiver by the Broncos, but they switched him back to running back.
Dylan Lee — Colgate
The freshman receiver has already seen action, debuting Sept. 5 in a nonstarting role in the home-opening win vs. Holy Cross. He has yet to make a catch. Before Colgate, he was an all-local Class 6A standout on offense and defense at Ryle and a 2026 Northern Kentucky Top 26 honoree. According to his college bio, he finished first all-time in career interceptions, second all-time in career receiving yards, receptions, and receiving touchdowns at Ryle. He had at least 600 receiving yards, seven TDs and one interception in each of his final three seasons as a Raider.
Jacob Savage — Indiana
The former Ryle star was one of the area’s most productive high school players of the past decade and last year’s Paul Hornung Award winner as the top senior football player in Kentucky. Savage enters the national champion Indiana Hoosiers as a freshman linebacker with some buzz. He ranks tied for fifth on the team with six total tackles, tied for fourth with 1.5 tackles for loss and tied for second with one sack after two games. He concluded his record-breaking prep career with over 500 tackles on defense and more than 3,500 all‑purpose yards at running back. Savage led the state in tackles as a sophomore with 163 and ranked second with 24 rushing touchdowns as a senior. He was a consensus top-5 linebacker prospect in Kentucky on all four major recruiting services.
Dillon Smith — Louisville
The former Ryle standout is a 6-4, 285-pound sophomore defensive lineman for the Cardinals. He did not see game action in his first year with the team after enrolling early. He has appeared in one game so far this season with one tackle. Smith is tied for the team lead with one fumble recovery. He was the No. 8 player in the state of Kentucky by Rivals, the No. 13 player by 247Sports and the No. 86 defensive lineman by ESPN at the end of his prep career. He led a Ryle squad that also featured current Indiana linebacker Savage with 20.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks as a 2024 senior.
CAMPBELL COUNTY
Highlands
Brody Benke — Middle Tennessee State
Known for his versatility and productivity at Highlands, the college sophomore has transitioned from a well-decorated, do-it-all high‑school quarterback into a tight end with significant developmental upside. Benke, also a former Bluebirds long snapper, has made an impact on MTSU special teams. He played there the majority of 2025 while appearing in 12 games as a redshirt freshman. He was redshirted after appearing in one game as a true freshman. He’s twice been named MTSU Specialist Scout Team Player of the Week.
Mason Howard — Kentucky
An athletic Highlands two-way lineman from the 2026 class, Howard is a 6-4, 321-pound freshman offensive line prospect with upside at Kentucky. Howard’s high‑school career was defined by reliability and physicality, traits that made him a natural fit for UK’s developmental model. A former track and field letter-winner in the shot put and discus at Highlands, he’s looking forward to future UK depth‑chart movement.
Rio Litmer — Southern University
He was so good as a Highlands sophomore that he forced his way into the quarterback discussion and wound up passing for more than 1,100 yards with 20 touchdowns on just 77 completions as senior Brody Benke’s understudy. He actually threw a touchdown pass to Benke, who took snaps at receiver. Litmer wound up throwing for more than 6,000 yards and nearly 80 TDs before signing with Southern. He’s on the developmental track as one of seven QBs on the Jaguars’ roster. He’s also one of the youngest QBs, along with another freshman and a redshirt freshman
Max Merz — Louisville
Listed at 6-4 and 310 pounds, the former two-way Highlands lineman is developing within Louisville’s program on the offensive side. Merz arrived on campus with a high motor that made him a third-team all-state pick on offense as a senior. The No. 11 recruit in the 2026 Kentucky class, he held multiple college offers. He is already one of Louisville’s biggest linemen.
Adam Surrey — Eastern Kentucky
Coming off a redshirt freshman season for the Colonels, the 2025 Highlands grad is a developmental part of the receiver room. Surrey brings a reputation for disciplined play after excelling in high school as an assignment‑sound two-way talent. He rarely left the field. With nearly 1,000 receiving yards and three interceptions his senior season, Surrey left Highlands as a coveted player. He’s now looking to make his mark at the next level.
Newport Central Catholic
William Sandfoss — Marshall
The 2026 Newport Central Catholic graduate joins the Thundering Herd as a developmental offensive lineman. He has emerging size at 6-5 and 297 pounds. He has yet to see college action. Sandfoss was an all-area selection, a top-30 Kentucky prospect and hotly recruited as a prep senior tackle. Sandfoss chose Marshall over Army, Kent State, Ohio, Eastern Kentucky, Dartmouth, and a host of others.
(Coming Friday, local football players from Kenton County high schools now playing at NCAA Division I programs.)
