Alter's Derrick Shepard commits to Cincinnati Bearcats

Alter High School junior defensive lineman Derrick Shepard announced his verbal commitment to the Cincinnati Bearcats on Friday.

Shepard, who’s 6-foot-3, 304 pounds, is a four-star recruit who ranks 10th in Ohio’s class of 2022, according to 247Sports.com. His teammate C.J. Hicks, who committed to Ohio State earlier this year, ranks second.

Shepard and Hicks helped lead Alter to an 8-3 season and a spot in the state semifinals in 2020.

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Shepard received offers from California, Duke, Louisville, Washington State, Virginia and Kentucky in recent months. Cincinnati was the first program to offer him a scholarship last January.

Cincinnati has added a number of players from the Dayton area in recent seasons.

On this year’s roster are: senior offensive lineman Darius Harper (Springfield); junior offensive lineman Cody Lamb (Miamisburg); junior tight end Leonard Taylor (Springfield); junior kicker Cole Smith (Middletown); redshirt sophomore wide receiver Blue Smith (Wayne); sophomore running back Ryan Montgomery (Franklin); sophomore cornerback Justin Harris (Wayne); redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jonathan Allen (Dunbar); redshirt freshman wide receiver Bryant Johnson II (Butler); redshirt freshman tight end Jack Campbell (Bellbrook); freshman cornerback Sammy Anderson (Trotwood Madison); and freshman offensive lineman Gavin Gerhardt (Xenia).