Hall of Fame
Ryan Kelly
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA:
One of the country's most versatile offensive line prospects, with impressive strength and athleticism who could possibly play all five positions ... a consensus four-star prospect and a big pickup for the Crimson Tide out of the state of Ohio ... was selected as an Under Armour All-American, but unable to play in the game coming off of a knee injury ... ranked the nation's No. 2 center by Scout.com ... ESPNU listed him as the No. 4 center in the country while Rivals.com had him ranked sixth at center and the No. 15 overall prospect in the state of Ohio ... suffered a torn ACL in 2010, forcing him to miss time, but still was named third-team Division I All-Ohio ... was a first team all-conference and all-city selection on the offensive line as a junior in 2009 ... SuperPrep ranked him as the No. 42 player in Ohio ... selected Alabama over offers from Florida, Florida State, Michigan and Tennessee.
SOPHOMORE (2013):
Took over the starting duties at center for departed All-American Barrett Jones ... started nine games and was responsible for line calls and adjustments along an offensive front that ranked 23rd nationally and fourth in the SEC for fewest sacks allowed per game (1.31)
JUNIOR (2014):
A second-year starter at center who made all calls and anchored the Crimson Tide's offensive line ... a member of the Rimington Trophy watch list ... started 12 games at center and helped lead an offensive line that averaged 206.6 yards rushing per game, which ranked seventh in the SEC and 30th nationally
SENIOR (2015):
A three-year starter at center in his senior season at the Capstone and the Crimson Tide’s signal-calling anchor ... named the Rimington Trophy Award winner, given annually to the nation’s top center ... a consensus first team All-America selection, earning first-team honors from Walter Camp, USA Today, Sporting News, the FWAA and the AFCA ... selected as a second team All-American by the Associated Press … selected to the All-SEC First Team by the conference coaches and the Associated Press ... SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year ... received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the conference’s top lineman from the SEC ... semifinalist for the Outland Trophy, which is presented the nation’s top interior lineman, and is a semifinalist for the Campbell Award ... midseason All-American by USA Today …
NFL (2016) :
Lakota West graduate & Tomahawk Ryan Kelly selected in the NFL Draft. Ryan Kelly picked 18th overall by the Indianapolis Colts
Troy Evans
High school career:
Born in Bay City, Michigan, Evans moved to Cincinnati, Ohio when he was a child, played Lakota Tomahawk Football and attended Lakota High School in West Chester Township, north of Cincinnati, where he won All-State honors in both football and basketball.
College career:
Evans was a four-year letterman and two-year starter at outside linebacker for the University of Cincinnati. As a senior, he was a second-team All-Conference USA selection and posted 4.5 sacks and 107 tackles. As a junior, he made 96 tackles. He graduated from Cincinnati in 2000 with a business finance degree.
Professional career:
Signed as an undrafted free agent, Evans played on the practice squad of the 2001-2002 St. Louis Rams, who lost Super Bowl XXXVI to the New England Patriots.
The following year, Evans was signed as free agent by the Texans. He remained with the team until the 2007 season, when he signed a two-year deal with the New Orleans Saints. He has been used as a special teams player during his career. Evans was selected as Saints special teams captain in 2008 and 2009. As one of the Saints' team captains, Evans was the player who called the pregame coin toss before the Saints' victory in Super Bowl XLIV.
Brandon Underwood
Youth Football/High School.
Brandon Underwood started his football career as a Tomahawk and then went on to Hamilton High School to be a star player. Brandon Underwood is rated the top Cincinnati-area prospect among incoming prep seniors, according to several recruiting services. He is rated the No. 15 cornerback in America by TheInsiders.com, and the No. 15 player overall in Ohio by Ohio's Future Stars magazine.
College career
Underwood spent his first two years at Ohio State, where he was redshirted as a freshman in 2005. He played in the season opener against Miami, recording three tackles before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. After his sophomore season, Underwood transferred to Cincinnati, where he earned first-team All-Big East honors in his senior season, recording 4 interceptions including one of Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford.
Professional career
Green Bay Packers
Underwood was selected in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Packers.
Oakland Raiders
On February 16, 2012, he signed with the Oakland Raiders.
Dallas Cowboys
On December 31, 2012, Underwood signed with the Dallas Cowboys.
John Conner
High school career:
Conner attended Lakota West High School in West Chester, Ohio, where he was a two-year starter at running back. He rushed for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards per carry, as a senior. That year, Lakota West gained an 8–3 record and a berth in the state playoffs.Conner was subsequently named first-team All-Greater Miami Conference and honorable-mention All-Southwest Ohio.
Unrecognized as a prospect by the two major recruiting services, Rivals.com and Scout.com, Conner was not offered an athletic scholarship, although he received some recruiting attention from Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Illinois, among others. He eventually chose to walk on with the Kentucky Wildcats.
College career:
As a true freshman at Kentucky, Conner appeared in the first three games of the 2005 season on special teams before sustaining a season-ending injury. He received a medical redshirt and retained the year of eligibility.In his redshirt freshman season, Conner played in all 13 games, starting the first three at fullback. In his sophomore year he also played all 13 games, starting four. He scored four touchdowns and also made two tackles in kick coverage. By his junior year,Kentucky frequently opened with a fullback in the lineup, giving him 11 starts in 13 games. In a game versus Georgia, Conner set career highs with seven rushes for 26 yards.
Prior to his senior season, Conner was named the "best blocking back" in the Southeastern Conference in the Birmingham News 2009 preseason edition. After a solid performance throughout the season, Conner earned All-American honors by Pro Football Weekly, which places an extra premium on talent and draft value in the selection process.
Professional career:
Considered one of the best fullbacks available in the 2010 NFL Draft, Conner was selected in the fifth round (139th overall) by the New York Jets.
New York Jets
He does all the things that NFL teams ask their fullbacks to do. He blocks. He catches the ball. And when you need him to make a carry in short yardage, he almost always picks up first downs. He's going to have a long career in the league.
— UK offensive head coach Joker Phillips
In 2012, Conner struggled with an MCL sprain and hamstring injury, and was released by the Jets on October 17.
Cincinnati Bengals
Conner was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals on December 15, 2012, after the team placed fullback Chris Pressley on the injured reserve list. Conner was released by the Bengals on August 31, 2013. In an episode of Hard Knocks, Bengals coaches stated that though Conner was the best Fullback on the roster, they were keeping Orson Charles due to his special teams play, even going as far as showing Charles game film of Conner after the decision.
New York Giants
After working out with the Buffalo Bills, Conner was signed to a two-year contract by the New York Giants on September 25, 2013, replacing Henry Hynoski, who suffered a fractured shoulder in Week 3 of the regular season.
Second stint with the New York Jets
Conner was re-signed by the New York Jets on September 30, 2014 after fullback Tommy Bohanon suffered a broken
collarbone.
Buffalo Bills
Conner signed with the Buffalo Bills on May 13, 2015, reuniting with his former head coach Rex Ryan. On September 4, 2015, he was released by the Bills.