Wednesday was a huge day in college football as the sport’s inaugural early signing period allows the best high school players from the area and nation to put pen to paper to confirm where they’ll be playing next fall.

Ohio State and Michigan are in on nationally competitive classes — OSU’s was ranked No. 1 in the country for most of Wednesday, while Michigan’s was just outside the top 10 — while Toledo and Bowling Green have put together two of the best classes in the MAC.

Locally, St. John’s Jesuit four-star recruit Dallas Gant was one of the first players to sign with Ohio State Wednesday, and The Blade player of the year will begin his college journey next month after finishing classes at the high school yesterday.

The University of Toledo putting together a class ranked No. 2 in the MAC by 247Sports, a group that includes Springfield offensive lineman Tyler Long.

Welcome to #RocketsNation #Launch18 🚀🚀🚀 @tylerlong62 pic.twitter.com/EqoFhBWoSb

— Toledo Football (@ToledoFB) December 20, 2017

Two local players signed with Eastern Michigan — offensive lineman Brian Dooley of St. John’s and defensive lineman Mikey Haney of Maumee. 

St. John’s also has a third Division I signee in lineman Austin Beier, who signed with Minnesota.

National Signing Day! 🏈📝 Congrats to Austin Beier '18, Brian Dooley '18 & Dallas Gant '18 on signing to continue their athletic and academic careers at the next level! #GoTitans pic.twitter.com/llWMFZ7gos

— SJJ Athletics (@SJJTitanSports) December 20, 2017

Central Catholic boasts two signees in linebacker Dallas Fields, who signed with Miami (Ohio), and lineman De’Marko Craig, who signed with Youngstown State.

In addition, Anthony Wayne defensive lineman Cole Ragan has signed to join the Air Force Academy, while Lake tight end Dylan O’Quinn has signed with Cincinnati.

Recruits can sign through Friday as part of the early signing period, then a second period opens Feb. 7 for those who don’t put pen to paper today. That has resulted in a hectic month of December for most programs, and what happens next, meanwhile, becomes anyone’s guess.

A list of players confirmed by the schools that have signed national letters of intent to join the Toledo, Bowling Green, Ohio State, and Michigan football teams.

Toledo signees

■ Toledo adds 18 in talented 2018 class

■ Springfield’s Long signs with UT

QB Carter Bradley, 6-3, 208, Jacksonville (Fla.) Providence

QB Cross Wilkinson, 6-3, 205, Wheeling (W.Va.) Wheeling Park

WR Jalin Cooper, 6-4, 180, Medina, N.Y.

TE Alex Morgan, 6-5, 245, Pickerington (Ohio) Central

OL Sam Baker, 6-3, 285, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Admiral Farragut

OL Nick Carey, 6-7, 290, Detroit Catholic Central

OL Lavel Dumont, 6-4, 270, Tampa (Fla.) Wharton

OL Conor Head, 6-3, 261, Richfield (Ohio) Revere

OL Tyler Long, 6-4, 295, Holland (Ohio) Springfield

DE Jamal Hines, 6-2, 216, Cincinnati Princeton

DE Jake Hudson, 6-4, 240, Mission Viejo (Calif.) Saddleback Community College

DE Desjuan Johnson, 6-3, 240, Detroit East English Village Prep

DE Terrance Taylor, 6-4, 214, Chicago Phillips Academy

DT Devan Rogers, 6-2, 285, Sidney, Ohio

LB Dan Bolden, 6-1, 230, Cincinnati Colerain

LB Dyontae Johnson, 6-2, 210, Detroit Cass Tech

DB Nate Bauer, 6-0, 190, Akron Hoban

DB Caleb Sutherland, 6-0, 180, Seffner (Fla.) Armwood

Bowling Green signees 

■ Bowling Green signs class of 18

■ Read bios of the newest Falcons here

QB Bryce Veasley, 6-4, 230, West Bloomfield, Mich.

RB Rico Frye, 5-9, 210, Cartersville, Ga.

WR Noah Massey, 6-3, 215, Houston (Texas) Westfield

WR Julian Ortega-Jones, 6-2, 195, Fort Worth (Texas) North Crowley

WR Onyx Smith, 6-0, 196, Cibolo (Texas) Steele

TE James Lachey, 6-4, 230, Grandview Heights, Ohio

TE Jake Papez, 6-5, 230, Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland

OL Joe Maxwell, 6-5, 290, Florence, Ala.

OL John O’Brian, 6-5, 240, Charlotte, Mich.

OL Brad Papez, 6-6, 265, Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland

DL Jevon Henderson, 6-4, 265, Centerville, Ohio

LB Deandre Fitz-Henley, 5-11, 230, Clearwater (Fla.) Central Catholic

LB Antwuan Johnson, 6-1, 230, Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne

LB Brandon Perce, 5-11, 220, Rochester (Minn.) Community College

LB Devin Ruffin, Jr., 6-1, 225, St. Louis (Mo.) Lutheran North

DB Caleb Biggers, 5-11, 184, Baltimore (Md.) Calvert Hall

DB James Harris, Jr., 6-1, 165, Pompano Beach (Fla.) Blanche Ely

P Cooper Lee, 6-1, 195, Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College

Ohio State signees

■ OSU finishes happy with QB signee

■ Buckeyes near in No. 1 class, sign 21

QB Matthew Baldwin, 6-3, 195, Austin (Texas) Lake Travis

RB Master Teague, 5-11, 210, Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Blackman

RB Brian Snead, 5-11, 200, Seffner (Fla.) Armwood

WR Kamryn Babb, 6-1, 189, St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers

WR Cameron Brown, 6-1, 175, St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers

WR Jaelen Gill, 6-1, 182, Westerville (Ohio) South

WR L’Christian “Blue” Smith, 6-6, 205, Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne

TE Jeremy Ruckert, 6-6, 240, Lindenhurst, N.Y.

OL Matthew Jones, 6-4, 315, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Erasmus Hall

OL Max Wray, 6-6, 289, Franklin, Tenn.

DL Antwuan Johnson, 6-2, 305, Brenham (Texas) Blinn College

DL Tommy Togiai, 6-3, 290, Pocatello (Idaho) Highland

DL Taron Vincent, 6-2, 285, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy

DL Alex Williams, 6-7, 250, Pickerington (Ohio) North

LB K’Vaughan Pope, 6-2, 210, Dinwiddie, Va.

LB Dallas Gant, 6-3, 225, Toledo St. John’s Jesuit

LB Teradja Mitchell, 6-2, 243, Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan

CB Sevyn Banks, 6-1, 180, Orlando (Fla.) Jones

CB Tyreke Johnson, 6-1, 191, Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity

S Marcus Hooker, 6-0, 185, New Castle, Pa.

S Josh Proctor, 6-2, 190, Owasso, Okla.

Michigan signees

■ Michigan inks 11th-ranked recruiting class — for now

■ Transfer QB Patterson adds leadership

QB Joe Milton, 6-5, 220, Orlando (Fla.) Olympia

RB Hassan Haskins, 6-1, 207, Eureka, Mo.

RB Christian Turner, 5-11, 185, Buford, Ga.

FB Ben VanSumeren, 6-3, 232, Essexville (Mich.) Garber

TE Ryan Hayes, 6-7, 262, Traverse City (Mich.) West

TE Mustapha Muhammad, 6-4, 244, Missouri City (Texas) Ridge Point

TE Luke Schoonmaker, 6-6, 229, Hamden (Conn.) Hamden Hall

OL Jalen Mayfield, 6-5, 275, Grand Rapids (Mich.) Catholic Central

DL Aidan Hutchinson, 6-6, 258, Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child

DL Taylor Upshaw, 6-4, 240, Bradenton Fla.

DL Julius Welschof, 6-6, 253, Miesbach, Germany

LB Cameron McGrone, 6-1, 225, Indianapolis Lawrence Central

DB Sammy Faustin, 6-2, 190, Naples, Fla.

DB Gemon Green, 6-2, 175, DeSoto, Texas

DB German Green, 6-2, 178, DeSoto, Texas

DB Myles Sims, 6-3, 173, Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake

First Published December 20, 2017, 4:24 p.m.