BOWLING GREEN — Dior Garner will be bringing an impressive list of talents with him when he heads to northwest Ohio next year to play for Bowling Green State University’s football team.

The most significant quality the Canton McKinley High School standout may possess, however, is loyalty.

BGSU was the first Division I school to offer Garner back in January, 2023, and during the summer, the 6-foot-3, 275-pound defensive lineman verbally committed to coach Scot Loeffler and the Falcons. Even with more than 20 total offers, including multiple from power conference schools shortly after committing to BGSU, Garner stuck with the Falcons.

“We talked about that today just about why he chose BGSU over the schools that he had opportunities with,” McKinley football coach Antonio Hall said Wednesday when Garner signed his letter of intent. “Really, it just came down to BG’s loyalty on his part, the first being to offer, just the genuine feeling he got from the coaches, coach Loeffler, the defensive line coach [Cornell Brown], and just them keeping their relationship through the recruiting process.

“So I think that speaks volumes to Dior’s intuition and his ability to build relationships.”

Garner, one of roughly 20 high school seniors to sign with BGSU earlier this week, was one of the highest-ranked players from Ohio in the 2025 class to commit to a Mid-American Conference school. According to 247Sports, the three-star recruit is the 58th-ranked player in the state and 130th-ranked defensive lineman in the country. In early October, Rivals listed Garner as the best MAC commit.

Garner chose BGSU over numerous other MAC schools, including Miami (Ohio), Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, and Ball State. When bigger schools came calling, Garner leaned on his relationships and the constant communication once every week or two in the recruiting process with the BGSU staff, including Brown, who joined the Falcons’ program in February.

“I was very close with coach Brown. He was contacting me like every week when he first got the job,” Garner said. “... It showed how he really wanted me and everything he said, he was just a man of his word throughout the process.”

Garner committed to BGSU in mid-June, but he received offers from Big 12 Conference schools in Kansas State in late July and Iowa State in mid-September. He also earned an offer from Oregon State in early October.

“His Power [Four] offers, they were a little bit outside his comfort zone and his high school coach’s comfort zone in terms of where they were located,” Loeffler said. “We were able to hang onto him.

“Obviously, the Canton McKinley kids have done quite well here, and we’re very excited to have Dior, for sure.”

Dior will be looking to be next in line in a couple of different areas that have been beneficial for BGSU. Harold Fannin, Jr., BGSU’s star tight end who on Thursday was named the MAC’s player of the year and offensive player of the year, went to McKinley. Karl Brooks, BGSU’s last NFL draft selection in 2023, was a defensive lineman.

“It means a lot because I used to look up to Harold when I was a freshman, and they’ve got six or seven (senior) defensive linemen right now. So I’ve got a big chance to come in and make an impact if I come in, do what’s right, and do my part,” Garner said.

When it comes to his talents on the field, Garner’s ability speaks for itself. He posted 78 total tackles (21 for loss), 7.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in helping McKinley finish 8-5 overall, tie for first in the Federal League, and reach the Division I, Region 1 semifinals.

As a junior, he had 52 tackles (12 for loss), two sacks, and three pass breakups while allowing just one sack as a left tackle on offense.

“I think he’s an extremely skilled big man. The fact that he was able to play five positions for us effectively, I think that’ll transfer over to anything Bowling Green wants to use him for,” Hall said. “He was just as effective as a defensive end as he was a nose guard.

“He played tight end for us, guard, tackle. He’s a tremendous athlete, great bend, great first step, good punch. Just great football awareness. Dior’s one of the most skilled big men I’ve ever coached, if not the most skilled.”

A specific play in his highlight video posted on his X account shows the versatility and strength Garner has. During a Region 1 quarterfinal in early November against Massillon Jackson, which beat McKinley 20-7 a few weeks prior, Garner quickly got in the backfield, grabbed the back of a Jackson ball carrier’s jersey, and effortlessly threw him to the ground with his left arm. McKinley went on to win 35-32.

“We had lost to that team Week 9, so that was the only loss in our league. They beat us 20-7, so I really was just mad,” Garner said. “It was our second round of the playoffs. All I remember was just get in the backfield and make a play so we can win the game.”

Hall said the play showed a glimpse of Garner’s potential.

“He has a very high ceiling and limitless potential, honestly,” Hall said. “Just to see him continue to grow into his body, he’s getting taller, he’s filling out the right way. It’s scary the things he can do when he gets to the college level.”

First Published December 7, 2024, 12:21 a.m.