By Colleen Kane
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The University of Cincinnati revealed a list of 16 football recruits on national signing day Wednesday, highlighted by three local players and several athletes new head coach Mark Dantonio thinks could make an immediate impact on the team.

Dantonio and his assistants, many of whom have Ohio recruiting connections, had just a little more than a month to piece together their 2004 class. So they focused their efforts on what they are familiar with. All but four of the recruits are from Ohio. Three are from Michigan, and QB Dustin Grutza is from Maysville, Ky. The Bearcats did not sign any junior-college players.

Grutza, a quarterback who led Mason County High School to the Kentucky state Class 3A semifinals, is one of the most promising players and might fill the spot that will be left empty when UC quarterback Gino Guidugli leaves after next season, Dantonio said.

"Tremendous player," he said. "I think he's the quarterback of the future here and certainly will have an opportunity to do that."

The Bearcats also signed quarterback Earnest Jackson from Southfield, Mich.

Linebacker Anthony Hoke from Warren G. Harding, safety Lamonte Nelms from Ravenna and Elder running back Bradley Glatthaar were among the other highlights, Dantonio said. The coach was also excited about the possible impact of local offensive lineman Trevor Canfield of Western Hills.

"(Canfield) could be an immediate player for us in the future," Dantonio said. "What we wanted to do was lay a great foundation. ... He is certainly one of those guys we can do that with."

Purcell Marian lineman Khalil El-Amin rounded out the local recruits.

Dantonio said he would have liked more time to recruit some bigger players, including defensive linemen. He has a few more scholarships left but said the class probably is complete.

Said ESPN.com recruiting guru Tom Lemming of the Bearcats' class: "Cincinnati, because of the coaching change (from Rick Minter to Dantonio), struggled a bit."

Neil Schmidt contributed to this report.