Bowling Green High School standout Robert Reynolds (right) gets an Ohio State University cap from his cousin Cullen Reynolds on Wednesday as he signs a national letter of intent to play football at Ohio State University. (Photo by Joe Imel)

By JENNIFER SEIGER, the Daily News OnlineOne of the most highly recruited high school linebackers in the country has signed a national letter-of-intent to play his collegiate football at Ohio State University. Bowling Green High School senior Robert Reynolds celebrated with a ceremony in the schools library today National Signing Day. Reynolds had narrowed a list of more than 30 Division I schools offering scholarships down to five: Michigan, Miami (Fla.), Tennessee, Virginia and Ohio State. He further trimmed that list to Ohio State, Michigan and Miami before orally committing to play for the Buckeyes on Jan. 21.I just felt comfortable with the players and the coaches, and I just felt like it was the right place for me, Reynolds said. Theres going to be an opportunity for me to play early there. Making his final decision wasnt easy. It was pretty difficult, Reynolds said. I was going back and forth on a couple of schools. … They all had something different to offer. But when I first started getting recruited, my whole thing was just where I felt comfortable the most with the players and the coaches because thats who Im going to be around most of the time, anyway. Reynolds gained state and national recognition for making opposing offenses uncomfortable as a junior. After sitting out much of his sophomore season with mononucleosis, he burst onto the high school football scene with a vengeance in 1998.That year, Reynolds was switched from defensive end to linebacker and took to the change like a bee to honey. He racked up 181 tackles including 14 quarterback sacks and made two fumble recoveries and one interception to help lead the Purples to a 13-1 record and a berth in the Class 3-A state semifinals. Although his senior season was slowed by a broken bone in his right wrist that forced him to miss two of his teams 12 games, Reynolds still finished with 98 tackles 14 for losses and eight receptions for 125 yards from his tight end position in helping Bowling Green to an 8-4 record. He tallied nine sacks, five fumble recoveries and one interception. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Reynolds attributes his success to working out in the weight room. He also hit the books to improve his grades during the second semester of his sophomore year in hopes of increasing his chances for a college scholarship. Reynolds garnered Associated Press All-State honorable mention honors as a junior and AP first-team All-State recognition as a senior. He was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Kentucky and a high school All-American by Prepstar. Reynolds also was a finalist in the 1999 Kentucky Mr. Football voting.