Top-ranked in-state recruit Damien Shanklin set to announce college decision on Friday

The state’s highest-rated high school football prospect is ready to make a college decision.

Warren Central senior defensive end Damien Shanklin, rated as the No. 48 prospect in the country by 247sports and the No. 5 defensive end, will announce his college decision on Friday at 5:30 p.m. on his Instagram page.

The 6-5, 245-pound Shanklin said he is considering Alabama, LSU and Ohio State as his three choices. In the past month, he has taken official visits to those three schools and Tennessee. He said in an interview with IndyStar in May that he was in contact with several LSU targets, including quarterback Bryce Underwood, the country’s top-ranked prospect who committed to the Tigers in January.

“Mainly when I go on visits, I look at the coach and how they bond with the players and see if they are being themselves and not just trying to recruit somebody and not being themselves,” Shanklin said in May. “I see if I see myself being there and being around people, I know are going to help me in every which way. When I’m here (at Warren Central) I have a nice support system and have everybody on my side motivating me to do better. I just want to make sure I’m comfortable with everything.”

No matter which of the three schools he chooses, Shanklin will be joining a loaded recruiting class. Ohio State, Alabama and LSU are ranked No. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, by On3 for their current 2025 recruiting classes.

Shanklin is one of the final uncommitted highly ranked in-state players in the 2025 class. His defensive end teammate at Warren Central, Tyrone Burrus Jr., committed to Louisville on Saturday. Another top defensive end prospect, Elkhart Central’s Mariyon Dye, committed to Tennessee on Friday, the same day Fishers receiver JonAnthony Hall committed to Stanford.

Top 20 in-state prospects by On3:

1. Damien Shanklin, DE, Warren Central: Will announce Friday
2. Mariyon Dye, DE, Elkhart Central: Tennessee
3. Brock Schott, TE, Leo: Miami (Fla.)
4. Tyrone Burrus, DE, Warren Central: Louisville
5. Benny Patterson, DL, Castle: Cincinnati
6. Jimmy Sullivan, QB, Carroll (Fort Wayne): Iowa
7. Landon Brooks, DE, Delta: Purdue
8. Jaron Thomas, RB, Concord: Purdue

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.