When are central Ohio high school football's 2026 college showcases?

Less than four months from the start of another high school football season, hundreds of central Ohio players will have the chance to display their talents to college coaches and barely have to leave home in the process.

At least 69 area teams will participate in college football showcases in May. The vast majority of those will take place from May 3-8 across the Columbus area.

The events allow athletes to work out in front of college coaches through agility, speed and pass-and-catch drills. The schedule of showcases lets coaches from schools of all levels see multiple teams at one site or commute between nearby schools.

Here is a schedule of college football showcases compiled by The Dispatch from area schools.

Delaware Hayes football players participate in a drill during their college showcase day in May 2025. The Pacers are among dozens of central Ohio teams that will take part in another showcase day for college coaches in early May.

College Showcase 2026

Sunday, May 3, at Harley Field

• Grandview Heights, 1-1:55 p.m.
• Ready, 2-2:55 p.m.
• East, 3-3:55 p.m.
• Eastmoor Academy, 4-4:55 p.m.
• Walnut Ridge, 5-5:55 p.m.

Knox County College Football Showcase

2-3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Mount Vernon

(Participating teams: Centerburg, Danville, Fredericktown, Highland, Mount Vernon)

2026 College Showcase

7 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at New Albany

(Participating teams: Columbus Academy, New Albany, St. Charles, Watterson)

Central Ohio Showcase

Monday, May 4

• at DeSales, 6-6:50 a.m.
• at Northland, 7-8 a.m.
• at Westerville Central, 8:15-9:15 a.m.
• at Westland, 10-11 a.m.
• at Central Crossing, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
• at Grove City, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• at Hamilton Township, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
• at KIPP Columbus, 4-4:45 p.m.

Columbus College Football Day

Tuesday, May 5

• at Pickerington North, 6 a.m.
• at Hilliard Bradley, 8-8:40 a.m.
• at Hilliard Darby, 9-9:40 a.m.
• at Hilliard Davidson, 10-10:40 a.m.
• at Upper Arlington, 11-11:40 a.m.
• at Gahanna Lincoln, 3-3:45 p.m.
• at Hartley, 4:05-4:50 p.m.
• at Groveport, 5:10-5:55 p.m.
• at Reynoldsburg, 6:15 p.m.

Africentric College Football Showcase

12:05-12:50 p.m. Tuesday, May 5

Players from Canal Winchester and Pickerington Central will participate in the Highway 33 Showcase for college coaches on May 6 at Central. Here, Canal running back Jamari Snow (12) tries to evade Central's Jordan Sanders III during their September 2025 game.

Highway 33 Showcase

Wednesday, May 6, at Pickerington Central

• Pickerington Central, 8:30 a.m.
• Canal Winchester, 9:30 a.m.
• Harvest Prep, 10:30 a.m.
• Teays Valley, 11:30 a.m.
• Lancaster, 12:30 p.m.

Best of the West College Showcase

Wednesday, May 6

• at Briggs, 3:30-4 p.m.
• at Franklin Heights, 4-4:30 p.m.

Licking County College Football Day

Thursday, May 7, at Heath

• Newark Catholic, 6:50-7:30 a.m.
• Licking Heights, 7:40-8:20 a.m.
• Heath, 8:30-9:10 a.m.
• Northridge, 9:20-10 a.m.
• Licking Valley, 10:10-10:50 a.m.
• Newark, 11-11:40 a.m.
• Utica, 12:10-12:50 p.m.
• Johnstown, 1-1:40 p.m.
• Lakewood, 1:50-2:30 p.m.
• Zanesville, 2:40-3:20 p.m.
• Granville (at school): 3:50-4:30 p.m.
• Watkins Memorial (at school): 5-5:40 p.m.

Dublin Jerome's Kwame Bosley, left, and Nick Jackson participate in a blocking drill during a 2025 college football showcase day at Dublin Scioto.

Central Ohio North College Football Showcase

Thursday, May 7

• at Worthington Kilbourne, 7-7:30 a.m.
• at Thomas Worthington, 7:45-8:15 a.m.
• at Dublin Jerome, 8:35-9:05 a.m.
• at Dublin Scioto, 9:20-9:50 a.m.
• at Dublin Coffman, 10:10-10:40 a.m.
• at Olentangy Orange, noon-12:30 p.m.
• at Olentangy, 1-1:30 p.m.
• at Olentangy Berlin, 2-2:30 p.m.
• at Jonathan Alder, 3:15-3:45 p.m.
• Buckeye Valley, 3:45-4:15 p.m. at Jonathan Alder

Friday, May 8

• at Big Walnut, 6:45-7:30 a.m.
• at Olentangy Berlin, 8:15-9 a.m.
• at Delaware Hayes, 9:30-10:15 a.m.
• at Marysville, 11-11:45 a.m.
• at Westerville South, 1-1:45 p.m.
• at Westerville North, 2-2:45 p.m.
• at Whitehall, 3:30-4:15 p.m.

Centennial

3:15-4 p.m. Friday, May 8

Southern Ohio College Showcase

4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at Jackson

(Area team: Circleville)

High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: College football showcases slated for central Ohio high schools in May