College commitment: Avon's Matt Maxey believed he was a Division I player; Kent State agreed

There's a special bond between a standout wide receiver and his quarterback. For Avon senior Matt Maxey, part of the draw to Kent State was the chance to spend four more years with his friend and Avon quarterback Nolan Good. Maxey also wanted the opportunity to show he could play at the highest level of college football. He got both Tuesday when he announced on his Instagram page that he had committed to Kent State. "I thought it was an opportunity I wanted to take advantage of because I think I am a D-I player," Maxey said. "Nolan helped me get there. I think playing with a high school teammate is a great decision for me. I.m really excited for the future and what it holds." Maxey ended his career as the leading receiver in Eagles history with 171 receptions and 2,595 receiving yards but some questioned if Maxey's 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame was big enough to play receiver at the D-I level. "The biggest thing about college football is the measurables," Avon coach Mike Elder said. "They want you to be a certain height and run a certain time at each position. For Matt, some of his measurables were in question but you can't measure heart, competitive edge or desire. "We've had great receivers in the past at Avon but what separates Matt and puts him in such elite company is his competitiveness. I've never seen someone as competitive in my life as Matt Maxey." "I felt like I was under-recruited," said Maxey, who earned first-team All-Ohio honors days after helping the Eagles win their first state championship. "I competed against big-time players and I don't think I was ever able to be guarded by any of them. I knew I was a D-I talent and to be honest I was set on D-I. I wanted to go into a D-I program and prove myself there." Being a D-I athlete is an accomplishment on its own but it's even better for Maxey, he said, knowing he'll be in the huddle with one of his best friends. "I never imagined this one bit," Maxey said. "I played with Nolan since I was a little kid, we used to play outside and everything. We have a connection like no other." Maxey isn't content just being a Golden Flash, he's ready to head to Kent and make a difference the same way he did at Avon. "Kent State faces Florida State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech (this year) and I've already seen the schedule for 2026 with Ohio State and Kentucky," Maxey said. "I'm not gonna lie, my goal is set for next year to somehow make an impact in one of those games. I'm a pretty confident guy and I like going against the best." Elder recalled first meeting Maxey when he was in third or fourth grade. Once he got to know him, Elder knew he could be a special talent. "When he was 12 I made him the first pick in the Little League baseball draft because I wanted to get to know this kid better," Elder said. "He's always been a really good athlete. I've known since he was young that he'd be special but I didn't know how special at that time because I didn't know how hard he was going to work." While Maxey is excitedly looking forward to the next step of his football career, he's able to appreciate the journey that helped him come this far. "I feel good," Maxey said. "It feels like all of the hard work I put in over the last four years didn't go to waste. It got us a state championship and it got me the chance to play with one of my best friends and at the Division I college." Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.