By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor

Oak Mountain High School senior Bradley Bostick made a verbal commitment to play football at the Naval Academy following a weekend visit to the Annapolis, Md. campus over the weekend.

Bostick, a 5-foot-6, 155-pound running back, finished his senior season with 723 yards on 143 carries and averaged more than five yards per carry while scoring five touchdowns for the Eagles. Bostick also caught 21 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown.

Bostick also had scholarship offers from the Air Force Academy and Columbia University. Bostick will become the fourth Shelby County native on the Navy roster.

Sophomore Shawn Lynch, a former Pelham High School standout, finished with 18 tackles this season. Lynch is a 6-foot, 205-pound safety.

Former Pelham High School standouts Carrington Lewis and Ryan Williams-Jenkins didn’t play during their freshman seasons this year.

Bostick became the ninth Shelby County high school football standout to make a verbal commitment to play at college football’s highest level in the Class of 2012.

Briarwood Christian School senior Ben Craft, a 6-foot-2, 197-pound quarterback, became the first Shelby County product to commit to the Blazers in the Class of 2012 in July. Chelsea High School senior Jake Ganus, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound quarterback/safety, committed to UAB three days later.

Spain Park High School defensive backs Destin Challenger, a 5-foot-11, 213-pound safety, and Devon Brown, a 5-foot-11, 182-pound cornerback, both committed to the Blazers in early August.

All four players remained committed to UAB following the resignation of head coach Neil Callaway last month. Garrick McGee, who spent last season as the offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas, was hired as the Blazers’ new coach in early December.

Pelham High School senior Jacob Forehand, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound offensive tackle, became McGee’s first commitment at the school in early December.

Spain Park High School senior Justin Carter, a 6-foot, 200-pound defensive back, is committed to Rice University. Spain Park High School senior Ben Tamburello, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound offensive lineman, is committed to Samford University.

Briarwood Christian School senior Kalan Reed, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound defensive back, is committed to Southern Mississippi University.

Spain Park High School senior Chris Humes, a 6-foot, 190-pound cornerback, currently has scholarship offers from Auburn, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Louisville, UAB and South Alabama. Humes hasn’t set a timetable for his decision.

Humes has also drawn interest from Alabama and Arkansas, but neither school has offered him a scholarship as of yet.

In addition to the Football Bowl Subdivision commitments, Spain Park High School senior offensive lineman Ben Tamburello has verbally committed to Samford University. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound center plans to sign with the Bulldogs next month.

National Signing Day is Wednesday, Feb. 1.