Gareon Conley, a 2013 WHS graduate, was recently inducted into the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame. During his football career he enjoyed time at all three levels: high school, college and professional.
At Massillon, Conley played three years under Head Coach Jason Hall. As a junior, he started at cornerback and recorded 25 tackle points and intercepted four passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown. During his senior year he also played wide receiver, where he was a deep-ball specialist, leading the team with 50 pass receptions for 1,096 yards (21.9 ave.) and scored 16 touchdowns, all Top 10s in the record book. He also played special teams, returning kickoffs (22.2 ave.). The squad that year finished with a record of 11-2, while advancing in the state playoffs to the regional finals. Significant wins were:
- Steubenville (9-3) 24-7
- Austintown Fitch (9-2) 34-14
- Akron St. Vincent (13-2) 44-23
- Canton McKinley (8-3) 37-29 and 28-19
Following the season, the 6′-2″, 175 lb. Conley was named 1st team All-Ohio at wide receiver.
The 4-star athlete then left for Ohio State, after first committing to the University of Michigan. Following a redshirt year, Conley became a 3-year starter at cornerback and was a member of OSU’s 2014 national championship team. As a senior, he was team captain and was named 2nd Team All-Big Ten Conference. He ended his career by playing in 41 games, where he is credited with 66 solo tackles, 25 assists, 91 total tackles and 6 pass interceptions.
Conley opted to forgo a fifth year at Ohio State and entered the draft early, where he was picked 24th overall in the first round by the Oakland Raiders in the 2017 event. However, he was hampered by injuries throughout his time in Oakland and was eventually traded in 2019 to the Houston Texans. The following year he became a free agent. He finished his career with a 2023 season playing for the DC Defenders of the United Football League.
“It’s a shame that Conley’s NFL career didn’t pan out the way that Ohio State football fans thought it would. He was still a great Buckeye and his contributions to Ohio State won’t be forgotten. He was part of some of the best secondaries that the Buckeyes have ever had.”…Scarlet and Game, 2024.
Congratulations to Gareon Conley.
