Cincinnati had to wait until the afternoon, but National Signing Day No. 2 turned out to be a big one.

Springfield (OH) four-star defensive end Leonard Taylor announced Wednesday afternoon that he'll play his college football for the Bearcats. Taylor chose Cincinnati over a top list that also included Texas A&M, Louisville and Kentucky.

Taylor becomes the second four-star addition of the day, as Rivals250 running back Tavion Thomas committed and signed with Cincinnati just minutes before Taylor's announcement. They join four-star defensive end Malik Vann, who signed with the Bearcats in December, as the cornerstones of Cincinnati's 2018 recruiting class.

Taylor officially visited Cincinnati Jan. 19. He also officially visited Kentucky and Louisville, the latter of which was widely suspected as the favorite. Much of that stemmed from the Cardinals' offer to let Taylor play tight end. He'll likely play on defense for the Bearcats.

Taylor and Thomas give Cincinnati 23 additions for the 2018 class, not counting preferred walk-ons.

Check back with BearcatReport.com for more coverage of all of the Bearcats' hauls on national signing day.