A former Ohio State University football recruit was sentenced Thursday to nine months in prison for injuring his then-girlfriend's 5-year-old son.

A former Ohio State University football recruit was sentenced Thursday to nine months in prison for injuring his then-girlfriend's 5-year-old son.

Kenneth L. Hayes Jr., 24, pleaded guilty in May to one count of child endangering for the incident, which occurred on Dec. 16, 2014.

Hayes, who was babysitting the child at the woman's Hilliard apartment, called 911 to report that the boy wasn't breathing. Paramedics took the childto Nationwide Children's Hospital. Although the boy had no external injuries,doctors diagnosed bleeding on the brain.

Hayesadmitted to investigators that he "may have been heavy-handed with the kid," but did not intend to injure him, Assistant Prosecutor Michael Hughes said. The child has fully recovered from the injuries, he said.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge William Woods imposed the sentence. The maximum penalty for the offense is three years.

Hayes, a defensive end who was a 2011 recruit for the Buckeyes, was redshirted during his first year at OSU, then had to sit out spring practices in 2012 because of recurring headaches. He was released by Ohio State at his request so he could transfer to the University of Toledo.