** @Jeff Drummond mentioned this morning that Kentucky has a busload of Cass Tech visitors from Detroit on campus today. School doesn't have much in the way of 2024 guys Kentucky is after but some of their younger prospects to know about who are likely getting one of their first looks at UK....
** Also visiting today is Terhyon Nichols, a 6'0, 180-pound cornerback and one of the top prospects in Cincinnati from the '24 class with offers from the likes of BC, Duke, Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Cincinnati (Ohio) Withrow cornerback Judah Starr (2025) is also visiting today. His 2024 teammate, DeJuan Harris (6'3, 185) is a DB who is also visiting today. Was an all-conference player. Quintin Simmons (2025) is another player from the school visiting.
** Spoke with Charlotte, NC linebacker Jaden Smith who has offers from BC, USC, Virginia Tech, and a bunch of G5 schools and he plans to visit Kentucky early next month. He told me he has scheduled an official visit to Virginia Tech for 6/9 and the Hokies are really pushing hard for him as a top guy. Kentucky will get him on campus and then probably decide what kind of priority he is.
** There are no questions about where Kentucky stands on Brunswick, GA linebacker Devin Smith. He was at Kentucky this week and we saw him in Lexington this summer hanging out with Mike Stoops and others. I know Chris Collins has spent a lot of time with him and the fact that so many coaches and players seem to converge on him during visits is a pretty strong testament to the kind of target he is for the Wildcats. He's probably an inside 'backer target for them.
Smith has been pretty quiet recently and hasn't responded to interview requests but it seems like UK is in the top tier. South Carolina is a place he has been several times, I know Florida State has recruited him, and Auburn has a relationship with him via coaches who knew him before they got there. But Kentucky is right there in the mix and Smith should be regarded as a top linebacker target from the '24 class.
** We've mentioned Covington Catholic TE Willie Rodriguez a number of times and when I spoke with him last he seemed to believe there could be good news coming in the near future. Remember he was 30 pounds lighter when they last saw him compared to this recent visit, and apparently the coaching staff was really impressed.
But at the same time Kentucky's pursuit of other tight ends continues and Gavin Grover is actually visiting right now, he tells me. I actually logged a FutureCast for Kentucky w/ Grover a while back on the basis of some of the comments he made to me about a previous visit. I would not put that pick at high confidence, it's low, but I do believe Kentucky would be an "inner circle" option for him right now.
Cincinnati, Pitt, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, and Michigan State are some of the other schools Grover has been checking out this spring.
** Mentioned massive 2025 Winton Woods OL Raphael Greene as visiting recently and also mentioned in that story that 2025 OLB Justin Hill accompanied him. Everyone I've spoken with believes those visits went well for each respective player but Hill deserves a real spotlight because he's a big-time player. Lots of options and has been on the road to a number of other places, too.
** Also visiting today is Terhyon Nichols, a 6'0, 180-pound cornerback and one of the top prospects in Cincinnati from the '24 class with offers from the likes of BC, Duke, Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Cincinnati (Ohio) Withrow cornerback Judah Starr (2025) is also visiting today. His 2024 teammate, DeJuan Harris (6'3, 185) is a DB who is also visiting today. Was an all-conference player. Quintin Simmons (2025) is another player from the school visiting.
** Spoke with Charlotte, NC linebacker Jaden Smith who has offers from BC, USC, Virginia Tech, and a bunch of G5 schools and he plans to visit Kentucky early next month. He told me he has scheduled an official visit to Virginia Tech for 6/9 and the Hokies are really pushing hard for him as a top guy. Kentucky will get him on campus and then probably decide what kind of priority he is.
** There are no questions about where Kentucky stands on Brunswick, GA linebacker Devin Smith. He was at Kentucky this week and we saw him in Lexington this summer hanging out with Mike Stoops and others. I know Chris Collins has spent a lot of time with him and the fact that so many coaches and players seem to converge on him during visits is a pretty strong testament to the kind of target he is for the Wildcats. He's probably an inside 'backer target for them.
Smith has been pretty quiet recently and hasn't responded to interview requests but it seems like UK is in the top tier. South Carolina is a place he has been several times, I know Florida State has recruited him, and Auburn has a relationship with him via coaches who knew him before they got there. But Kentucky is right there in the mix and Smith should be regarded as a top linebacker target from the '24 class.
** We've mentioned Covington Catholic TE Willie Rodriguez a number of times and when I spoke with him last he seemed to believe there could be good news coming in the near future. Remember he was 30 pounds lighter when they last saw him compared to this recent visit, and apparently the coaching staff was really impressed.
But at the same time Kentucky's pursuit of other tight ends continues and Gavin Grover is actually visiting right now, he tells me. I actually logged a FutureCast for Kentucky w/ Grover a while back on the basis of some of the comments he made to me about a previous visit. I would not put that pick at high confidence, it's low, but I do believe Kentucky would be an "inner circle" option for him right now.
Cincinnati, Pitt, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, and Michigan State are some of the other schools Grover has been checking out this spring.
** Mentioned massive 2025 Winton Woods OL Raphael Greene as visiting recently and also mentioned in that story that 2025 OLB Justin Hill accompanied him. Everyone I've spoken with believes those visits went well for each respective player but Hill deserves a real spotlight because he's a big-time player. Lots of options and has been on the road to a number of other places, too.
