I finished up at a very long Media Day at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge and while Kentucky didn't have as many recruits there as some programs, the Wildcats were well-represented. Drake Jackson didn't arrive until later so I was unable to connect with him but I did have a chance to speak at length with Landon Young and Jedrick Wills.
Young is a really fun guy to talk to. He's probably one of the 'realest,' most down home, comfortable in his own skin, and normal guys you'll meet there. Some of that's because he wasn't 'baptized' in the recruiting frenzy until very recently. But he's still sort of wide-eyed and just new to it all. He was walking around in a camo hat and making small talk with me at the buffet line just like a normal guy - which he is, but with a lot of these guys you can tell they just want to avoid media.
Young flew out with his family and Jackson was actually driving, hence the delay on the latter's part. It seems like Young gets bigger every time I see him. As I said last time, which was in April, he looks so lean on his midsection for an offensive tackle, but his biceps are really impressive. The latter is still true but it sure seems like he's still filling out. If he's close to 300 pounds, and I believe he is, it's one of the most impressive 300 pounds I've ever seen on an offensive tackle. The guy is towering and getting bigger and bigger. His wing span is going to be a ridiculous asset.
I'll have a story on him soon, with quotes, but here's the long and short of it. Young was probably one of the most popular guys with media in the first half of the day because Auburn and a lot of Midwest powers are trying hard to flip him. Alabama? Not as much recently. They've slowed down. Auburn needs tackles, according to one of their site writers, and they love Young. They're coming very hard. Because these guys were so available to Rivals sites, you'll see a lot of stories on Young from other sites. But let me tell you, this is a guy that really, really loves UK. He told me he probably wouldn't take official visits to other schools, likely limiting his trips to summer unofficials. He liked Ohio State but at the end of that he kind of told me that his commitment to UK is his personal bond with the state, at least in his mind, and both he and Drake Jackson are pushing Jedrick Wills hard to join them at UK. He's become very close with John Schlarman and his trip to UK on Tuesday went extremely well. He loves the renovations. This is a guy that, as it's easy to see, is a really down home kind of kid and while I feel like he'd be comfortable at many different places - he's got a quiet confidence about him - he seems like a Kentuckian today and a Kentuckyian at heart.
As for Jedrick Wills, he admitted to me that his dad and some of his family members really want to see him at UK. That's something I've heard from others. They are giving him his space, but all the pressure from people close to him is to go to Kentucky. That's because they're Kentucky fans but also because they would like him to be nearby. He's very close with Young and that's also helping Kentucky.
Wills doesn't seem too eager to hit the road with a full head of steam, and the fact that he's not lining up a huge schedule of out-of-state travel already has to be interpreted as a good sign. He's got a good relationship with Schlarman, he loves the potential of UK's future offensive line, and I think Kentucky is the solid favorite. Those close with Wills will tell you that he doesn't really discuss recruiting candidly even with friends, but the writing on the wall is looking good for Kentucky. I do suspect he'll visit the usual suspects - Florida, Florida State, Alabama, etc., - but it will take a lot to get him out of Kentucky, especially if the Cats finish with Jackson and Young as I suspect they will. He visited with Jackson and Young on Tuesday, too.
I spoke with 2017 quarterback Chase Brice of Georgia who has a UK offer and he's still very new to the Cats. He likes what Shannon Dawson has done in the past but he admitted he doesn't think he will be able to visit Kentucky this summer. He's really hoping for offers from schools like Clemson, Alabama and Florida, so he seems to be thinking a lot of the South's heavy hitters will come through for him.
FWIW, I think Kentucky would be well-served to take a look at Sean Clifford of Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier. Impressive rising junior quarterback, mentally and in terms of his arm.
I spoke with Ohio defensive end Jonathon Cooper who has been committed to Ohio State for some time. He told me Kentucky is the only school still coming after him. Cooper is an absolute monster. All of the media types I spoke with agreed and some actually believe he's one of the top few players in Ohio -- as in one of the top very few. Standing next to him it's evident that he's filled out for sure.
Kentucky's coaches are in frequent contact with Cooper and they will make the case that he's going to be better suited as a standup hybrid type than a defensive end. Ohio State has some help coming at defensive end and they may try to add more. The OSU people I spoke with told me they are not recruiting 'over' Cooper at all and that the Buckeyes absolutely love him. Cooper did tell me that he's very solid with OSU, but it's worth noting that he's in frequent contact with Kentucky. They're also talking to him about the renovations and he likes what's coming up. It will take some work to get him to visit Kentucky, but this isn't a Nick Conner situation. If UK ever gets Cooper's interest up enough to get a visit in the works, he's too good for them to pull the rug out from under him. He'd likely hold the cards.
These guys were not at the challenge but I heard a lot of talk about them:
Tobias Gilliam is very coveted. After his Opening regional performance Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State have come on strong. Nebraska has offered. Michigan State reportedly considers him one of their top DB targets. I love his swagger. UK feels he's confident. Gilliam told me recently he didn't want to talk about his interest in other schools but he will be at UK tomorrow.
I know Kordell Looney is blowing up too and that's someone else Big Ten schools are taking a close look at. Based on my past conversations with Looney I got the impression he's definitely one of the leaders, personality wise, along with Gilliam -- in terms of the Ohio crew. Looney, Gilliam and Drake Jackson have been among UK's most enthusiastic recruiters.
I spoke with a Purdue guy and they are very excited about Elijah Sindelar. No surprise, but their guys are shocked he didn't blow up more, although they understand it's due to him not putting himself out there more. They feel like he can be a starter very early in his career even in spite of the injury.
Young is a really fun guy to talk to. He's probably one of the 'realest,' most down home, comfortable in his own skin, and normal guys you'll meet there. Some of that's because he wasn't 'baptized' in the recruiting frenzy until very recently. But he's still sort of wide-eyed and just new to it all. He was walking around in a camo hat and making small talk with me at the buffet line just like a normal guy - which he is, but with a lot of these guys you can tell they just want to avoid media.
Young flew out with his family and Jackson was actually driving, hence the delay on the latter's part. It seems like Young gets bigger every time I see him. As I said last time, which was in April, he looks so lean on his midsection for an offensive tackle, but his biceps are really impressive. The latter is still true but it sure seems like he's still filling out. If he's close to 300 pounds, and I believe he is, it's one of the most impressive 300 pounds I've ever seen on an offensive tackle. The guy is towering and getting bigger and bigger. His wing span is going to be a ridiculous asset.
I'll have a story on him soon, with quotes, but here's the long and short of it. Young was probably one of the most popular guys with media in the first half of the day because Auburn and a lot of Midwest powers are trying hard to flip him. Alabama? Not as much recently. They've slowed down. Auburn needs tackles, according to one of their site writers, and they love Young. They're coming very hard. Because these guys were so available to Rivals sites, you'll see a lot of stories on Young from other sites. But let me tell you, this is a guy that really, really loves UK. He told me he probably wouldn't take official visits to other schools, likely limiting his trips to summer unofficials. He liked Ohio State but at the end of that he kind of told me that his commitment to UK is his personal bond with the state, at least in his mind, and both he and Drake Jackson are pushing Jedrick Wills hard to join them at UK. He's become very close with John Schlarman and his trip to UK on Tuesday went extremely well. He loves the renovations. This is a guy that, as it's easy to see, is a really down home kind of kid and while I feel like he'd be comfortable at many different places - he's got a quiet confidence about him - he seems like a Kentuckian today and a Kentuckyian at heart.
As for Jedrick Wills, he admitted to me that his dad and some of his family members really want to see him at UK. That's something I've heard from others. They are giving him his space, but all the pressure from people close to him is to go to Kentucky. That's because they're Kentucky fans but also because they would like him to be nearby. He's very close with Young and that's also helping Kentucky.
Wills doesn't seem too eager to hit the road with a full head of steam, and the fact that he's not lining up a huge schedule of out-of-state travel already has to be interpreted as a good sign. He's got a good relationship with Schlarman, he loves the potential of UK's future offensive line, and I think Kentucky is the solid favorite. Those close with Wills will tell you that he doesn't really discuss recruiting candidly even with friends, but the writing on the wall is looking good for Kentucky. I do suspect he'll visit the usual suspects - Florida, Florida State, Alabama, etc., - but it will take a lot to get him out of Kentucky, especially if the Cats finish with Jackson and Young as I suspect they will. He visited with Jackson and Young on Tuesday, too.
I spoke with 2017 quarterback Chase Brice of Georgia who has a UK offer and he's still very new to the Cats. He likes what Shannon Dawson has done in the past but he admitted he doesn't think he will be able to visit Kentucky this summer. He's really hoping for offers from schools like Clemson, Alabama and Florida, so he seems to be thinking a lot of the South's heavy hitters will come through for him.
FWIW, I think Kentucky would be well-served to take a look at Sean Clifford of Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier. Impressive rising junior quarterback, mentally and in terms of his arm.
I spoke with Ohio defensive end Jonathon Cooper who has been committed to Ohio State for some time. He told me Kentucky is the only school still coming after him. Cooper is an absolute monster. All of the media types I spoke with agreed and some actually believe he's one of the top few players in Ohio -- as in one of the top very few. Standing next to him it's evident that he's filled out for sure.
Kentucky's coaches are in frequent contact with Cooper and they will make the case that he's going to be better suited as a standup hybrid type than a defensive end. Ohio State has some help coming at defensive end and they may try to add more. The OSU people I spoke with told me they are not recruiting 'over' Cooper at all and that the Buckeyes absolutely love him. Cooper did tell me that he's very solid with OSU, but it's worth noting that he's in frequent contact with Kentucky. They're also talking to him about the renovations and he likes what's coming up. It will take some work to get him to visit Kentucky, but this isn't a Nick Conner situation. If UK ever gets Cooper's interest up enough to get a visit in the works, he's too good for them to pull the rug out from under him. He'd likely hold the cards.
These guys were not at the challenge but I heard a lot of talk about them:
Tobias Gilliam is very coveted. After his Opening regional performance Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State have come on strong. Nebraska has offered. Michigan State reportedly considers him one of their top DB targets. I love his swagger. UK feels he's confident. Gilliam told me recently he didn't want to talk about his interest in other schools but he will be at UK tomorrow.
I know Kordell Looney is blowing up too and that's someone else Big Ten schools are taking a close look at. Based on my past conversations with Looney I got the impression he's definitely one of the leaders, personality wise, along with Gilliam -- in terms of the Ohio crew. Looney, Gilliam and Drake Jackson have been among UK's most enthusiastic recruiters.
I spoke with a Purdue guy and they are very excited about Elijah Sindelar. No surprise, but their guys are shocked he didn't blow up more, although they understand it's due to him not putting himself out there more. They feel like he can be a starter very early in his career even in spite of the injury.
