State of 2021 recruiting

[Rembrandt90]

We own Michigan.

I think that is a bit of an exaggeration. But it is perfectly fair to say Coach Clinkscale has been doing an amazing job of recruiting the state of MI for UK. In Damon Payne’s case, we are going head to head against OH St. It’s still very early, and all the big football schools will make a push to recruit Payne this spring. Payne’s recruitment will be very interesting.

 

[UKSanders]

Someone could pop up during spring and summer camps, but as of now, it's a very weak year for talent in Louisville.

I feel like that is a plus for UK. The years when the state of KY is strong in high school talent is often due to kids in the city of Louisville, and those kids are likely to be UL leans.

On the other hand, if the rest of the state (except for Bowling Green for some reason) is where most of the talent is in 2020, I feel like those areas are more likely to be UK leans...hopefully that holds true for 2020 and UK can snag a bunch of the top kids.

 

[Rembrandt90]

I feel like that is a plus for UK. The years when the state of KY is strong in high school talent is often due to kids in the city of Louisville, and those kids are likely to be UL leans.

On the other hand, if the rest of the state (except for Bowling Green for some reason) is where most of the talent is in 2020, I feel like those areas are more likely to be UK leans...hopefully that holds true for 2020 and UK can snag a bunch of the top kids.

Recently, UIK has been signing top players out of JeffCo. When the players are good enough, I think that will continue because UK is winning more SEC football games than ever. But in a smaller state like KY, with fewer football players statewide, the year-by-year variance will be larger than in bigger states. It’s just one more reason why Mark Stoops must recruit all over the eastern US and resist the home crowd’s understandable emotional focus on instate recruiting.

It is a natural tendency for sports fans to want the players they know the most about. But it is the job of college coaches to know about players everywhere. 2020 looks like Stoops’ best class yet. There are 20 hs level commitments to our 2020 class so far, but only four of them are instate. By signing good SEC players out of OH, FL, GA, MI, NJ, and MD, Stoops has dramatically improved recruiting and built UK into a competitive SEC football team. As long we are signing strong classes and getting invited to bowl games, that’s the way it will be here.

 

[vhcat70]

We pretty much recruit the I-75 corridor +/- 200 miles.

 

[Rembrandt90]

We pretty much recruit the I-75 corridor +/- 200 miles.

No longer true. UK’s 2020 class-

OH-5
KY-4
MI-4
TN-1
SC-1
AL-1
FL-1
LA-1
MS-1
VA-1

Aside from our current class, 3 current UK scholarship players are from AL, 2 from OK, 2 from MI, 2 from MD, 2 from SC, 2 from LA, and 1 from Australia.

 

[jauk11]

Crowdus is raw and going to IMG this year really hurt him as really didn't get any PT there from what I understand. I've never really felt that he had much genuine interest in Kentucky, but we will see. Crowdus is definitely fast, but I hope he isn't John Logan-esque. I think he is probably one of the 6-7 guys Marrow mentioned yesterday though. Crowdus, Burton, Dunn, Wright, Lovett, Dingle, Sheron and Jesse are the main dudes in-state.

So far?

 

[jauk11]

Noticed that none of those 2020 offers were for any Louisville kids. Surely there has to be somebody here.

Our chances at them are probably better if they aren't from Louisville, although we do seem to have loosened their grip on those prospects lately.

 

[vhcat70]

No longer true. UK’s 2020 class-

OH-5
KY-4
MI-4
TN-1
SC-1
AL-1
FL-1
LA-1
MS-1
VA-1

Aside from our current class, 3 current UK scholarship players are from AL, 2 from OK, 2 from MI, 2 from MD, 2 from SC, 2 from LA, and 1 from Australia.

16/20 for 2020 - all OH/KY/TN/MI/AL/FL - meet the "pretty much" definition for me. And the 3 outstanding recruits all do.

 

[zcats]

Excellent, interesting analysis. Thanks.

As you said, Weedman and Bates reportedly hold UK scholarship offers. This is just a guess, but I think this represents the beginning of the dialog and an effort to get both players to travel to Lexington for June camps. I doubt either offer is committable currently, which seems to fit with your thinking.

I am fairly sure Jordan Dingle is UK’s top 2021 TE target. Stoops is primarily battling OH St for Dingle, and I have heard he is highly interested in UK at this point. If Stoops can sign Dingle, I think that would be the end of TE recruiting for this class.

By my count, UK has already extended scholarship offers to at least 30 offensive linemen in the 2021 class. There will be more offers. I figure Stoops will take 4-5 offensive linemen at the end of the day. The highest current OL priorities appear to be Wyatt Milum, Jager Burton, Rayshaun Benny, William Griffin, and David Wohlabaugh. In time, some of those prospects will gravitate toward other schools and UK’s coaches will develop their other recruiting dialogs.

Whether Bates ends up at UK is hard to say, but he certainly has the physical build for the job. Last year, UK took Eli Cox because he had an SEC body, a burning desire to play football at UK, and the grades to enroll in January. If Bates can enroll next January, that could help his case with UK.

I read that Cox has an incredibly aggressive attitude on the field as well.

 

[EclipsingYou]

Outside of Burton, Dingle, and Crowdus, is there any other recruits in the state that will be on that 4* level? The last couple years have been pretty amazing regarding instate talent with 8 4*+ players in this class and 5 in 2019. The 2021 instate pool looks more like 2018 than 2020 on paper.

 

[Rock_Cat78]

Outside of Burton, Dingle, and Crowdus, is there any other recruits in the state that will be on that 4* level? The last couple years have been pretty amazing regarding instate talent with 8 4*+ players in this class and 5 in 2019. The 2021 instate pool looks more like 2018 than 2020 on paper.

Jantzen Dunn from South Warren HS. Probably the most talented player in the class.

 

[jauk11]

Outside of Burton, Dingle, and Crowdus, is there any other recruits in the state that will be on that 4* level? The last couple years have been pretty amazing regarding instate talent with 8 4*+ players in this class and 5 in 2019. The 2021 instate pool looks more like 2018 than 2020 on paper.

Amazing that we used to struggle to get one, and in 2010 we failed at that. Interest in football is at an all time high. And losing fans doesn't have that much effect, the TV crowd that are forced to watch Ads are what is driving football money, I hate Ads but that is the truth. Advertising is driving football in today's world, look at the empty seats in the bowl games.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Jantzen Dunn from South Warren HS. Probably the most talented player in the class.

RC 78...not a 21 guy , but what do you know about the Northington kid at Louisville Manual?

 

[Rock_Cat78]

RC 78...not a 21 guy , but what do you know about the Northington kid at Louisville Manual?

Not a whole lot just yet, but he's a guy that I expect to hit the camp scene this spring and summer and we'll know a lot more about him at that point I would think.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Not a whole lot just yet, but he's a guy that I expect to hit the camp scene this spring and summer and we'll know a lot more about him at that point I would think.

6'2 210 playes both ways at LB and is an excellent RB.

 

[Rock_Cat78]

6'2 210 playes both ways at LB and is an excellent RB.

Yeah, I am familiar with him. Just a little too early yet to see exactly what level he will be recruited at. That's why I think the coming months are going to be big for him. Certainly one to watch very closely though.

 

[Rembrandt90]

2021 KY hs football players reported by multiple internet sources to hold current UK offers. Burton, Dingle, and Dunn undoubtedly hold committable offers, but I have no idea about the other offers. This list does not include Lexington native Dekel Crowdus, who also holds a UK offer.

Jager Burton, OL, Lexington
Jordan Dingle, TE, Bowling Green
Reece Jesse, WR, Hopkinsville
Jantzen Dunn, ATH, Bowling Green
Jordan Lovett, DB, Ratcliff
Lavell Wright, RB, Ratcliff
Kaiya Sheron, QB, Somerset
Tristan Cox, LB, Somerset
Logan Weedman, TE, Owensboro
Parker Bates, OL, Owensboro

 

[Canned Heat]

1


JAGER
BURTON

OG

Lexington, KY
Frederick Douglass

6'4"

270

Undecided

2


JORDAN
DINGLE

TE

Bowling Green, KY
Bowling Green

6'4"

225

Undecided

3


JANTZEN
DUNN

ATH

Bowling Green, KY
South Warren

6'2"

170

Undecided

4


LAVELL
WRIGHT

APB

Radcliff, KY
North Hardin

6'1"

195

Undecided

5


KAIYA
SHERON

PRO

Somerset, KY
Somerset

6'3"

200

Undecided

6


JACK
DINGLE

OLB

Louisville, KY
Trinity

6'4"

205

Undecided

7


JORDAN
LOVETT

S

Radcliff, KY
North Hardin

6'2"

195

Undecided

8


KEONTAE
PITTMAN

APB

Ashland , KY
Ashland

6'0"

185

Undecided

9


LOGAN
WEEDMAN

TE

Owensboro, KY
Apollo

6'5"

240

Undecided

10


TRISTAN
COX

ILB

Pulaski County, KY
Pulaski County

6'3"

228

 

[Canned Heat]

 

[Rembrandt90]

16/20 for 2020 - all OH/KY/TN/MI/AL/FL - meet the "pretty much" definition for me. And the 3 outstanding recruits all do.

I will draw the distinction. I am not trying to change your mind. Just stating what I see that has changed.

This is what you said earlier-

We pretty much recruit the I-75 corridor +/- 200 miles.

If you had said "Most of our current players attended hs within 200 miles of I-75", that would be true. If you had said "Until recently, Stoops has had most of his recruiting success signing players within 200 miles of I-75", that would also be true.

But you said Stoops "pretty much recruits" in a corridor within 200 miles of I-75. That is not true. Stoops' staff actively recruits now in KY, OH, IN, MI, OK (Epps), KN, LA (Gilmore, Williams), MS (Hayes), MO, AL, TN, GA, FL, SC (Geiger, Phillips), NC, VA (Adams), MD (Paschal, Watkins), DC, NJ (Allen), and PA (Devonshire). We almost got Lamar Goods out of CT in this class, but Goods decommitted. At the end of the day, UK's current recruiting territory is far more extensive than it was when Stoops got here following our 2012 season, stretching into many new states nowhere near I-75.

 

[GYERater]

Omg

 

[yoshukai]

Not a whole lot just yet, but he's a guy that I expect to hit the camp scene this spring and summer and we'll know a lot more about him at that point I would think.

I know this is a 2021 thread but , a little bird told me that UK has offered FRESHMAN Tommy Zeismer , 6'2 225lb Defensive/tight End from Boyle County . U6 offered about a month ago .

 

[Rock_Cat78]

I know this is a 2021 thread but , a little bird told me that UK has offered FRESHMAN Tommy Zeismer , 6'2 225lb Defensive/tight End from Boyle County . U6 offered about a month ago .

Thanks for the heads up. Just went and watched his film and yeah, safe to say that he is going to be a big deal over the next three years.

 

[Rembrandt90]

More 2021 prospects with UK offers-

Raheem Anderson, OL, Detroit, MI
Jaylen Reed, DB, Detroit, MI
Junior Colson, LB, Brentwood, TN
Kaden Prather, WR, Germantown, MD
Donaven McCulley, QB, Indianapolis, IN
James Gillespie, DL, Woodbridge, VA

 

[Canned Heat]

bump

 

[Rembrandt90]

Another interesting grouping of 2021 prospects with UK offers-

Jaden Alexis, WR
Deshauwn Alleyne, LB
Quenton Barnes, WR
Demetrius Cannon, WR
Shawn Hardy, WR
Christian Lewis, WR
Walker Merrill, WR
Ron Powlus, QB
Tyson Watson, DL
Tim Williams, DL

It appears Stoops is about to offer RB Max Balthazar, of Ft Lauderdale, who is being recruited by Eddie Gran.

 

[Canned Heat]

Can’t wait to get 21 rolling

 

[gobigblue812]

I wonder how many recruits will come to the Spring Game?

 

[gobigblue812]

New offers going out nearly every day.

 

[Rembrandt90]

Devon Williams, a LB from Dublin, OH, is the first verbal commitment to UK’s 2021 recruiting class. Williams is being recruited by Vince Marrow. He has played as an OLB in Coffman hs’s 4-3 defense, but has the physical build of a Will or Mike LB for Stoops’ 3-4.

UK represents Williams’ second SEC offer. He also holds offers from MI, MI St, and WV.

 

[Rembrandt90]

Some more 2021 UK scholarship offers-

Kenneth Bannister, OL
Demetrius Cannon, WR
Jamarius Dinkins, DL
Aaron Gunn, OL
Keontez Lewis, WR
Kaemen Marley, ATH
Eric Randall, DB
Zamon Ross, ATH
Connor Tollison, OL
Davion Weatherspoon, OL
Jarris Williams, RB
Tyleik Williams, DL
Kyree Young, RB

 

[Rock_Cat78]

This thread should really get cranking over the next several weeks leading up to spring practice and the spring game. Also, since it hasn't been mentioned here yet, JR put in picks for UK on Jager Burton and Dekel Crowdus last week.

 

[Rembrandt90]

This thread should really get cranking over the next several weeks leading up to spring practice and the spring game. Also, since it hasn't been mentioned here yet, JR put in picks for UK on Jager Burton and Dekel Crowdus last week.

The first commitments to our 2020 class occurred when John Young and Andru Phillips verbally committed on April 28 and 29, 2019, respectively. With Devon Williams’ recent commitment, we are already started with our 2021 class. Based on recent years, we can probably expect at least several more commitments in April and May.

Let me take this opportunity to mention again that you did an outstanding job predicting the UK commitments of Michael Drennen, RJ Adams, and Vito Tisdale. I enjoyed reading your contributions to our 2020 UK recruiting thread, and look forward to more as this 2021 thread moves forward. It’s great to have a poster who sticks to the business of UK football and knows what he is talking about. That is what makes this website worth reading.

 

[Levibooty]

The first commitments to our 2020 class occurred when John Young and Andru Phillips verbally committed on April 28 and 29, 2019, respectively. With Devon Williams’ recent commitment, we are already started with our 2021 class. Based on recent years, we can probably expect at least several more commitments in April and May.

Let me take this opportunity to mention again that you did an outstanding job predicting the UK commitments of Michael Drennen, RJ Adams, and Vito Tisdale. I enjoyed reading your contributions to our 2020 UK recruiting thread, and look forward to more as this 2021 thread moves forward. It’s great to have a poster who sticks to the business of UK football and knows what he is talking about. That is what makes this website worth reading.

I agree! RockCat_78 is a knowledgeable poster that sticks to football. You never see him entangled in over-sensitive triviality. Truly a great poster. Wish more were like him.

 

[Rembrandt90]

I agree! RockCat_78 is a knowledgeable poster that sticks to football. You never see him entangled in over-sensitive triviality. Truly a great poster. Wish more were like him.

So do I. He does not try to start fights with other posters or hijack threads to insult people. He just discusses football. So far, we have mainly managed to keep these UK recruiting threads focused on recruiting.

 

[Rock_Cat78]

Thanks gentlemen for the kind words, it is appreciated. The best posts/posters are ones that are informative, civil and on topic. My hope is that this thread keeps that in mind through next February.

 

[Rembrandt90]

Thanks gentlemen for the kind words, it is appreciated. The best posts/posters are ones that are informative, civil and on topic. My hope is that this thread keeps that in mind through next February.

Strongly agree. So far, we have managed to keep these UK recruiting threads focused on recruiting. Let’s hope that continues.

 

[Deeeefense]

We finish out ranked #21 but our average player number is #19 at 3.45. That's the highest average player number we have had. We are 8th in the SEC which puts us right in the middle. Were it not for a couple of our recruits received some unfortunate downgrades in the last few days it would have been even higher.

 

[Rock_Cat78]

Kentucky in the early top six for this guy.

 

[Oak_Hill]

I appreciate both Rock_Cat78 and Rembrandt90. Love reading both of yalls post. Always informative and accurate with your predictions. Thank you both.