That analysis sounds a lot like . . . ME!
Hence, I agree with it and proclaim it brilliant.
State of 2022 Recruiting
- Thread starter Rembrandt90
- Start date
That analysis sounds a lot like . . . ME!
Hence, I agree with it and proclaim it brilliant.
As contemplated and discussed here on this thread for months, ATH Alex Afari from Lakota West hs in West Chester, OH, has now given a verbal commitment to UK's 2022 football recruiting class. I believe Afari has been recruited to be developed as a CB. He played some CB at Lakota West hs, and has the long, athletic build (6'2") that Mark Stoops prefers in his CBs.
If that is so, UK may already have four DB commitments in this class along with Andre Stewart, Jeremiah Caldwell, and Treyveon Longmire. Many of us believe Coach Stoops may take one more DB in this class.
Afari will become the fourth Dakota West hs alumnus to play football at UK in this century, along with John "The Terminator" Connor, Kyle Meadows, and George Asafo Adjei.
Afari is being recruited by Coach Marrow and Coach Clinkscale. He holds at least five ACC, four B10, and two B12 offers, although UK is his only known SEC offer to date. In all, Afari already holds more than twenty scholarship offers.
UK's current 2022 football recruiting class-
Alex Afari, ATH, West Chester, OH
Grant Bingham, OL, Paintsville, KY
Jeremiah Caldwell, ATH, Belleville, MI
Kiyaunte Goodwin, OL, Charlestown, IN
Josh Kattus, TE, Cincinnati, OH
Treyveon Longmire, DB, Corbin, KY
Jackson Smith, K, Danville, KY
Andre Stewart, DB, Snellville, GA
Destin Wade, QB, Spring Hill, TN
Keaten Wade, LB, Spring Hill, TN
If that is so, UK may already have four DB commitments in this class along with Andre Stewart, Jeremiah Caldwell, and Treyveon Longmire. Many of us believe Coach Stoops may take one more DB in this class.
Afari will become the fourth Dakota West hs alumnus to play football at UK in this century, along with John "The Terminator" Connor, Kyle Meadows, and George Asafo Adjei.
Afari is being recruited by Coach Marrow and Coach Clinkscale. He holds at least five ACC, four B10, and two B12 offers, although UK is his only known SEC offer to date. In all, Afari already holds more than twenty scholarship offers.
UK's current 2022 football recruiting class-
Alex Afari, ATH, West Chester, OH
Grant Bingham, OL, Paintsville, KY
Jeremiah Caldwell, ATH, Belleville, MI
Kiyaunte Goodwin, OL, Charlestown, IN
Josh Kattus, TE, Cincinnati, OH
Treyveon Longmire, DB, Corbin, KY
Jackson Smith, K, Danville, KY
Andre Stewart, DB, Snellville, GA
Destin Wade, QB, Spring Hill, TN
Keaten Wade, LB, Spring Hill, TN
Alex Smith and Mikel Horton were both Lakota West UK signees as well. Obviously Smith didn't last long here and Horton transferred out as well.
Expect Kentucky to take two more DB's. Tennessee guys Myles Pollard and D'Arco Perkins McAllister are the top two on the wish list.
Expect Kentucky to take two more DB's. Tennessee guys Myles Pollard and D'Arco Perkins McAllister are the top two on the wish list.
Those 2 would be great additions. We're raiding Tennessee and it cannot make the jumpsuits happy.
I think this is a trend, not an exception. I will be surprised if the Wade twins are the last TN products in UK's class. There are several more reasonable possibilities. Expect to see more TN kids join UK's 2023 class as well.
I can remember the days when UT pilfered an occasional top prospect from inside KY. Rob Smith, Jared Hostetter, Luke Stocker, and Channing Fugate come to mind. What's happening now is not payback. These decisions are being made by TN kids because they can see UK is their best option. It's just more evidence that UK has become a more desirable destination for college football than UT. The scandal and chaos in Knoxville may eventually settle down, but the contrast between stability at UK and reactive hyperbole in Knoxville will remain in people's minds for a long time to come. Whether they ever get all they truly deserve, Coach Stoops and Mr. Barnhart still deserve a lot of credit.
Of course anyone could commit in the meantime, but I'd look toward the June official visits, particularly the OL that are visiting. Those dominoes may start to fall then.
Got one in Bingham. Need one more and I expect that to be Ryan Baer as of today.
Another review of 2021 roster numbers.
With Nick Lewis is the transfer portal now, 75 scholarship football players are enrolled for UK's spring semester. Of those 75 players, eighteen will be seniors next fall. Of those eighteen seniors, six were already seniors in 2020 and are returning under the NCAA's one-time COVID waiver rule. Those six returning seniors are-
Josh Ali
Luke Fortner
Zach Johnson
Quandre Mosely
Justin Rigg
Davonte Robinson
Those six returning seniors are the only players guaranteed to be gone after our 2021 season. The twelve other 2021 seniors can return for UK's 2022 football season if they choose to do so, because the NCAA did not charge them a year of their collegiate eligibility for playing in the 2020 season due to the COVID pandemic.
During this summer, ten more true freshmen and two new transfers will enroll for the fall semester.
All of this means Mark Stoops is on track to carry 87 scholarship players on UK's football roster next fall, barring anymore inbound or outbound transfers over the summer.
However, there are always outbound transfers during the summer.
Depending on how many of the twelve first-time 2021 seniors elect to return in 2022, and not accounting for additional transfers, there could be anywhere from 69-81 returning Wildcat players in 2022. Then, adding in the ten current 2022 commitments, our 2022 roster would have somewhere between 79-91 players. By rule, the NCAA's roster limit is 85 scholarship players.
This tells me that-
-Coach Stoops expects most of his seniors to leave after the 2021 season;
-Coach Stoops anticipates more underclass attrition to happen;
-If both of those things happen, then and only then could we talk about a full recruiting class in 2022;
-If neither of those things happen, Stoops would be limited to a six-man 2022 class;
-In order for Coach Stoops to sign 20-25 new players in his 2022 recruiting class, he would need all of his 2021 seniors to leave, plus between 4-9 underclassmen to transfer out. for every 2021 senior who returns in 2022 and every inbound transfer, Coach Stoops would need an additional current underclassman to leave.
I am not predicting what will or won't happen. Just presenting the roster math. But there are multiple outbound transfers every year.
With Nick Lewis is the transfer portal now, 75 scholarship football players are enrolled for UK's spring semester. Of those 75 players, eighteen will be seniors next fall. Of those eighteen seniors, six were already seniors in 2020 and are returning under the NCAA's one-time COVID waiver rule. Those six returning seniors are-
Josh Ali
Luke Fortner
Zach Johnson
Quandre Mosely
Justin Rigg
Davonte Robinson
Those six returning seniors are the only players guaranteed to be gone after our 2021 season. The twelve other 2021 seniors can return for UK's 2022 football season if they choose to do so, because the NCAA did not charge them a year of their collegiate eligibility for playing in the 2020 season due to the COVID pandemic.
During this summer, ten more true freshmen and two new transfers will enroll for the fall semester.
All of this means Mark Stoops is on track to carry 87 scholarship players on UK's football roster next fall, barring anymore inbound or outbound transfers over the summer.
However, there are always outbound transfers during the summer.
Depending on how many of the twelve first-time 2021 seniors elect to return in 2022, and not accounting for additional transfers, there could be anywhere from 69-81 returning Wildcat players in 2022. Then, adding in the ten current 2022 commitments, our 2022 roster would have somewhere between 79-91 players. By rule, the NCAA's roster limit is 85 scholarship players.
This tells me that-
-Coach Stoops expects most of his seniors to leave after the 2021 season;
-Coach Stoops anticipates more underclass attrition to happen;
-If both of those things happen, then and only then could we talk about a full recruiting class in 2022;
-If neither of those things happen, Stoops would be limited to a six-man 2022 class;
-In order for Coach Stoops to sign 20-25 new players in his 2022 recruiting class, he would need all of his 2021 seniors to leave, plus between 4-9 underclassmen to transfer out. for every 2021 senior who returns in 2022 and every inbound transfer, Coach Stoops would need an additional current underclassman to leave.
I am not predicting what will or won't happen. Just presenting the roster math. But there are multiple outbound transfers every year.
Centers-
Quintin Wilson, Jr
Eli Cox, So
Guards-
Luke Fortner, Sr
Austin Dotson, Sr
Kenneth Horsey, Jr
RJ Adams, Fr
Jager Burton, Fr
Not listed above are current OTs who could move inside and may have already received trial practice reps at OG or C in some cases. This could include John Young, Deondre Buford, Josh Jones, and Paul Rodriguez.
Aside from Fortner, Burton, and Rodriguez, all these other players have the option to add an extra year of eligibility because the NCAA did not count the 2020 season due to the COVID pandemic.
Current verbal Grant Bingham could be developed as an OG.
So although I am sure Coach Stoops will sign another OG or C in this class, the interior OL is already deep with underclassmen. This should allow Stoops to take only the guys he really wants and avoid reaching.
Isn't Pollard the one that is a Michigan lean and McAllister an LSU lean? Which side of the ball do you see Caldwell at? With the Clink news worried about him. Think he could be an outstanding player.
Pollard's recruiter at Michigan just left to take the Buffalo job. However, Michigan is now targeting Clink to take his place. Hard to say anything right now until that situation resolved.
What do you expect Clink to do? Michigan has lots of rich football history, but Harbaugh seems to be holding on by a very thin thread. He may see himself as the next Ryan Day waiting to step in since he would be a current coordinator with a new contract.
I don’t see Harbaugh stopping that bleeding anytime soon. Maybe Michigan is resigned to OSU dominance?
In a long anticipated policy change, the NCAA will allow official campus visits again starting in June. Here is a list of uncommitted 2022 prospects who have already scheduled official campus visits to UK. Therefore, expect UK's next couple of verbal commitments to most likely come from this list.
Ryan Baer, OL, Eastlake, OH, June 18
Drew Bobo, OL, Columbia, SC, June 25
Quinton Conley, WR, KS City, MO, June 11
Tyreese Fearbry, LB, Pittsburgh, PA, June 11
Hunter Mclain, OG, Daleville, VA, June 25
Grayson Morgan, OL, Nashville, TN, June 25
D'Arco Perkins-McAllister, DB, Nashville, TN, June 11
Daughtry Richardson, OL, Miami, FL, June 18
Aamil Wagner, OL, Dayton, OH, June 11
At this point, I am thinking Conley and Richardson might be looking good for UK.
Looking out into a longer timeframe, if Dane Key is down to UK, SCar, and OR as some sources have been reporting lately, then I have to like UK's chances to sign him eventually.
Ryan Baer, OL, Eastlake, OH, June 18
Drew Bobo, OL, Columbia, SC, June 25
Quinton Conley, WR, KS City, MO, June 11
Tyreese Fearbry, LB, Pittsburgh, PA, June 11
Hunter Mclain, OG, Daleville, VA, June 25
Grayson Morgan, OL, Nashville, TN, June 25
D'Arco Perkins-McAllister, DB, Nashville, TN, June 11
Daughtry Richardson, OL, Miami, FL, June 18
Aamil Wagner, OL, Dayton, OH, June 11
At this point, I am thinking Conley and Richardson might be looking good for UK.
Looking out into a longer timeframe, if Dane Key is down to UK, SCar, and OR as some sources have been reporting lately, then I have to like UK's chances to sign him eventually.
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I like to see Wagner and fearbry and McAllister on this list. Hopeful for pollard
Good news. 2022 Ohio $tate commit, Tegra Tshabola, is visiting Kentucky.
He's out of West Chester, OH
He's out of West Chester, OH
Personally I would like to get a guy like Baer and a guy like Walker pretty soon. Keep these lines going with three deep quality. Baer with the two we have would make three high quality OL early.
The only reason Fearbry, Perkins-McAlister, and Wagner are on this list (and Pollard isn't) is because it is the list of uncommitted players who have already scheduled official June campus visits to UK. In my view, that factor alone puts these nine players among the prime candidates to be the next UK verbal or verbals. But it doesn't say as much about the eventual list of UK commitments. There will be other campus visitors this summer and fall.
In any case, I believe we have probably seen the last of verbal commitments without scheduled official campus visits. Now that the NCAA has killed the COVID dead period, players will almost certainly schedule official visits before committing. And if a player doesn't schedule an official visit to UK, that will be a good indicator that a UK commitment is not imminent. Like before COVID.
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I haven't seen much evidence that UK is presently high on Walker's list. It could happen, but I don't see it happening soon.
Baer is a different matter. Baer is looking more and more like a UK-UT decision, and I would watch out for UT since they will have him on campus in Knoxville after he visits UK.
OG Hunter Mclain of Daleville, VA, has now scheduled a June 25 visit to UK. Mclain is being recruited by Coach Wolford. UK is currently his only reported SEC offer. Big, long body and long arms. It will be interesting to see if this visit happens.
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I.e., Lakota West. Our history there can't hurt.
Do you know why we aren't recruiting him? Is he not good enough or are were in better position with other DE/LBs?
I don't know what is on Coach Stoops' mind in regards to Selah Brown, but I can probably guess.
Many are probably interested in Brown because he is a Kentuckian with a four star internet rating. But he might be an example of a star rating that does not match up well with a program's system.
All other things being equal, Coach Stoops would like to sign a high profile Jefferson County player who fits in his system. Particularly a Male hs player. Why not Brown?
For one thing, Brown is not a long-bodied athlete. If you look at the players Stoops recruits for his DL, he obviously likes long bodies. That is because long bodies can often be developed into bigger, more dominant players. Long bodies upfront work better in a 3-4 defense. Long bodies and arms facilitate interior tackling, batting down passes, and hand-fighting with offensive linemen. The only recent exception at UK has been Octavious Oxendine, but Oxendine has longer arms and more natural physical strength than Brown. I am not saying Brown cannot play Power 5 football. I am suggesting he might have some trouble with the current competition at UK, Rogers, Gibson, Hayes, Oxendine, Rybka, Dinkins.
There is also a practicality factor. Brown has named UK in his top 10. But if Stoops believes UK will not be his final choice, I couldn't blame him. Brown and his family are lifelong UL fans. By itself, that would not stop Stoops. But if Brown is not an ideal fit in his 3-4 defense, that might explain why UK is not actively recruiting Brown.
Stoops currently has at least 30 offers out to 2022 hs DT prospects. The guy he really wants is Mykel Williams from Columbus, GA. But there are some other interesting names on the list who might also be a good fit.
This recruitment is far from over. OSU's ultimatum may actually give Kentucky more firepower over time.
I think Dane Key has been a solid commit for a while now. Would be shocked if UK is not the choice.
Also, could have swore I read somewhere that roster can be I think the 92 players area. Maybe i was dreaming, but thought i read that because of Covid NCAA allowed rosters to expand by a few. If that is the case (I may be wrong), there will be room for some surprise additions no matter the roster shakeout.
Also, could have swore I read somewhere that roster can be I think the 92 players area. Maybe i was dreaming, but thought i read that because of Covid NCAA allowed rosters to expand by a few. If that is the case (I may be wrong), there will be room for some surprise additions no matter the roster shakeout.
Ohio State is scared of letting a recruit come to little old Kentucky
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