State of 2023 Recruiting
- Thread starter Canned Heat
- Start date
All this hand wringing over a wide receiver. We need linebackers, dline and oline to round out this class.
Surprised to see the lack of OL/DL at this time. UK's going to have to make a full scale assault on the portal.
Of course that is way more important just posted what i seen in reference to your post. Who knows if they can hold on to what they got, with keenum visiting other schools.
There is a kid named Vysen Lang. Number 58 OT in the country. Still uncommitted but guess who is leading to sign him? Yep, Tennessee. He is from Alabama. Why aren’t we in on this kid? Have we even tried to recruit him? These are the kids that take your program to the next level. We need way more of these types. Our recruiting needs to step up.
Has a UK offer, can't force him to take it. Still, UK's only chance to salvage anything from this shitty year is to hit the portal hard. Fail there and the party's over.
Hand wringing. Lol man everyone knows the OL is the most important position of need.but outside of keenum taking a visit elsewhere there is zero news on the recruiting front. Them offering a wr is about the only news lately in recruiting
There is no need to edit or delete his post. Do you not agree that this class is trending towards being the lowest rated class in Stoops’ tenure? Something is definitely going on. You can’t fight top 15 classes with 40-50 rated classes unless you know you can get what you need out of the portal. Sadly you see what happens when you whiff in an area of need (OT)!
Lots of committed players visit other schools. This only seems significant because of the high level of frustration on the board. If Keenum decommits, that would be unfortunate, but not a program breaker.
Players decommit from every program. I honestly expect more decommitments this year for obvious reasons, but I will wait and see before making something of it. Just depends on who. We know Brown and Godfrey are still firm to UK because they have gone out of their way to say so. Need to hang onto Porter, Stuart, and Ramsey.
My impression is that Coach Stoops has developed an affinity for the transport portal, possibly because it is easier to evaluate players who have taken college snaps. There is no denying that Stoops has done a good job with the portal.
The deficiencies on our current team are not due to recruiting shortcomings. We have plenty of offensive linemen, and most of them were highly regarded. We have plenty of receivers. A lot of these players will be far better once they have had more experience. Whether we have the right assistant coaches in some of the teaching roles is a different issue.
Read what I posted. Read what he posted. Look at the offers and visits the commits took. What he said is a falsehood. Completely unfactual.
My comment about his post stands. Maybe his mom shouldn't come on here to defend him. Of course he won't say anything because his comment is FOS, so mommy has to step up
I think my post may have been taken wrong. Of course everyone is going to have guys flip and sometimes it will be a really good prospect. Heck UK is working hard for Gilbert, Jackson, and Calhoun. Good chance Calhoun flips soon.
I think everyone wishes we had more commits on the OL and DL. Keenum wad probably the best OL commit he have and it doesn't seem that he have a lot of traction with any other linemen. I did read wiltfong say that UK is still working hard on Betrand though probably a long shot. Ramsey is a good prospect but a few years from helping. They def have to hit the portal hard for OL. The problem and I think is the reason for keenum being on flip watch, is the fact our line isn't improving. That may make it harder to get the top OL.
Overall I like the players they have commits from. They have missed on the line and the class is small. With that said they also have some really good commits. The DB class is good. The WR class is really good. UK is not dead in the water as some think
First off fella, KMA.
Second, if you think this class is gonna be able to compete with the top of the SEC, especially with the dinosaur offense we trot out every year, I don't know what to tell you.
Third, Wood, Ziesmer, Dixon, Bryant and Addison are all long term projects who may or may not work out. I know a couple of these guys claim decent offers but do you know if they're committable? Plus, we have next to nothing on the OL, our biggest need btw, once Keenum officially decommits. So if you wanna continue to stick your head in the sand and wonder in two years why we're back in the cellar with Vandy, unless something drastically changes, continue to do so.
BTW, I'm not saying this is all Stoops' fault. I think he's made a few bad hires the last few years but UK just doesn't have the money to compete with the big boys. if we can somehow fix NIL then we may be able to salvage the program.
Wood and Dixon are def projects. I have never been high on Bryany but will wait and see what he does. I really like Addison and think zeismer will play here. Addison is playing really good competition and shutting down good WRs while playing both ways. I have seen several on here that don't like zeismer and most is because of him being 6'1 though he has a huge wing span. The coaches brought in several guys at the same position and passed on guys like clements while offering zeismer. I'm trusting they made the right call there. UK has survived the '19 class that basically had 2 HS guys that have played much at all. This transfer portal and the '24 class will def have to pick it back up a notch
My biggest bitch with this recruiting class is the lack of OL/DL but more to that end the lack of development of young OL already in the program. Many complained that the previous OL coach didn't develop or rotate his players....well, this new guy doesn't or isn't either. We have a true freshman 5* who every program and their uncle would've given their left nut for and he hasn't seen the field other than to get trampled on STs. No John Young, no Paul Rodriquez, no Nik Hall, no Grant Bringham, no Dave Woefulbaugh,...WTF, are those guys just not very good?? You're right, UK better make a full scale assault on the portal.
Lol!
Can certainly count him as full of sht, because he never addressed the flat out lie he posted.
The reasons for the class struggling has been talked about 100 times
NIL not supported/discouraged by Barnhart & JMI
Not many top recruits in Kentucky & Ohio this class
Too many assistant hires last 2 yrs who have never recruited & landed SEC athletes. Or CFN kids at all!
I shudder to think where we would be if Bouknight had not got a dui, forcing him out & Woody in. The guy who was Coen's buddy and was just going to be a support analyst became our 2nd best recruiter.
NIL not supported/discouraged by Barnhart & JMI
Not many top recruits in Kentucky & Ohio this class
Too many assistant hires last 2 yrs who have never recruited & landed SEC athletes. Or CFN kids at all!
I shudder to think where we would be if Bouknight had not got a dui, forcing him out & Woody in. The guy who was Coen's buddy and was just going to be a support analyst became our 2nd best recruiter.
Teams typically land kids in the portal as a result of assistant coaches having established relationships with players from recruiting them the first time around. Uk isn’t gonna have that luxury with many of their assistants.
Except Scang and his QB camp ties. Also it could be any player they built a relationship with during HS recruiting.
UK definitely likes to hook back with guys they heavily recruited as HS kids. Already know them, have relationships with the player/family/hs coach.
Somebody better be working the text line of CFB O linemen who we came in 2nd or 3rd choice out of HS.
Somebody better be working the text line of CFB O linemen who we came in 2nd or 3rd choice out of HS.
UK recruiting update.
UK's current 2023 football class-
Nasir Addison, DB, Irvington, NJ
Addison has played a lot of WR in hs, but Coach White likes him as a CB. He runs well, and reportedly holds 5 ACC offers and 2 SEC offers.
Jaremiah Anglin, DB, Lake Wales, FL
One of the better CB prospects in the south. His cousin Derwin James is an NFL safety. Anglin holds at least 4 B10 offers and 5 SEC offers. He may be UK's most talented commit from the state of FL since Jordan Wright.
Anthony Brown, slotR, Springfield, OH
Brown is one of the better slot receivers in the midwest. He has impressive speed and athleticism, and is stronger than he looks. He holds at least 7 B10 offers and 3 SEC offers. He recently said his UK commitment is firm.
Ty Bryant, DB, Lexington, KY
Bryant plays RB, WR, CB, and S for UK pipeline Frederick Douglass hs. He holds 2 SEC offers plus another from Cincinnati. Bryant has been decorated at several summer combines for his play and upside, and is probably the most underrated player in UK's class. UK is recruiting him as a safety and possibly as a punt returner.
Jakob Dixon, WR, Louisville, KY
UK's coaches know Dixon because he attended a summer camp in Lexington. He has great length, good hands, and runs well. UK is his only SEC offer. Evidently another underrated prospect, the kind of player who helps your team much more than your internet class ranking.
Grant Godfrey, LB, Suwanee, GA
Although he holds at least 7 SEC offers, Godfrey is probably one of the most underrated players in UK's class. Ideal LB size and can play multiple LB positions. Great motor and athleticism. Has a rep as an excellent tackler who plays sideline to sideline. TN recruited him hard, but he recently repeated that his UK commitment is firm.
Koby Keenum, OL, Florence, AL
Keenum is a hs OT but UK is recruiting him as a C. Reportedly he has a high football IQ. He holds at least 7 SEC offers. Although he is committed to UK, he just visited MS St and is reportedly in the act of scheduling a visit to OM. There have been rumors of a pending decommitment but this remains to be seen. Maybe he just needs to reassure himself that UK is a better alternative than the closer schools. It is obvious that UK needs OL help.
Khalifa Keith, RB/LB, Birmingham, AL
Before committing UK, Keith was not very heavily recruited. UK's coaches knew about him because he attended a summer camp in Lexington. Subsequent to his UK commitment, Keith has been taking other campus visits to places like SCar. Whether he will decommit is open to debate, but hasn't happened yet. He is projectable as a RB or LB, but UK is recruiting him as a RB. With Chris Rodriguez and Kavosiey Smoke graduating, a great opportunity is available at UK.
Tanner Lemaster, TE, Washington CH, OH
Coach Marrow has been a master at evaluating and signing productive TEs out of the state of OH. Lemaster has excellent length and tools. He reportedly holds at least 3 SEC offers.
Shamar Porter, WR, Nashville, TN
Porter looks like a future SEC star. One of the top players in UK's class. He reportedly holds at least 7 SEC offers.
Austin Ramsey, OL, Philadelphia, PA
Ramsey plays OT in hs but will be an SEC OG. He is large and powerful. It will be necessary for Ramsey to remake his body in UK's conditioning program, but he should be a future multiyear starter. UK is his only SEC offer but he holds at least 5 B10 offers.
Avery Stuart, DB, Montgomery, AL
Stuart is a future high upside SEC safety, and one of the top players in UK's class. He reportedly holds at least 5 SEC offers.
Malachi Wood, OL, Richmond, KY
Huge OT prospect with long arms and raw tools. He is a high risk high reward developmental project. UK is his only SEC offer, although he also holds 2 B10 offers.
Tommy Zeismer, LB, Danville, KY
Zeismer holds 2 SEC offers. He is quick, with a motor. The conventional wisdom says he is an edge player. But Zeismer clearly lacks the length and size of an SEC edge. He has a interior LB body type, and I suspect that will be his path forward.
Here is a discussion of hs prospects believed to be current targets of UK's coaches.
Ardell Banks, WR, Massillon, OH
UK is Banks' only SEC offer, but he is intriguing because of his length and the high level of hs competition he has faced and produced against. Stoops obviously wants one more WR in the class, and UK can probably sign Banks if we can't get Dimetrius Bell.
Dimetrius Bell, WR, Nashville, TN
Bell, a personal friend of Barion Brown, is one of the better WR prospects in the south. He holds at least 9 SEC offers. He recently decommitted from MI St and visited Lexington. UK's coaches want Bell, but this may be an uphill battle.
Trey Cornist, RB, Cincinnati, OH
UK is Cornist's only SEC offer, but he also has 2 B10 offers. He is a powerful RB at a great hs program, but he may be a step slow for the SEC. It may be telling that Luke Fickell hasn't offered. But UK obviously needs more RBs since Rodriguez and Smoke will graduate, and it never hurts to strengthen the relationship by taking another player from Winton Woods hs.
Karmello English, slotR, Phenix City, AL
At one time, English reportedly held at least 9 SEC offers. Then AL stopped recruiting him, and he committed to Auburn. Not long ago, he decommitted. UK is still recruiting him, but it is not clear how many committable offers he holds now. He is a slotR prospect who does not have great speed, but knows how to run routes and catch in traffic.
Kendrick Gilbert, DL, Indianapolis, IN
Gilbert has been recruited hard by Anwar Stewart but is committed to Purdue. He recently visited UK. The working theory is that UL might fire Scott Satterfield and hire Jeff Brohm, following which Gilbert would decommit from Purdue. At the moment, I don't care for the chances of any of this happening. But there is clearly a spot for Gilbert in UK's class if he decides to flip.
Devin Hyatt, WR, Bradenton, FL
Hyatt reportedly holds at least 8 SEC offers including AL and GA. His big brother is a star receiver for TN. So if TN wants him, you have to figure they may have the best shot to sign him. But he is still scheduled to visit Lexington next Saturday. If he shows up for the visit, UK still has a chance.
Ja'Keem Jackson, DB, Kissimmee, FL
Jackson is one of the best DB prospects in the south. He holds 11 SEC offers. He is currently committed to FL. If he flipped to UK, he would immediately become the highest ranked player in our 2023 class. There is a chance this could happen. His brother is a member of UK's track team, and he recently visited Lexington. But several other SEC teams are still pursuing him.
Saboor Karriem, DB, West Orange, NJ
Karriem holds at least 4 B10 offers and 2 SEC offers. He recently decommitted for IL. He has great length for a safety.
Branden Palmer, LB, Cornelius, NC
Brad White verbally offered Palmer in June. He is an edge LB prospect. Reportedly, he likes UK and WV. But it is hard to tell if UK is still recruiting him, or if he will try to visit.
Marcellius Pulliam, LB, Tyrone, GA
UK's pursuit of Pullium has been off and on. He is an interesting prospect because of his size and athleticism. But he hasn't scheduled any visits, which tells you he isn't focused on recruiting or doesn't have the grades to enroll. It has been rumored that he likes Auburn, but Auburn doesn't currently have a football coach. If Pullium schedules a visit to Lexington, then I will take him more seriously.
William Spencer, OL, New Albany, IN
Spencer grew up in Louisville. He holds at least 3 SEC offers. He has crystal ball predictions for UK, including one from Steve Wiltfong. Probably a future Wildcat if he has the grades to enroll.
Jamarion Wilcox, RB, Douglasville, GA
Wilcox holds 3 SEC offers plus others from Clemson and Cincinnati. He recently visited Lexington. With Rodriguez and Smoke graduating, there is an obvious need for more RBs. Wilcox, who is having a breakout senior season at South Paulding hs, is good enough to win snaps early in a career at UK. He might not commit anywhere until December but he would be a fortunate get for us.
UK's current 2023 football class-
Nasir Addison, DB, Irvington, NJ
Addison has played a lot of WR in hs, but Coach White likes him as a CB. He runs well, and reportedly holds 5 ACC offers and 2 SEC offers.
Jaremiah Anglin, DB, Lake Wales, FL
One of the better CB prospects in the south. His cousin Derwin James is an NFL safety. Anglin holds at least 4 B10 offers and 5 SEC offers. He may be UK's most talented commit from the state of FL since Jordan Wright.
Anthony Brown, slotR, Springfield, OH
Brown is one of the better slot receivers in the midwest. He has impressive speed and athleticism, and is stronger than he looks. He holds at least 7 B10 offers and 3 SEC offers. He recently said his UK commitment is firm.
Ty Bryant, DB, Lexington, KY
Bryant plays RB, WR, CB, and S for UK pipeline Frederick Douglass hs. He holds 2 SEC offers plus another from Cincinnati. Bryant has been decorated at several summer combines for his play and upside, and is probably the most underrated player in UK's class. UK is recruiting him as a safety and possibly as a punt returner.
Jakob Dixon, WR, Louisville, KY
UK's coaches know Dixon because he attended a summer camp in Lexington. He has great length, good hands, and runs well. UK is his only SEC offer. Evidently another underrated prospect, the kind of player who helps your team much more than your internet class ranking.
Grant Godfrey, LB, Suwanee, GA
Although he holds at least 7 SEC offers, Godfrey is probably one of the most underrated players in UK's class. Ideal LB size and can play multiple LB positions. Great motor and athleticism. Has a rep as an excellent tackler who plays sideline to sideline. TN recruited him hard, but he recently repeated that his UK commitment is firm.
Koby Keenum, OL, Florence, AL
Keenum is a hs OT but UK is recruiting him as a C. Reportedly he has a high football IQ. He holds at least 7 SEC offers. Although he is committed to UK, he just visited MS St and is reportedly in the act of scheduling a visit to OM. There have been rumors of a pending decommitment but this remains to be seen. Maybe he just needs to reassure himself that UK is a better alternative than the closer schools. It is obvious that UK needs OL help.
Khalifa Keith, RB/LB, Birmingham, AL
Before committing UK, Keith was not very heavily recruited. UK's coaches knew about him because he attended a summer camp in Lexington. Subsequent to his UK commitment, Keith has been taking other campus visits to places like SCar. Whether he will decommit is open to debate, but hasn't happened yet. He is projectable as a RB or LB, but UK is recruiting him as a RB. With Chris Rodriguez and Kavosiey Smoke graduating, a great opportunity is available at UK.
Tanner Lemaster, TE, Washington CH, OH
Coach Marrow has been a master at evaluating and signing productive TEs out of the state of OH. Lemaster has excellent length and tools. He reportedly holds at least 3 SEC offers.
Shamar Porter, WR, Nashville, TN
Porter looks like a future SEC star. One of the top players in UK's class. He reportedly holds at least 7 SEC offers.
Austin Ramsey, OL, Philadelphia, PA
Ramsey plays OT in hs but will be an SEC OG. He is large and powerful. It will be necessary for Ramsey to remake his body in UK's conditioning program, but he should be a future multiyear starter. UK is his only SEC offer but he holds at least 5 B10 offers.
Avery Stuart, DB, Montgomery, AL
Stuart is a future high upside SEC safety, and one of the top players in UK's class. He reportedly holds at least 5 SEC offers.
Malachi Wood, OL, Richmond, KY
Huge OT prospect with long arms and raw tools. He is a high risk high reward developmental project. UK is his only SEC offer, although he also holds 2 B10 offers.
Tommy Zeismer, LB, Danville, KY
Zeismer holds 2 SEC offers. He is quick, with a motor. The conventional wisdom says he is an edge player. But Zeismer clearly lacks the length and size of an SEC edge. He has a interior LB body type, and I suspect that will be his path forward.
Here is a discussion of hs prospects believed to be current targets of UK's coaches.
Ardell Banks, WR, Massillon, OH
UK is Banks' only SEC offer, but he is intriguing because of his length and the high level of hs competition he has faced and produced against. Stoops obviously wants one more WR in the class, and UK can probably sign Banks if we can't get Dimetrius Bell.
Dimetrius Bell, WR, Nashville, TN
Bell, a personal friend of Barion Brown, is one of the better WR prospects in the south. He holds at least 9 SEC offers. He recently decommitted from MI St and visited Lexington. UK's coaches want Bell, but this may be an uphill battle.
Trey Cornist, RB, Cincinnati, OH
UK is Cornist's only SEC offer, but he also has 2 B10 offers. He is a powerful RB at a great hs program, but he may be a step slow for the SEC. It may be telling that Luke Fickell hasn't offered. But UK obviously needs more RBs since Rodriguez and Smoke will graduate, and it never hurts to strengthen the relationship by taking another player from Winton Woods hs.
Karmello English, slotR, Phenix City, AL
At one time, English reportedly held at least 9 SEC offers. Then AL stopped recruiting him, and he committed to Auburn. Not long ago, he decommitted. UK is still recruiting him, but it is not clear how many committable offers he holds now. He is a slotR prospect who does not have great speed, but knows how to run routes and catch in traffic.
Kendrick Gilbert, DL, Indianapolis, IN
Gilbert has been recruited hard by Anwar Stewart but is committed to Purdue. He recently visited UK. The working theory is that UL might fire Scott Satterfield and hire Jeff Brohm, following which Gilbert would decommit from Purdue. At the moment, I don't care for the chances of any of this happening. But there is clearly a spot for Gilbert in UK's class if he decides to flip.
Devin Hyatt, WR, Bradenton, FL
Hyatt reportedly holds at least 8 SEC offers including AL and GA. His big brother is a star receiver for TN. So if TN wants him, you have to figure they may have the best shot to sign him. But he is still scheduled to visit Lexington next Saturday. If he shows up for the visit, UK still has a chance.
Ja'Keem Jackson, DB, Kissimmee, FL
Jackson is one of the best DB prospects in the south. He holds 11 SEC offers. He is currently committed to FL. If he flipped to UK, he would immediately become the highest ranked player in our 2023 class. There is a chance this could happen. His brother is a member of UK's track team, and he recently visited Lexington. But several other SEC teams are still pursuing him.
Saboor Karriem, DB, West Orange, NJ
Karriem holds at least 4 B10 offers and 2 SEC offers. He recently decommitted for IL. He has great length for a safety.
Branden Palmer, LB, Cornelius, NC
Brad White verbally offered Palmer in June. He is an edge LB prospect. Reportedly, he likes UK and WV. But it is hard to tell if UK is still recruiting him, or if he will try to visit.
Marcellius Pulliam, LB, Tyrone, GA
UK's pursuit of Pullium has been off and on. He is an interesting prospect because of his size and athleticism. But he hasn't scheduled any visits, which tells you he isn't focused on recruiting or doesn't have the grades to enroll. It has been rumored that he likes Auburn, but Auburn doesn't currently have a football coach. If Pullium schedules a visit to Lexington, then I will take him more seriously.
William Spencer, OL, New Albany, IN
Spencer grew up in Louisville. He holds at least 3 SEC offers. He has crystal ball predictions for UK, including one from Steve Wiltfong. Probably a future Wildcat if he has the grades to enroll.
Jamarion Wilcox, RB, Douglasville, GA
Wilcox holds 3 SEC offers plus others from Clemson and Cincinnati. He recently visited Lexington. With Rodriguez and Smoke graduating, there is an obvious need for more RBs. Wilcox, who is having a breakout senior season at South Paulding hs, is good enough to win snaps early in a career at UK. He might not commit anywhere until December but he would be a fortunate get for us.
Unless some of those DBs can play OL, UK has a glaring need that has not been addressed!
About that. Kiyaunta Goodwin was a borderline 5 star prospect. Jaden Burton, Jeremy Flax, John Young, and Grant Bingham were 4 stars. Deonte Buford was a high 3 star with an impressive Power 5 offer sheet. Nik Hall had multiple SEC offers and is the son of a former NFL player. Eli Cox was a midseason All American last year. There is nothing wrong with the talent on UK's OL roster. It is loaded. Most coaches would kill to have UK's OL roster. IMHO, UK needs a new OL coach with experience. But Stoops can and probably will use the portal.
I haven't seen anything official but Josh Edward's is reporting that DL Will Norman is still coming for an official visit. May be a long shot but would be a big time recruit. He is currently committed to Florida.
Trying to build momentum for it. It’s all he can do but it doesn’t make me feel confident about our NIL future. The programs we want to compete with and some we’re currently better than seem so far ahead here.
He may have said that 6 months ago, but at the time UK didn't have a true collective. Some say they do now but I have never seen anything definite. The couple I seen didn't seem legit. Yakety (I thjnk) posted a couple links to a collective last week you could donate to but again not sure about it
We've got to do a better job of promoting these collectives. As fans and our administration has too as well. I would say the vast majority of our fanbase hasn't seen where to help.
I’m pro Mitch. He’s done a remarkable job as an AD. That said, if he won’t adapt/embrace NIL, then he needs to retire or move on. U can’t sit there and watch Rome burn because u don’t like NIL.
That’s UKs. The official source…see the url. Nothing to be unsure about except why Matt jones doesn’t think it’s adequate which I’m curious about.
UK put it out on Twitter. I saw it on Facebook. A friend said he saw posters at a football game and basketball exhibition.
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