Will be interesting to see how M.Cox/Flax hold up vs Bama's DL/LBs, especially vs LBs Turner/Braswell who are two dynamic defensive playmakers.
The targeting rule is way, way too arbitrary.
Speaking of Boulware, did you all see where he posted a positive vibe on X this week? It was nothing specific, but definitely appeared some good news was coming.
Thanks. I didn't see that. But there is a new CB pick for Patterson to UK on TOS. Back when Patterson committed to UC on 8/1, there were lots of online reports that UK's coaches would stay in touch with him and try to flip him. Evidently, that is taking place now.
IMO, even with that, still better to have the possibility hanging over players to keep it down.
I assure you that Marcus Downs does not truly have 7 SEC offers. His SEC “offers” were verbal offers during and directly after his junior year of high school when schools send out offers to tons of prospects. Not a single SEC program recruited him as senior and invited him to campus for an official visit. G-Tech is by far and away the biggest name program that truly offered the kid.
Several online analysts disagree with you, which obviously doesn't mean all those offers are currently committable. The fact that all these SEC coaching staffs have been interested enough to recruit Downs at some point during this cycle is what makes his offer sheet interesting. Same is true for every other prospect. If the Smith twins suddenly changed their minds and tried to verbal to MI today, Harbaugh probably would not accept their commitments. That doesn't change the significance of the fact that Harbaugh tried very hard to secure their signatures at one point in this recruiting cycle. Every coaching staff has to account for a finite number of scholarships.
Downs is one of the top 10 overall prospects in the state of SC. He has a great frame and he is athletic. No reasonable person would suggest Downs isn't an interesting SEC DT prospect. Right now, we have Brian Robinson, an "edge" player who probably fits as a DE in the 3-3-5 unless he shrinks. We have Jerod Smith, who might be a DE or a DT depending on how he fills out. Downs is a true interior defensive lineman. If we sign him, that would make our 2024 class better. Our coaching staff saw talent in D'Eryk Jackson, Deone Walker, Khalil Saunders, and Keeshawn Silver. They know what they are doing.
Both Cox’s might return, according to Stoops on the call-in show.
Be nice but E. Cox needs to go back to OG, '23 has been a struggle for him at C. Hopefully Keenum can beat him out come Spring.
Agreed. Center has been a big problem for 2 years. Keenum has to be the answer.
Trevin Wallace OVed and committed to UK very late in his recruiting cycle. He had previously been committed to BC, but decommitted. It is not uncommon for this to happen. Many current UK players OVed and committed to UK late in their recruiting cycles. Some other examples - Tavion Gadson, Jayvant Brown, Khamari Anderson, Ardell Banks, Jamarion Wilcox, Deone Walker, Alex Afari, Kenneth Horsey, Barion Brown. This is why we have encouraged everyone to disregard summer online class rankings, which are meaningless due to the fact that so many important players commit late. There is no point in even attempting to assess a class until after they sign. I don't even try to judge classes for three years.
Ironically, the best performance ratings on our 2023 OL have come from Jeremy Flax, who was prematurely dismissed by so many of our fans prior to the season. The Horseman is another fine player, but only now rounding into shape after the earlier knee sprain. It's interesting to see which players develop most effectively. You never really know. It takes a lot of work and focus. I don't think Eli Cox has had a bad season, but he certainly isn't Drake Jackson. IMO, our entire OL is better than it was in 2022 but still not where it needs to be for SEC competition. I don't see how Zach Yenser makes it another year on the staff.
Nave will immediately be the best OL prospect in our 2024 class. FWIW, Cam Dooley also has a recent UK CB pick.
Good, late pick up. Hope another OL can be found.
Agree re player ratings but my question is what makes these "experts", experts? What are their qualifications and what criteria do they use to rate players? And how does a player get gigged one tenth of one point(0.1) that serves as the difference between a 3* and a 4*? Take the case of Sam Anaele, a DL from FL who decommitted from Miami as a 4* and committed to UK as a 3*. Then, when the final ratings came out, he dropped 104, ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR spots even though he had not played a game in 6 weeks! That's outrageous IMO. Anaele signed with UK but unfortunately battled injuries and was forced to give up football. Turns out he was a winner, got his degree in 3 years and recently went thru Senior Day at UK this past weekend.
I will make a guess Nave is our last 2024 OL commit. I am concluding this only because Andrew Dennis isn't going to visit UK, and because we aren't publicly recruiting any other 2024 offensive linemen. But there is still time to get involved with another late decommitment from another program. I have no present clue who that could be though.
Even though there have been some rumors that OH St may have pulled Nave's offer, it is still significant that Coach Day offered him and accepted his verbal commitment. Nave is a serious OG prospect. He may never play OT, but he looks like a multiyear RG starter and an upgrade to me.
