It appears UK has drawn an imaginary 300 mile circle around Lexington and has claimed that as "home" territory, "in-state" if you will. That includes cities such as Cincy, Indy, Atlanta, Nashville, etc. Glad to see the move into the Northeast, lots of players there. Area I always hoped UK would hit hard is DelMarVa, especially the Tidewater section. They've tried, see Paschal, with modest success. Va Tech locked down Tidewater under Beamer for decades, Penn St picked up scraps. Looking at Rembrandt's list(nice work BTW) shows UK is going anywhere and everywhere to find top players.
State of 2024 Recruiting
- Thread starter Rembrandt90
- Start date
Yes, UK's current recruiting budget facilitates a wider recruiting effort. At one time, Stoops was almost competely focused on a 300 mile radius around Lexington, which worked because of Stoops' and Marrow's OH connections and Jon Sumrall's AL and GA connections.
Looking at the publicly reported list of current 2024 offers, Stoops' staff is recruiting in these states now-
AL
AR
AZ
CA
CT
DC
FL
GA
IL
IN
KY
MA
MD
MI
MO
NC
NJ
OH
PA
SC
TN
VA
WI
Some of these states are well outside the 300 mile radius. What is happening? Greater revenue reaching UK from the SEC's $multibillion TV contract. Greater media coverage of UK because of seven straight bowl appearances and intermittent rankings in national polls. Improvement of UK's football image because Stoops is producing All Americans and putting star Wildcats into the NFL draft. Winning televised games inside the state of FL, where vast numbers of top hs athletes are looking for colleges. Among other reasons.
Should come as no surprise both Stoops are dipping into AZ and CA. Both surely have contacts from their days coaching at University of Arizona.
The only UK offer in AZ is held by Elijah Rushing of Tucson, who has an ideal name for an edge defender. He is a very highly recruited DE prospect. Coach Coen is recruiting CA QB prospect Maealiuaki Smith out of San Mateo.
Reported as new 2024 offers-
Robert Bourdon, OL, Collierville, TN
Jordan Burns, LB, Atlanta, GA
Jonathon Daniels, OL, Pensacola, FL
Keyshawn Flowers, LB, Severn, MD
Jameer Grimsley, WR, Tampa, FL
Fred Johnson, OL, Cleveland, OH
Cameron Keys, DB, Lynn Haven, FL
Demello Jones, WR, Swainsboro, GA
Marquavious Saboor, ATH, Marietta, GA
Kyhair Spain, RB, Lilburn, GA
Robert Bourdon, OL, Collierville, TN
Jordan Burns, LB, Atlanta, GA
Jonathon Daniels, OL, Pensacola, FL
Keyshawn Flowers, LB, Severn, MD
Jameer Grimsley, WR, Tampa, FL
Fred Johnson, OL, Cleveland, OH
Cameron Keys, DB, Lynn Haven, FL
Demello Jones, WR, Swainsboro, GA
Marquavious Saboor, ATH, Marietta, GA
Kyhair Spain, RB, Lilburn, GA
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UK's current 2024 class-
Hayes Johnson, OL, Campbellsville, KY
Aba Selm, OL, Independence, KY
Let's play who's next. I'm guessing WR Shaun Boykins of North Hardin hs in Ratcliff will be UK's next commit. Some other realistic possibilities might include DE Darius Wiley of Ratcliff or TE Gavin Grover of Lewis Center, OH.
I have recently seen evidence that Coach Marrow is stepping up his recruitment of edge LB Brian Robinson from Fitch hs in Youngstown, OH. By now, everyone knows Youngstown is Marrow's, Stoops', and Buffano's home town. Robinson is highly recruited with at least 5 B10 and 4 SEC offers plus ND, Southern Cal, and FL St. He is a long athlete who can run. Last year, Robinson received two medium confidence CB picks for MI. But it looks like UK and PA St are also closely involved. Coach Marrow is recruiting Robinson. If Marrow can pull this off, Robinson would be an important addition to our defense. He looks like a prototype Jack LB and a likely multiyear starter. But could outgrow LB and grow into a DE.
The Armstrong twins from Lakewood, OH, are now getting CB picks for OH St. Not a surprise, but I was hoping they might fall to UK.
Hayes Johnson, OL, Campbellsville, KY
Aba Selm, OL, Independence, KY
Let's play who's next. I'm guessing WR Shaun Boykins of North Hardin hs in Ratcliff will be UK's next commit. Some other realistic possibilities might include DE Darius Wiley of Ratcliff or TE Gavin Grover of Lewis Center, OH.
I have recently seen evidence that Coach Marrow is stepping up his recruitment of edge LB Brian Robinson from Fitch hs in Youngstown, OH. By now, everyone knows Youngstown is Marrow's, Stoops', and Buffano's home town. Robinson is highly recruited with at least 5 B10 and 4 SEC offers plus ND, Southern Cal, and FL St. He is a long athlete who can run. Last year, Robinson received two medium confidence CB picks for MI. But it looks like UK and PA St are also closely involved. Coach Marrow is recruiting Robinson. If Marrow can pull this off, Robinson would be an important addition to our defense. He looks like a prototype Jack LB and a likely multiyear starter. But could outgrow LB and grow into a DE.
The Armstrong twins from Lakewood, OH, are now getting CB picks for OH St. Not a surprise, but I was hoping they might fall to UK.
Fredrick Douglass hs's Demeco Kennedy received strong reviews as a DE at a recent midwest combine. According to Steve Wiltfong, Kennedy was almost unblockable because of his quickness. Reportedly, Kennedy currently holds 2 SEC offers including UK.
Another positive is that Notre Dame will get embarrassed by a broader range of Southern teams.
Yes, Georgia, Clemson and Bama kicking Golden Arse has been entertaining, but as many as a half-a-dozen others from the SEC could get some of their own in the next few years.
I wonder where UK is recruiting him. All 3 services have him listed as an IOL.
Would be a good get. An AL kid that supposedly has offers from Alabama and Auburn
Kentucky WR Target Andre Thompson Looking to Decide Within 2-3 Months, according to KSR
Allow me to suggest a list of uncommitted 2024 prospects who appear to be important to UK's coaching staff at this point in the recruiting season, going into spring practice. Generally, spring practice is an important part of the early recruiting season because so many prospects typically visit unofficially to watch practice and talk with UK players and coaches.
I am naming prospects who are obviously important to our coaches at this point in time, as shown by intensity of recent recruiting activities in these cases. There is no such thing as a "must-sign", because our coaches literally evaluate hundreds of prospects every year. It is theoretically possible that we could miss on all 10 of these prospects and still sign a strong class next winter, because new names are constantly popping up. This fact was illustrated with our 2023 class, when fans belittled the class all summer only to discover in the winter that it was actually another strong class. As our coaches worked through the process in the last class, their evaluation and outreach work eventually paid off. Recruiting is a marathon, not a sprint.
When May and June come around, our coaches will be evaluating players in camps. Every year, the camp and combine evaluation process changes the priority list of prospects receiving attention from our coaches. When next fall comes, our coaches will attend hs practices and games. That phase of the recruiting season juggles the coaches' priority list again. Then, late in the fall season, coaches become aware of players who may have decommitted or lost their offers at other programs. That changes the priority list again.
With that being understood, here are 10 uncommitted names for 2024 currently receiving heavy recruiting attention from our coaches. I am only naming 10 priority targets who have been receiving lots of attention. If I don't list someone below, that DOES NOT MEAN UK's coaches aren't recruiting him. I am not predicting where these players will sign. I will rank them according to my own idea of their current importance to our staff, and I will include the primary recruiter in parentheses.
1. Brian Robinson, edge LB, Youngstown, OH (Coach Marrow)
2. Jacob Smith, edge LB, Cheshire, CT (Coach White)
3. Jerod Smith, DL, Cheshire, CT (Coach White)
4. Aaron Scott, DB, Holland, OH (Coach Marrow)
5. Koy Beasley, DB, Cincinnati, OH (Coach Marrow)
6. Quinton Martin, RB, Belle Vernon, PA (Coach White)
7. Cameron Coleman, WR, Phenix City, AL (Coach Woodward)
8. Terhyon Nichols, DB, Cincinnati, OH (Coach Marrow)
9. Jack Hines, OL, Avon, CT (Coach Woodward)
10. Shaun Boykins, WR, Ratcliff, KY (Coach Marrow)
I am naming prospects who are obviously important to our coaches at this point in time, as shown by intensity of recent recruiting activities in these cases. There is no such thing as a "must-sign", because our coaches literally evaluate hundreds of prospects every year. It is theoretically possible that we could miss on all 10 of these prospects and still sign a strong class next winter, because new names are constantly popping up. This fact was illustrated with our 2023 class, when fans belittled the class all summer only to discover in the winter that it was actually another strong class. As our coaches worked through the process in the last class, their evaluation and outreach work eventually paid off. Recruiting is a marathon, not a sprint.
When May and June come around, our coaches will be evaluating players in camps. Every year, the camp and combine evaluation process changes the priority list of prospects receiving attention from our coaches. When next fall comes, our coaches will attend hs practices and games. That phase of the recruiting season juggles the coaches' priority list again. Then, late in the fall season, coaches become aware of players who may have decommitted or lost their offers at other programs. That changes the priority list again.
With that being understood, here are 10 uncommitted names for 2024 currently receiving heavy recruiting attention from our coaches. I am only naming 10 priority targets who have been receiving lots of attention. If I don't list someone below, that DOES NOT MEAN UK's coaches aren't recruiting him. I am not predicting where these players will sign. I will rank them according to my own idea of their current importance to our staff, and I will include the primary recruiter in parentheses.
1. Brian Robinson, edge LB, Youngstown, OH (Coach Marrow)
2. Jacob Smith, edge LB, Cheshire, CT (Coach White)
3. Jerod Smith, DL, Cheshire, CT (Coach White)
4. Aaron Scott, DB, Holland, OH (Coach Marrow)
5. Koy Beasley, DB, Cincinnati, OH (Coach Marrow)
6. Quinton Martin, RB, Belle Vernon, PA (Coach White)
7. Cameron Coleman, WR, Phenix City, AL (Coach Woodward)
8. Terhyon Nichols, DB, Cincinnati, OH (Coach Marrow)
9. Jack Hines, OL, Avon, CT (Coach Woodward)
10. Shaun Boykins, WR, Ratcliff, KY (Coach Marrow)
Nice list of prospects…. Any idea on the number of players we will sign overall and I only see one OL prospect on the list. Any idea of OT prospects that we are in on that aren’t “projects”?
Due to uncertainties over which eligible seniors will invoke a COVID season, and which underclassmen will transfer, it is just impossible to say. We know this much. If everyone scheduled to return in 2024 does actually return, we should have about 22 open scholarships for our 2024 class. Of course, the real number will be larger because of unforeseen roster attrition. But how many scholarships will be given to hs seniors and how many will be given to inbound transfers? There is no way for us to know. We know that Mark Stoops has had a great deal of success signing transfers, so he will continue to do so. But who knows how many hs prospects he will sign in 2024? There is no way to calculate that yet.
"Project" is a subjective term. A lot of coaches would probably say that almost all college offensive linemen are projects at the time they sign, because it takes a lot of time and work to develop almost all of them. It is very rare for a true freshman offensive lineman to receive playing time, and almost as unusual for a redshirt freshman offensive lineman to get snaps. Most linemen need longer in the system. Based on practical experience, online player ratings don't always translate to being ready to play early. Kiyaunta Goodwin and John Young were examples.
Not including the two verbal commitments, Selm and Johnson, more than 40 other hs offensive linemen have reportedly already received UK scholarship offers for the 2024 class. It is not possible for us to know how many of those offers are actually committable, or which ones will rank UK as a finalist, but lots of them are highly-ranked players.
IMO going forward in each class UK will be signing 15 to 18 HS recruits, and 8 to 10 portal transfers
Curious to know your reasoning there. Care to share? I think numbers of hs signings and inbound transfers will vary each year depending on how many scholarships are open and which positions need immediate new starters (like QB and LT this spring).
Devin Leary is a senior. Coach Stoops did not sign a hs QB in our 2023 class. Since then, Scangarello was fired and Coach Coen has been hired as OC. I am not alone in expecting Coen will be a more effective recruiter than Scangarello was. If you just look closely at public statements made by 2025 QB prospect Cutter Boley, it is apparent that the Coen hire is increasing the interest of top QB prospects in coming to play football at UK.
I will make an attempt to summarize where 2024 QB recruitment stands.
Recently, Indianapolis prospect Danny O'Neil said that UK remains one of the schools he likes most. It does not surprise me that O'Neil is interested in playing for Coach Coen. O'Neil's hs teammate Kendrick Gilbert just signed with UK, and Coen's return has grabbed a lot of attention in the midwest sports media. To be clear, though, this tells us nothing about Coen's level of interest in O'Neil. My suspicion is that Coen will eventually be looking at a long list of QB prospects. But Danny O'Neil was a Scangarello contact.
Coen is currently focused on Devin Leary and UK's OL. It is still early to know where Coen's recruiting attention will eventually zero in. Here is a list of 2024 QB prospects who have already received attention from Coen according to multiple reports. It will be interesting to see if any of these players shows up for an unofficial visit to watch a UK spring practice session. This is not presented as an all-inclusive list, and I am not predicting where these players will ultimately sign.
KJ Jackson, Montgomery, AL
DJ Lagway, Willis, TX (FL commit)
Air Noland, Fairburn, GA (best QB name)
Maealiuaki Smith, San Mateo, CA
No doubt this list will grow after Coach Coen completes his hands on work with UK's spring practice. I expect Coen to be a very active recruiter.
I will make an attempt to summarize where 2024 QB recruitment stands.
Recently, Indianapolis prospect Danny O'Neil said that UK remains one of the schools he likes most. It does not surprise me that O'Neil is interested in playing for Coach Coen. O'Neil's hs teammate Kendrick Gilbert just signed with UK, and Coen's return has grabbed a lot of attention in the midwest sports media. To be clear, though, this tells us nothing about Coen's level of interest in O'Neil. My suspicion is that Coen will eventually be looking at a long list of QB prospects. But Danny O'Neil was a Scangarello contact.
Coen is currently focused on Devin Leary and UK's OL. It is still early to know where Coen's recruiting attention will eventually zero in. Here is a list of 2024 QB prospects who have already received attention from Coen according to multiple reports. It will be interesting to see if any of these players shows up for an unofficial visit to watch a UK spring practice session. This is not presented as an all-inclusive list, and I am not predicting where these players will ultimately sign.
KJ Jackson, Montgomery, AL
DJ Lagway, Willis, TX (FL commit)
Air Noland, Fairburn, GA (best QB name)
Maealiuaki Smith, San Mateo, CA
No doubt this list will grow after Coach Coen completes his hands on work with UK's spring practice. I expect Coen to be a very active recruiter.
FWIW, Leary's listed as a Junior on the UK roster. I really don't know, was hoping some of our crack KY sports media would confirm.
Several new 2024 UK offers have been reported-
Josiah Davis, DB, Nashville, GA
Marcus Downs, DL, Greer, SC
Daniel James, DB, Powder Springs, GA
Kash Mallory, LB, Cincinnati, OH
Jaden Smith, DB, Charlotte, NC
Antonio White, WR, Lilburn, GA
Josiah Davis, DB, Nashville, GA
Marcus Downs, DL, Greer, SC
Daniel James, DB, Powder Springs, GA
Kash Mallory, LB, Cincinnati, OH
Jaden Smith, DB, Charlotte, NC
Antonio White, WR, Lilburn, GA
Appreciate the post. Don’t you think a 2025 QB recruit would wonder if he’d ever actually play for Coen? I know you’re not predicting commitments, but Boley’s first realistic chance to start would probably be 2026. That would be Coen’s fourth year here (fifth if you count 2021.) Seems unlikely he’s still here unless he’s our head coach.
State of Grorgia is loaded for 24. Buford has 2 5* kids that are Sr, a couple more under classmen who are 5* and near double digit 4*. Not a UGA pipeline unfortunately, Bama and OSU leaders for most of them.
OT: Saw where TN's charging admission for their Spring game. Need a down payment for their $8M QB I guess.
Any coach could leave any job at any time. What makes Coen different in that way? If Boley signs with AL, Saban could be retired and the entire staff could turn over by the time he plays. This is why it is important for the player to choose a campus and a university that he likes. But FWIW, Stoops is the SEC east's senior coach, and Stoops' staff has been relatively stable. Coen can sign an extension. He has already moved his child twice. The elementary school years are coming up. When Stoops and Coen recruit Boley, Boley can ask them directly what their plans are. I would. That is a question candidates often ask at job interviews.
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Because even UT knows 90% of their fans are delusional and would pay the price of a Bama ticket to watch spring game.
Some more new 2024 UK offers-
Kameryn Fountain, DL, Mobile, AL
Jashad Presley, DB, Orlando, FL
Antonio White, WR, Lilburn, GA
Kameryn Fountain, DL, Mobile, AL
Jashad Presley, DB, Orlando, FL
Antonio White, WR, Lilburn, GA
Well if more fans of other teams were so delusional, they'd buy more tickets & fill stadiums more.
Our football team's spring practice will be interrupted for a week while our players go home or take vacations. After practices resume, there is a lot of scuttlebutt that a bunch of 2024 prospects will visit our practice sessions unofficially. This happens during spring practice every year. Even though UK's practices are not open to the public, our coaches encourage prospects interested in UK to drop by and interact with our team. I have heard a lot of names who might visit. None of those names are confirmed, of course, and others will surely visit without being rumored first. So my point is not to predict which prospects will visit our spring practices.
The point is that these visits raise the possibility of more verbal commitments over the next month or so. Verbal commitments during spring practice don't happen every year, but they are not uncommon.
Even if no verbal commitments happen in the next month, it is worth keeping an eye on which prospects visit our spring practices. When a prospect visits spring practice, that is almost always an indicator that their interest is very serious. It is a great chance for our coaches to describe how the prospect will fit in our program, and also a great chance for prospects to meet every UK coach.
The point is that these visits raise the possibility of more verbal commitments over the next month or so. Verbal commitments during spring practice don't happen every year, but they are not uncommon.
Even if no verbal commitments happen in the next month, it is worth keeping an eye on which prospects visit our spring practices. When a prospect visits spring practice, that is almost always an indicator that their interest is very serious. It is a great chance for our coaches to describe how the prospect will fit in our program, and also a great chance for prospects to meet every UK coach.
From the looks of Twitter apparently several UVs occurred last week.
Not sure if these are '24s or '25s, probably a mix: Cai Bates, Drayden Pavey, Braden Jacobs, Owen Aliciene, Brayden Clark, Tyler Cooks, Max Wang, Jeremyah Libema, Jivan Baly, Melo Ware, Sincere Edwards.
His parents had one job and they nailed it!
Coen def didn't make him a priority
A couple of new 2024 UK scholarship offers have been reported-
D'Angelo Barber, LB, Pinson, AL
Ethan Calloway, OL, Mooresville, NC
D'Angelo Barber, LB, Pinson, AL
Ethan Calloway, OL, Mooresville, NC
As discussed earlier, O'Neil was a Sangarello contact. I believe O'Neil liked UK (actually, he has said as much) but O'Neil is not on Coach Coen's priority list. All other things being equal, I'm sure Stoops and Marrow would love to open a wider recruiting pipeline to Cathedral hs (Kendrick Gilbert's hs). But Coen will shoot high for UK's next QB signing.
More new 2024 offers reported-
Justin Denson, DB, Providence, RI
Earl Kulp, DB, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Deryc Plazz, OL, Jacksonville, FL
Justin Denson, DB, Providence, RI
Earl Kulp, DB, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Deryc Plazz, OL, Jacksonville, FL
