State of 2026 Recruiting

[Rembrandt90]

Anthony Davis, LB, Loganville, GA
Jamir Perez, DL, Cleveland, OH
Damari Simeon, DL, Richland, NJ

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Did a little research on UK's bigger name players recently and where they are from :

Michigan :
Deone Walker
Maxwell Hairston
Justin Rogers
Khamari Anderson
DeAndre Square

Georgia :
C-Rod
Jamarion Wilcox
Trevin Wallace
Yusuf Corker
Trevard Lindley
Bud Dupree
Jamin Davis

Florida :
Hardley Gilmore (gone)
Jason Patterson
Danny Trevathan

Georgia and Michigan has been very good to UK. Florida, not so much. I know there are several other players who are from those states who have played at UK, I just listed the more productive ones.

My thoughts are this ;
Florida- UK has not landed near enough on filed talent from the super rich in talent Florida. Needs to be a lot more work put in there. Horrible.

Georgia has kind of cooled off lately, tons of talent there, and was very good to UK.

Michigan - Has been very good recently, need to keep up the networking there.

SC/Miss/Louisiana/Alabama - Maybe start trying to build some relationships in those very rich in talent areas. Seems like recently the Ohio kids we do get, end up leaving or do not pan out. And I know we have had NUMEROUS star players from Ohio, but in the last couple years it hasn't really paid off on the field.

If UK can land that many difference makers from Michigan, they damn sure can at least TRY to land some southern kids. JMO.

I believe one of the thinks that hurts teams like UK in Georgia is Tech trying to reestablish itself on the recruiting from. Paul Johnson destroyed Tech'relatiinship statewide with Georgia HS coaches. They are recruiting kids that don't quite get the Bama, or tOSU offer, but like all the Carolina teams, the 2nd tier Big10 teams. Reality is, start middle of Atlanta and get kids you want in a 50 mile radius and be in playoff every year.

 

[Rembrandt90]

In other words, recruiting is a competitive process. UK doesn't usually recruit head to head with GA Tech but it happens occasionally. GA Tech sure would like to have signed UK LBs Devin Smith and Grant Godfrey. I looked over GA Tech's roster but I don't see anyone UK seriously wanted other than Romello Height, who actually signed with Auburn before transferring later to GA Tech.

 

[Rembrandt90]

J'Vari Flowers, DB, Miami, FL
Courtney Heard, OL, Sharpsburg, GA
Hank James, DB, Paducah, KY
Mathieu Kanu, LB, Nokesville, VA
Zeke Marshall, LB/WR, Anderson, SC
Johnny Moody, DB, Birmingham, AL

 

[Rembrandt90]

Publicly reported UK OVs for the class so far-

May 30

Joel Ervin, OL, Ft Myers, FL
Jarvis Strickland, OL, Paducah, KY

June 6

Marcus Almada, DL, Marion MA
Jordan Crutchfield, DB, Ft Pierce, FL
Dylan Purter, DB, Tuskegee, AL
Elijah Satchell, LB, Camden, NJ

June 13

JT Barlow, DL, Evergreen, AL
Andrew Clark, DB, Richmond, VA
Darnell Collins, WR, Rome, GA
KJ DeRiso, ATH, Fayetteville, GA
Larry Miles, WR, Winter Garden, FL
Da'Ron Parks, OL, Sarasota, FL

June 15

Asharri Charles, LB, Venice, FL

June 20

Karsten Busch, LB, Louisville, KY
Jaedyn Terry, DB, Manchester, GA

 

[TuckyFB]

I know its early but we're literally the only SEC team without a 2026 commit right now.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

In other words, recruiting is a competitive process. UK doesn't usually recruit head to head with GA Tech but it happens occasionally. GA Tech sure would like to have signed UK LBs Devin Smith and Grant Godfrey. I looked over GA Tech's roster but I don't see anyone UK seriously wanted other than Romello Height, who actually signed with Auburn before transferring later to GA Tech.

That is what I am saying. Paul Johnson ruined the relationship with every coach in the GHSA, his successor didn't do anything to change that. But the one they have now is rebuilding those connections. It's didnt happen overnight, but entering his 4th year Tech is being mentioned by lots of the top kids and they have signed some kids that they normally had no shot at. NIL changes everything, but they are starting to get GA. Kids that Bama, UGA, LSU and other places they had no shot at 3 years ago.

 

[Rembrandt90]

That is what I am saying. Paul Johnson ruined the relationship with every coach in the GHSA, his successor didn't do anything to change that. But the one they have now is rebuilding those connections. It's didnt happen overnight, but entering his 4th year Tech is being mentioned by lots of the top kids and they have signed some kids that they normally had no shot at. NIL changes everything, but they are starting to get GA. Kids that Bama, UGA, LSU and other places they had no shot at 3 years ago.

Nope. As I said before, UK rarely recruits head to head against GA Tech. There isn't a single example on GA Tech's current football roster of a direct recruiting victory over UK.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Publicly reported UK OVs for the class so far-

May 30

Joel Ervin, OL, Ft Myers, FL
Jarvis Strickland, OL, Paducah, KY

June 6

Marcus Almada, DL, Marion MA
Jordan Crutchfield, DB, Ft Pierce, FL
Dylan Purter, DB, Tuskegee, AL
Elijah Satchell, LB, Camden, NJ

June 13

JT Barlow, DL, Evergreen, AL
Andrew Clark, DB, Richmond, VA
Darnell Collins, WR, Rome, GA
KJ DeRiso, ATH, Fayetteville, GA
Larry Miles, WR, Winter Garden, FL
Da'Ron Parks, OL, Sarasota, FL

June 15

Asharri Charles, LB, Venice, FL

June 20

Karsten Busch, LB, Louisville, KY
Jaedyn Terry, DB, Manchester, GA

Rome has been good and producing multiple P4 athletes the last few years. Fayetteville has multiple HSs so don't know much about that kid. Manchester made a deep run into the playoffs in 24. semis I think and this kid was a big contributer.

 

[Rembrandt90]

I know its early but we're literally the only SEC team without a 2026 commit right now.

This always comes up. They won't sign until next December. It doesn't matter how early UK gains its first commitment. In recent years, our coaches have actually gained commitments from a lot of important players in the fall. The list of May and June OVs is interesting. Let's see what the final class looks like.