Kentucky has three 2022 commitments, all defensive backs, but the hope is that the ball really gets rolling over the next month to six weeks. The summer is going to be a crazy time, but Kentucky hopes dominoes start falling soon. Had one person tell me it wouldn't be wild to see six players who are rated as four stars (my interpretation was six four-stars on one network or another) by the time the summer rolls around.
Quick hitter format...
- Things still look very good for Kentucky's chances with Kiyaunta Goodwin. I participated in a Rivals.com "Fact or Fiction" and explained that I believe Kentucky will land Goodwin. Since then, I've had a couple more conversations during which sources have reiterated things look good for Kentucky here. The 'Cats pretty much consider him a five-star prospect and I think he should definitely be in that conversation.
- Think Kentucky still has the best shot with Gavin Wimsatt, however, it's not a done deal by any stretch of the imagination and he has not tipped off a decision timetable. It's a good thing he didn't commit two or three weeks ago because around the time of the Rutgers visit they had made a nice impression on him. Probably doesn't help their chances that the travel situation from Owensboro to New Brunswick, N.J., is so inconvenient, but no question, their staff connected with him.
Not sure this has been mentioned much and I will only scratch the surface for now, but there's someone who has been connected to Wimsatt's recruitment from the early going who was apparently not very friendly to Kentucky. Preferred Notre Dame for him early on, and this person (not a family member) has been a hurdle for UK, to put it mildly. I don't think they will ultimately cause him to go elsewhere but it has been a complication no doubt.
This recruitment has been a brass knuckle affair between the two coaching staffs and there will be some hard feelings either way. Rutgers' DB coach is recruiting Gavin for them and he's one of the few African Americans on the staff there. UK on the other hand isn't exactly hiding the fact that Stoops has pretty much built a very diverse staff. Just a lot going on and you would expect that in such a high profile recruitment for both schools.
I saw some talk that the dad might have wanted Gavin at Cincinnati but that was shot down to me in a recent conversation, at least UK's understanding is dad would prefer him at the Power Five level, but that's second hand info, just interesting.
- I do think Kentucky has a shot with Dane Key but there has also been a hurdle there. Kentucky did not recruit his brother, Devon, who ended up going to WKU. I think if Kentucky had recruited Devon coming out of high school then this would be an open-shut case. But because they didn't, there have probably been some hard feelings to overcome. I do think they have taken steps to mend that relationship and I'll give them a very real shot. They're considering him a huge priority, maybe No. 2 in the class behind Goodwin, and not only telling him that he can start as a true freshman, but really believing that's possible.
- UK believes it is the frontrunner for four-star corner Alex Afari, four-star OL Grant Bingham, and three-star OL Ryan Baer. Right now the strategy in the South is to really aggressively target highly graded/ranked/preferred guys who are going to be more difficult to get, but they want to try to knock it out of the park instead of moving down their list this early. Try to position themselves and survive enough early cuts that they can get a strong group of guys on campus this summer.
- Don't believe UK is the favorite for Aamil Wagner, but do think they are still in the mix.
- Kentucky is prioritizing Brody Foley at tight end. He told us last week that he would not visit UK in the near future because he doesn't feel like he needs to, but UK wants to change that and get him to work a visit in. 'Cats have offered a number of tight ends, even recently, and that is because I'm hearing they are going to take two.
Apparently they are bracing for the possibility of Keaton Upshaw leaving a year early based on his trajectory last year and the kind of potential he has in the new offense.
But the silver lining there is I've heard Brenden Bates is actually playing at the highest level of any tight end on the roster right now, up to 260 pounds. He was going to get even more playing time than he saw last season but for a concussion that set him back.
- JuTahn McClain is wowing the coaching staff in practice. I know Smoke is going to be No. 2 as long as he's durable (big qualifier there), but McClain is the third back right now and could see quite a bit of action this season. Have heard both Settle and Coen really like him.
- Tae Crumes continuing to get mentions for big play ability in practice.
Quick hitter format...
- Things still look very good for Kentucky's chances with Kiyaunta Goodwin. I participated in a Rivals.com "Fact or Fiction" and explained that I believe Kentucky will land Goodwin. Since then, I've had a couple more conversations during which sources have reiterated things look good for Kentucky here. The 'Cats pretty much consider him a five-star prospect and I think he should definitely be in that conversation.
- Think Kentucky still has the best shot with Gavin Wimsatt, however, it's not a done deal by any stretch of the imagination and he has not tipped off a decision timetable. It's a good thing he didn't commit two or three weeks ago because around the time of the Rutgers visit they had made a nice impression on him. Probably doesn't help their chances that the travel situation from Owensboro to New Brunswick, N.J., is so inconvenient, but no question, their staff connected with him.
Not sure this has been mentioned much and I will only scratch the surface for now, but there's someone who has been connected to Wimsatt's recruitment from the early going who was apparently not very friendly to Kentucky. Preferred Notre Dame for him early on, and this person (not a family member) has been a hurdle for UK, to put it mildly. I don't think they will ultimately cause him to go elsewhere but it has been a complication no doubt.
This recruitment has been a brass knuckle affair between the two coaching staffs and there will be some hard feelings either way. Rutgers' DB coach is recruiting Gavin for them and he's one of the few African Americans on the staff there. UK on the other hand isn't exactly hiding the fact that Stoops has pretty much built a very diverse staff. Just a lot going on and you would expect that in such a high profile recruitment for both schools.
I saw some talk that the dad might have wanted Gavin at Cincinnati but that was shot down to me in a recent conversation, at least UK's understanding is dad would prefer him at the Power Five level, but that's second hand info, just interesting.
- I do think Kentucky has a shot with Dane Key but there has also been a hurdle there. Kentucky did not recruit his brother, Devon, who ended up going to WKU. I think if Kentucky had recruited Devon coming out of high school then this would be an open-shut case. But because they didn't, there have probably been some hard feelings to overcome. I do think they have taken steps to mend that relationship and I'll give them a very real shot. They're considering him a huge priority, maybe No. 2 in the class behind Goodwin, and not only telling him that he can start as a true freshman, but really believing that's possible.
- UK believes it is the frontrunner for four-star corner Alex Afari, four-star OL Grant Bingham, and three-star OL Ryan Baer. Right now the strategy in the South is to really aggressively target highly graded/ranked/preferred guys who are going to be more difficult to get, but they want to try to knock it out of the park instead of moving down their list this early. Try to position themselves and survive enough early cuts that they can get a strong group of guys on campus this summer.
- Don't believe UK is the favorite for Aamil Wagner, but do think they are still in the mix.
- Kentucky is prioritizing Brody Foley at tight end. He told us last week that he would not visit UK in the near future because he doesn't feel like he needs to, but UK wants to change that and get him to work a visit in. 'Cats have offered a number of tight ends, even recently, and that is because I'm hearing they are going to take two.
Apparently they are bracing for the possibility of Keaton Upshaw leaving a year early based on his trajectory last year and the kind of potential he has in the new offense.
But the silver lining there is I've heard Brenden Bates is actually playing at the highest level of any tight end on the roster right now, up to 260 pounds. He was going to get even more playing time than he saw last season but for a concussion that set him back.
- JuTahn McClain is wowing the coaching staff in practice. I know Smoke is going to be No. 2 as long as he's durable (big qualifier there), but McClain is the third back right now and could see quite a bit of action this season. Have heard both Settle and Coen really like him.
- Tae Crumes continuing to get mentions for big play ability in practice.
