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While ESPN’s coverage of National Signing Day went well into the afternoon hours, Kentucky put a bow on its 25-man recruiting class before lunch on Wednesday.
247Sports rates the class as the 12th-best in the SEC and 34th nationally, slight improvements on last year’s rankings.
STOOPS: Big day for Kentucky football. Very excited about this class. It’s a strong class. https://t.co/7c5efIkx0e
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) February 3, 2016
LOW DRAMA
While some schools were learning about recruits by watching them jump out of planes, coach Mark Stoops and his staff were having a much quieter day. Aside from three-star defensive linemen Jaquan Nelson and KaDerrion Mason, who signed with Syracuse and Louisiana Tech, respectively, the Wildcats got everyone they were expecting to get on Signing Day.
STOOPS: Top to bottom an extremely strong group. Great people, great leaders, great families. — Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) February 3, 2016
A FENCE AROUND THE STATE
Keeping good local talent in-state is a good place to start for any successful recruiting class, and Kentucky signed five players from the Commonwealth in this class.
Center Drake Jackson and LB Kash Daniel, both four-star recruits, are already enrolled while four-star OT Landon Young, three-star ATH Zy’Aire Hughes and three-star CB Davonte Robinson signed letters of intent Wednesday.
STOOPS: The most important thing is to get the local guys. We were blessed to have this much talent in state this year.
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) February 3, 2016
INSTANT IMPACT
Jackson, Daniel and Young are the most highly touted members of this class, and all should have a chance to compete for playing time as freshmen. The same is true for junior-college transfer DT Naquez Pringle. Young, rated by 247Sports as the sixth-best tackle prospect in the nation, has earned a fifth star with some recruiting services and is the jewel of this class. Junior-college transfer Stephen Johnson II and early-enrollee Gunnar Hoak will compete with Drew Barker for the starting quarterback job in spring practice as well.
Mark Stoops said Stephen Johnson II is “talented” and needs to physically get stronger. Smart, good leader. “He came here to win that job.” — Jen Smith (@jenheraldleader) February 3, 2016
SIGNEES
Landon Young, OT, four-star
Jordan Griffin, CB, three-star
Jordan Bonner, LB, three-star
Tobias Gilliam, CB, three-star
Zy’Aire Hughes, ATH, three-star
Jaylin Bannerman, DE, three-star
Ben Snell, RB, three-star
Roland Walder, LB, three-star
Kordell Looney, DT, three-star
Davonte Robinson, CB, three-star
Kayaune Ross, WR, three-star
T.J. Carter, DE, three-star
A.J. Rose, ATH, three-star
JaQuize Cross, DT, three-star
Luke Fortner, OT, three-star
Justin Rigg, TE, three-star
Grant McKinniss, P, three-star
Jamar Watson, LB, three-star
EARLY ENROLLEES
Drake Jackson, OL, four-star
Kash Daniel, LB, four-star
Tate Leavitt, OT, three-star
Dakota Holtzclaw, TE, three-star
Gunner Hoak, QB, three-star
Stephen Johnson II, QB, three-star
Naquez Pringle, DT, three-star
Editor’s note: Saturday Down South’s references to recruiting rankings are to the 247Sports.com industry composite ranking.
Randy Capps is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, South Carolina and Georgia.
