By Will Marshall and Hank Rippetoe
Jared Tucker DB
Stephenson High School
Stone Mountain, GA
Tucker is a 5' 11'' 180 lb. high school safety who will transition to cornerback in college. Tucker claimed 17 offers with 6 coming from Top 25 schools. Bradley Paveto and Derrick Ansley convinced Tucker to choose Kentucky over the likes of Ohio St., South Carolina, Missouri, Louisville, and Miami among others. It continues to be important for UK to be able to pluck select recruits out of hotbed southern states like Georgia and Florida when possible. Additionally, Stephenson HS produces good players about every year and it's important for this staff to build ties to the school.
Tucker speaks to the quality of recruit this staff is bringing in to UK in the last two recruiting classes. Under previous staff's Tucker would have been one of the highest rated recruits, but in this class he seems to be an afterthought to many. Tucker enters a secondary that returned every starter at cornerback and nickelback (along with their back-ups), and is introducing two more cornerbacks in addition to Tucker. If Tucker can make special team units then he'll see playing time this season; otherwise, he may end up redshirting.